Fake Police Scams in Bolivia
Fraudsters impersonate Bolivian police, prosecutors, or judges to frighten victims into paying fictitious fines or transferring money to avoid arrest.
Part of: Fake Police Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
In a fake police scam, a caller poses as an officer, prosecutor, or court official and claims the victim is implicated in a crime — a traffic offence, an unpaid fine, money laundering, or a relative in custody. The goal is to create panic and pressure the victim into paying immediately to make the supposed problem disappear.
In Bolivia, scammers exploit public unfamiliarity with formal legal procedures and the fear of corruption to make demands for immediate, off-the-record payment sound plausible. Calls may spoof official-looking numbers to add credibility.
How this scam works on Bolivia
A victim receives a call or message from someone claiming to be from the police, the Fiscalia, or a court. The caller describes an urgent legal problem — an arrest warrant, a frozen bank account, a smuggling investigation, or a detained family member — and insists it can be resolved only by paying a 'fine', 'bond', or 'fee' right away.
The scammer keeps the victim on the phone, forbids them from hanging up or consulting anyone, and dictates how to pay: a bank transfer, mobile wallet, or cash handed to a 'courier'. A common variant is the 'virtual kidnapping' call, where the scammer claims to be holding a relative and demands urgent ransom while the relative is actually safe and unreachable by the panicked victim.
The pressure and isolation are deliberate: legitimate Bolivian authorities do not demand instant payment by phone to avoid arrest.
Common red flags
- An unsolicited call claiming you face arrest, a fine, or a frozen account unless you pay now
- Demands for immediate payment by transfer, mobile wallet, or cash courier
- Instructions not to hang up, not to consult family, and to keep the matter secret
- Threats of imminent arrest, court action, or harm to a relative
- A caller who refuses to let you verify their identity through official channels
- Spoofed or 'official-looking' caller IDs used to add false credibility
- A 'kidnapping' claim demanding ransom before you can confirm your relative is safe
How to protect yourself
- Hang up and independently call the relevant office using a number from its official website
- Remember that real authorities never demand instant payment by phone to cancel an arrest
- If a relative is 'kidnapped', try to contact them directly while keeping the scammer on another line
- Never hand cash to a courier or transfer money under phone pressure
- Verify any legal matter in person at the relevant office before acting
- Tell family members about these tactics so they are not caught off guard
How to report it
- Report the impersonation to the Bolivian police (FELCC) at your nearest station
- File a complaint with the Fiscalia, providing the caller's number and any payment details
- Warn relatives and neighbours, who may be targeted with the same script
Frequently asked questions
The caller ID looked official — does that prove it is the police?
No. Caller IDs can be spoofed to display any number. Always hang up and call the office back using a number you find independently on its official website before believing any phone claim.