Peru: 22 arrested in digital banking fraud probe

Peru's Specialized Temporary Prosecutor's Office for Cybercrime in La Libertad said a major operation led to 22 arrests tied to a group under investigation for aggravated fraud, computer fraud and criminal organization. According to the cited investigation, the network impersonated banks, airlines and other companies, sent WhatsApp links to trick victims into downloading fraudulent apps, and moved money from bank accounts into third-party accounts.

How did the alleged network operate?

The prosecutor's and police theory points to a scheme built around malicious links and spyware or fraudulent applications. Investigators believe those tools were used to take control of devices and accounts. The PNP, according to statements attributed to its national director of Criminal Investigation, said the method allowed access to bank accounts, digital wallets and WhatsApp accounts.

Macro Norte said the investigation places the group behind account draining through a spyware app. Buenapepa, provisionally and without official confirmation, identified it as Los Cripto Casher de Trujillo and said two suspects were still at large. That same outlet attributed to the police theory the installation of malicious files or apps and the impersonation of banks and airlines.

What did the operation in La Libertad leave behind?

Diario Correo reported that the deployment involved 18 prosecutors, more than 230 PNP officers and Divindat, with 16 simultaneous raids in Lima, Virú and several districts of Trujillo. Authorities seized computer equipment, storage devices, bank cards, phone chips and S/25,000 in cash, all of which were sent for digital and financial forensic analysis.

SOL TV also reported the seizure of electronic devices, S/30,000 in cash and high-end watches during the operation. That coverage said the gang allegedly compromised bank accounts, digital wallets and WhatsApp accounts. The reported seizure figures do not match exactly between sources, but both describe a broad confiscation of assets and equipment.

What do the phishing and malware figures show in Peru?

Peru recorded 70 million phishing attempts between September 2025 and September 2026, according to Kaspersky's Peru Threat Landscape 2025/2026 report cited by Agencia Andina. The same report counted 39 million malware attacks blocked in the country during that period, equal to about 1.12 attacks per resident.

El Peruano reproduced that both figures refer to attacks detected or blocked by Kaspersky's solutions, not confirmed victims or successful fraud. Agencia Andina made the same point for the reported phishing and malware figures, so the numbers reflect activity observed by the company, not financial losses or the number of people affected.

The publications do not directly link those metrics to the La Libertad case, but they do place the country at a high volume of detected attempts over the last measured year. At the same time, the prosecutor and police operation in Trujillo points to a specific digital fraud method involving identity theft, malicious links and fund diversion.