• Press Releases
    • Submit a press release
    • Read All
  • Contact us
Advertise
Bitcoinist.com
Join Lightchain AI
No Result
View All Result
👆 BUY LIGHTCHAIN HERE 👆
  • Bitcoin
    • News
    • Price
    • Businesses
    • Acceptance
    • Technology
    • Investment
    • Regulation
    • Reviews
    • All Bitcoin News
  • Altcoins
    • News
    • Price
    • Ethereum
    • Ripple
    • Litecoin
    • EOS
    • NAGA
    • All Altcoin News
  • Tech
    • Blockchain
    • Security
    • FinTech
    • Price
      • Bitcoin Price
      • Ethereum Price
      • Binance Coin Price
      • Litecoin Price
  • Industry
    • Industry News
    • Press Releases
  • How to
    • Buy gift cards/mobile Top Ups with Cryptos
    • What Is Bitcoin?
    • Best Bitcoin Wallet
    • Bitcoin vs Ethereum
    • Why Use Blockchain Technology?
    • Bitcoin Cash ABC vs. Bitcoin Cash SV
    • How to Buy Cryptocurrency
    • How to do Crypto Gambling
      • Crypto Casinos
        • Ethereum Casinos
        • Solana Casinos
        • LiteCoin Casinos
        • DogeCoin Casinos
        • Live Crypto Casinos
        • New Casinos
        • Instant Withdrawal Casinos
        • Cash App Casinos
        • No KYC Casinos
        • VPN Casinos
        • Offshore Casinos
          • Crypto Casinos IT
          • Crypto Casinos ES
            • All Guides
          • Crypto Casinos JP
          • Crypto Casinos SG
          • Crypto Casinos MY
          • Crypto Casinos KR
          • No GAMSTOP Casinos in UK
          • No Cruks Casinos NL
      • Crypto Betting
        • No ID sportsbooks
    • Play Crypto Games
      • Crypto Poker
      • Crypto Slots
      • Crypto Blackjack
      • Crypto Crash Gambling
        • Aviator Sites
      • Plinko
    • Bitcoin Mining
    • Best Bitcoin Brokers
    • Best Bitcoin Forex Brokers
    • How To Earn Bitcoin
    • What is Facebook Libra?
    • Ripple and XRP: The Complete Guide
  • Events
  • Play Games
Breaking News: Ripple And SEC Reach Major Deal: Remaining $75M Penalty Returned, Injunction Lifted
👆 BUY LIGHTCHAIN HERE 👆
  • Bitcoin
    • News
    • Price
    • Businesses
    • Acceptance
    • Technology
    • Investment
    • Regulation
    • Reviews
    • All Bitcoin News
  • Altcoins
    • News
    • Price
    • Ethereum
    • Ripple
    • Litecoin
    • EOS
    • NAGA
    • All Altcoin News
  • Tech
    • Blockchain
    • Security
    • FinTech
    • Price
      • Bitcoin Price
      • Ethereum Price
      • Binance Coin Price
      • Litecoin Price
  • Industry
    • Industry News
    • Press Releases
  • How to
    • Buy gift cards/mobile Top Ups with Cryptos
    • What Is Bitcoin?
    • Best Bitcoin Wallet
    • Bitcoin vs Ethereum
    • Why Use Blockchain Technology?
    • Bitcoin Cash ABC vs. Bitcoin Cash SV
    • How to Buy Cryptocurrency
    • How to do Crypto Gambling
      • Crypto Casinos
        • Ethereum Casinos
        • Solana Casinos
        • LiteCoin Casinos
        • DogeCoin Casinos
        • Live Crypto Casinos
        • New Casinos
        • Instant Withdrawal Casinos
        • Cash App Casinos
        • No KYC Casinos
        • VPN Casinos
        • Offshore Casinos
          • Crypto Casinos IT
          • Crypto Casinos ES
            • All Guides
          • Crypto Casinos JP
          • Crypto Casinos SG
          • Crypto Casinos MY
          • Crypto Casinos KR
          • No GAMSTOP Casinos in UK
          • No Cruks Casinos NL
      • Crypto Betting
        • No ID sportsbooks
    • Play Crypto Games
      • Crypto Poker
      • Crypto Slots
      • Crypto Blackjack
      • Crypto Crash Gambling
        • Aviator Sites
      • Plinko
    • Bitcoin Mining
    • Best Bitcoin Brokers
    • Best Bitcoin Forex Brokers
    • How To Earn Bitcoin
    • What is Facebook Libra?
    • Ripple and XRP: The Complete Guide
  • Events
  • Play Games
Bitcoinist.com
No Result
View All Result
Breaking News: Ripple And SEC Reach Major Deal: Remaining $75M Penalty Returned, Injunction Lifted
Picture of El Salvador president Nayib Bukele next to a gold bitcoin

El Salvador Sees Rise In Identity Theft As Scammers Steal Personal Data To Get $30 Bitcoin Bonus

Best Owie
by Best Owie
4 years ago
·
Posted in Bitcoin
Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

El Salvador’s bitcoin roll-out has had its up and downs since the country officially made it legal tender on September 7th. In the past month, residents have posted both the good and bad of bitcoin adoption. It has been chiefly favorable as citizens settle into their new standard of having a cryptocurrency as a legal tender, alongside the existing dollar legal tender.

The Chivo wallet, which is the official wallet of the El Salvador government, gives out a $30 sign-up bonus to residents 14 and above to encourage the adoption of crypto. Chivo wallet has had some technical issues following the implementation. But the developers have worked out the kinks as the weeks have passed. Now, a new problem has arisen with the wallet; El Salvadorians are having their identities stolen.

Related Reading | U.S. Mega Bank Sets Up Bitcoin Custody Service, With Other Cryptos To Follow

Identity Theft Skyrockets

The $30 BTC bonus from the Chivo wallet carries a simple condition that residents sign up with their information and confirm it is them. After the verification process is complete, citizens will receive their bitcoin bonus and be on their way. However, scammers began to exploit this at an alarming rate, to the point where citizens have started to cry out.

Related Reading | Why A U.S. Bitcoin ETF Has A 75% Chance Of Being Approved In October

Some citizens who have yet to activate their Chivo wallets find out that their wallets have already been activated. Scammers used citizens’ personal information to activate their wallets, get the $30 bonus, and transfer it out to their wallets.

One such case was Tatiana Marroquin, an El Salvadorian economist, who downloaded the wallet for the first time to see that someone else had already activated her Chivo wallet. Marroquin explained on Twitter that she had never downloaded the wallet and had been prompted to do so after she had seen the numerous complaints from citizens about their wallets being activated by scammers.

Questioning The Security Of Chivo Bitcoin Wallets

Tatiana Marroquin is not the only one in this boat. The Chivo wallet helpline has been flooded with complaints of people finding out their wallets had been activated without their knowledge. The scammers had already made away with their $30 bitcoin sign-up bonus. But more importantly, this raises a security issue with using bitcoin wallets in the future.

Bitcoin (BTC) price chart from TradingView.com

BTC price falls below $57K | Source: BTCUSD on TradingView.com

Since each citizen can only activate a single wallet, they are effectively stuck with the wallets the scammers have already accessed. Putting funds in these wallets becomes a considerable risk as the scammers could easily access them and cart away whatever funds the user may have in their Chivo wallet. Furthermore, these bad actors could use these wallets to carry out illegal activities linked back to the user.

“By impersonating or stealing our identity, our personal data (DUI) could be linked to a user profile and activities that we have not carried out or consented to,” said attorney Laura Hernandez, a technology specialist, and public policy analyst.

Related Reading | Why The China Crackdown May Be Just The Push The DeFi Market Needs

While the El Salvador government is yet to comment on these reports, others have taken to challenging the numbers put out by the president, Nayib Bukele, who claims that over 50% of the population were now using Chivo wallet. Computer scientist Mario Gomez pointed to a usage survey which showed that only 12% said they had used the Chivo wallet. 

The number of complaints on social media points to a large amount of the reported 52% of registered users as being scammers who were spoofing users’ information to collect the $30 bitcoin bonus.

Featured image from Nairametrics, chart from TradingView.com
Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.
ShareTweetShareShare

Sign Up for Our Newsletter!

For updates and exclusive offers enter your email.

I consent to my submitted data being collected and stored.
Best Owie

Best Owie

Follow

Best Owie is a Managing Editor at Bitcoinist with extensive experience and a proficient expert known for crafting captivating and insightful content. Best boasts over six years in the crypto sector, and has supervised the conception and publication of thousands of articles. Best is also a content and marketing strategist with the ability to make sure your content reaches the right audience and beyond. In every aspect, Best stands out as a consummate professional, always striving for unparalleled excellence both within and outside the workplace.

Full Profile

Related Posts

BlackRock

Quantum Threat? BlackRock Flags Future Risk In Bitcoin ETF Filing

23 hours ago
Bitcoin

Bitcoin At The Core Of Bhutan’s Tiny Yet Mighty Investment Plan

2 days ago
Bitcoin

From Tokyo With Bitcoin: Metaplanet Tops El Salvador In Crypto Holdings

3 days ago
McGregor

McGregor For President? With Bitcoin In His Corner, Anything’s Possible

4 days ago
Bitcoin

Bitcoin Returns To Consolidation Phase Ahead Of Projected Surge To $106K-$110K Range

4 days ago
Bitcoin

Crypto Analyst Predicts Bitcoin To Hit $200,000 At Cycle Top – Details

4 days ago
Please login to join discussion

Premium Sponsors

Press Releases

  • XRP Holders Make $9,277/Day with Bitcoin Cloud Mining

    33 minutes ago
  • CoinACE Throws Open the Doors to Risk‑Free...

    1 hour ago
  • STAU Foundation Announces Official Listing of Digital Gold...

    2 hours ago
  • Ripple (XRP) holders earn $78,597 per day through ALL4...

    3 hours ago
  • HODL 2025 opens in Dubai, advancing the Emirates’...

    4 hours ago

Bitcoin news portal providing breaking news, guides, price analysis about decentralized digital money & blockchain technology.

Join Lightchain AI

Bitcoin

  • News
  • Price
  • Businesses
  • Acceptance
  • Technology
  • Investment
  • Regulation
  • Reviews

Altcoins

  • News
  • Price
  • Ethereum
  • Ripple
  • Litecoin
  • EOS

Categories

  • Blockchain
  • Security
  • FinTech
  • Technology
  • Trending
  • Breaking News
  • Press Releases
  • How to

About Us

  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
© 2025 Bitcoinist.com. All Rights Reserved.
  • Bitcoin
    • News
    • Price
    • Businesses
    • Acceptance
    • Technology
    • Investment
    • Regulation
    • Reviews
    • All Bitcoin News
  • Altcoins
    • News
    • Price
    • Ethereum
    • Ripple
    • Litecoin
    • EOS
    • NAGA
    • All Altcoin News
  • Tech
    • Blockchain
    • Security
    • FinTech
    • Price
      • Bitcoin Price
      • Ethereum Price
      • Binance Coin Price
      • Litecoin Price
  • Industry
    • Industry News
    • Press Releases
  • How to
    • Buy gift cards/mobile Top Ups with Cryptos
    • What Is Bitcoin?
    • Best Bitcoin Wallet
    • Bitcoin vs Ethereum
    • Why Use Blockchain Technology?
    • Bitcoin Cash ABC vs. Bitcoin Cash SV
    • How to Buy Cryptocurrency
    • How to do Crypto Gambling
      • Crypto Casinos
      • Crypto Betting
    • Play Crypto Games
      • Crypto Poker
      • Crypto Slots
      • Crypto Blackjack
      • Crypto Crash Gambling
      • Plinko
    • Bitcoin Mining
    • Best Bitcoin Brokers
    • Best Bitcoin Forex Brokers
    • How To Earn Bitcoin
    • What is Facebook Libra?
    • Ripple and XRP: The Complete Guide
  • Events
  • Play Games
Advertise

© 2025 Bitcoinist. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy Center or Cookie Policy.