Skip to main content

Bolivia (BO)

Bolivia is South America's highest and most landlocked country — a plurinational state of dramatic contrasts, from the world's highest navigable lake (Titicaca at 3,812m) and the vast salt flats of Uyuni to the tropical Amazon basin.

Capital: Sucre
Region: Americas
Language: Spanish
Currency: BOB (Bs.)
Cost of living: Very affordable (index 24)
Emergency: 110
Premium

Scam Warnings

Common scams targeting expats in Bolivia.

Bolivia has a moderate crime and scam risk, concentrated in urban areas. Taxi robbery (secuestro express), fake police extortion, and street currency scams are the most serious physical risks for expats and visitors. La Paz (including El Alto) and Santa Cruz pose higher risks than Sucre and Cochabamba. Three golden rules: (1) Never hail a street taxi — always use Uber, InDriver, or a phone-booked radio taxi with visible company branding. (2) Legitimate Bolivian police do not approach tourists on the street to inspect wallets for counterfeit money — this is the setup for a robbery. (3) Bolivia is not in a SEPA zone — bank transfers and most card protections available in Europe do not apply; prevention is far more effective than recovery.

Taxi Robbery (Taxi Pirata / Secuestro Express)

critical

The most consistently documented and dangerous crime for expats and visitors in La Paz and Santa Cruz. A false taxi or a complicit driver picks up passengers; additional accomplices then enter the vehicle or the driver diverts to a remote area where victims are robbed at gunpoint or held until they withdraw cash from multiple ATMs (secuestro express — express kidnapping). Multiple credible government travel advisories — including UK GOV.UK, Canada.ca, and Australia's Smartraveller — confirm this risk is ongoing in 2025–2026. A state of emergency was declared in La Paz Department in June 2026 due to fuel and supply shortages, increasing the general risk environment.

How to spot it
  • - Unmarked vehicle or taxi without a clearly visible, named Radio Taxi company logo on the door or roof
  • - An additional unknown passenger already inside who makes plausible excuses to remain
  • - Driver who "coincidentally" is heading to your exact destination before you state it
  • - Pressure to get in quickly — especially after dark or at bus terminals
  • - Route deviating from the expected path or heading toward peripheral or unfamiliar areas
What to do: NEVER hail a street taxi in La Paz or Santa Cruz. Always use Uber (available in La Paz and Santa Cruz) or InDriver, which show driver photo, plate, and GPS tracking. Alternatively, ask your hotel to call a named radio taxi company by phone. If already in a suspicious taxi: stay calm, pretend to call someone and state your exact location aloud, and ask to be dropped at the nearest busy, well-lit public place. Report immediately to the Tourist Police (Policía Turística) La Paz on +591 2-225-3016 or FELCC on +591 2-222-5555.

Fake Police / Undercover Officer Extortion

critical

Criminals posing as plainclothes Bolivian police (FELCC — Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Crimen) approach tourists in pairs or groups in tourist areas — particularly La Paz Sopocachi, the Witches' Market, and Cementerio General areas — and demand to inspect passports and wallets for "counterfeit money" or "drug residue". Victims who comply are robbed. Documented cases include the use of fake ID cards, fake police uniforms, and even fake police stations to gain compliance. This scam has been consistently reported in La Paz tourist areas.

How to spot it
  • - Plainclothes individuals in tourist areas claiming to be undercover police
  • - Interest in your wallet or the cash inside — beyond simply checking identity documents
  • - Claim that your money is "contaminated", "counterfeit", or that you are a "drug suspect"
  • - Any request to hand over valuables "temporarily for inspection" away from an official police station
  • - Multiple people approaching in a coordinated manner — one engaging you, others moving to flank
What to do: Do not hand over your wallet, passport original, or cash under any circumstances. Calmly state that you will accompany them to the nearest official police station (comisaría). Call 110 (police emergency) in their presence — real officers will not object to this. Ask to see their official badge (placa) and note the number. Plainclothes street inspections of tourist wallets are not a standard procedure of the Bolivian police. Report to FELCC at +591 2-222-5555 or Tourist Police at +591 2-225-3016.

Street Currency Exchange Scam (Cambista Falso)

warning

Unlicensed street money changers (cambistas) on Av. 16 de Julio and tourist market areas offer attractive exchange rates but give counterfeit Bolivianos or US dollars, shortchange during rapid note-counting, or use sleight of hand to switch notes after the deal is agreed. The rapid counting technique is specifically designed to confuse and is difficult to detect in the moment.

How to spot it
  • - Exchange rate offered is noticeably better than at nearby authorised casas de cambio (exchange offices)
  • - Cambista counts notes extremely quickly, offering to recount — a classic distraction technique
  • - Pressure to exchange quickly ("the rate is about to change", "police are coming")
  • - Any situation where notes leave your hands and return — switching can happen in this moment
What to do: Use only authorised casas de cambio on Av. Camacho in central La Paz, where licensed changers offer competitive rates. Always count your notes slowly and carefully at the exchange counter before walking away. If you receive a note you suspect is counterfeit, take it to a bank branch immediately rather than attempting to use it. Report cambista fraud to FELCC at +591 2-222-5555.

Fake or Unlicensed Tour Operators

warning

Street agents outside bus terminals and in tourist areas sell Uyuni Salt Flat tours, jungle expeditions, and adventure trips for operators who are unlicensed, use dangerous vehicles, skip key sites, or do not exist at all. Full payment is collected in advance to an individual rather than a registered company. Tripadvisor and travel forums document specific Uyuni operators charging premium prices while placing customers on cheap competitor tours without disclosure.

How to spot it
  • - Price is dramatically lower than all other established competitors for the same route
  • - No physical office with a registered company address — payment only to an individual person
  • - Full upfront payment demanded to a person, not to a formally registered Bolivian company
  • - No verifiable presence on TripAdvisor, Google Business, or established expat/traveller forums
  • - Pressure to decide immediately — "only two spots left", "price goes up tomorrow"
What to do: Book only through agencies with verified physical offices. For Uyuni Salt Flat tours, use established agencies operating from the Uyuni bus terminal (Red Planet, Colque Tours, and Salty Desert Adventours are consistently recommended on travel forums). Verify Bolivian company registration at fundempresa.org.bo. File disputes with SENACON (consumer protection) at +591 2-211-4590. Never pay the full amount to a street agent.

Distraction Theft (Carterismo)

warning

Pickpocketing and bag snatching in crowded markets, bus terminals, and minibuses (micros/trufis) operate through coordinated teams: one person distracts while accomplices steal. Phone and bag snatching from motorbikes is specifically reported in Santa Cruz. Common distraction techniques include bumping into the target, spilling something, asking for directions while touching the target, or creating a sudden commotion.

How to spot it
  • - Unexplained physical contact — being bumped into, having something spilled on clothing, or someone touching your arm
  • - Unusual crowding or people pressing close without an obvious reason in markets or terminals
  • - Multiple people acting in a coordinated manner around you — one engaging, others moving into position
  • - Someone asking for the time or directions while maintaining physical contact
What to do: Keep bags in front of your body at all times in markets and on public transport. Use a money belt under clothing for passport and cards. Step inside a shop or against a wall before using your phone in the street. If robbed, do not chase thieves (risk of violence). File a SEPREC crime report at any FELCC office for insurance documentation.

Counterfeit Boliviano Notes

info

Counterfeit Bs.100 and Bs.200 denomination notes circulate in Bolivia, particularly from street markets, informal vendors, and street currency changers. Counterfeit US dollars are also in circulation and are sometimes targeted at tourists exchanging money. Possessing a counterfeit note, even unknowingly, can lead to complications if discovered at a bank or shop.

How to spot it
  • - Note feels slippery, unusually thin, or has a different paper texture compared to genuine notes
  • - Colour appears faded, flat, or lacks the metallic shimmer visible on authentic Boliviano notes
  • - Security thread is not visible when the note is held against light
  • - Watermark (Bolivian coat of arms) is absent, blurry, or poorly defined
  • - Colour-shifting ink on the denomination number does not visibly shift colour when the note is tilted
What to do: Check notes at supermarkets, banks, or pharmacies — staff will verify with UV lamps on request. Politely refuse notes you are unsure about ("no la acepto"). Take suspected counterfeit notes to the nearest bank branch. Do not attempt to pass on a suspected counterfeit — hold it and report to the Banco Central de Bolivia.

Drink Spiking (Burundanga / Scopolamine)

warning

Drink spiking incidents have been reported in La Paz bar and nightclub areas (Sopocachi, Zona Sur). Scopolamine (extracted from plants native to the Andes and known locally as "burundanga") renders victims compliant and causes memory loss; victims may be robbed or sexually assaulted. It is typically introduced via a drink offered by a new acquaintance or an unusually friendly stranger.

How to spot it
  • - Very friendly stranger who insists on buying or offering drinks repeatedly when you have not asked
  • - Drink that tastes unusual, slightly bitter, or different from what you ordered
  • - Feeling suddenly and unexpectedly far more intoxicated than your consumption explains
  • - Gaps in memory, confusion, or loss of coordination after only one or two drinks
What to do: Never accept drinks from strangers in bars. Keep your drink in hand at all times and never leave it unattended, even briefly. If you suspect spiking, go immediately to a hospital emergency department and ask for a scopolamine blood test. Call 110 or have friends contact the Tourist Police (+591 2-225-3016). Stick to established venues with trustworthy company.

Overcharging Tourists (Precio Gringo)

info

Restaurants in market areas, street vendors, and taxi drivers sometimes charge foreign-looking visitors prices significantly above local rates. This ranges from informal price inflation at market stalls to formal "tourist menus" in cheaper restaurants, and taxi drivers quoting fares well above the reasonable local rate.

How to spot it
  • - No price list displayed in the restaurant or at the stall
  • - Price stated only after the service has been delivered or the food eaten
  • - Taxi fare not agreed in advance of getting in
  • - Sudden recalculation or addition of unexplained charges at payment time
What to do: Always agree the price before eating at a market stall, hiring a taxi, or accepting any service. Ask for the menú (fixed price lunch menu) which is listed at the door in most Bolivian restaurants and represents the local price. Use Uber or InDriver for taxis — these show fixed prices upfront. Ask at your accommodation what the expected local price is for common services.

Reporting

Where to report: FELCC (Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Crimen) — criminal investigation and cybercrime: +591 2-222-5555 (La Paz) | FELCC Cybercrime Unit: +591 2-222-6662. Tourist Police (Policía Turística) La Paz: +591 2-225-3016. Police emergency: 110. SENACON (consumer protection — Servicio Nacional del Consumidor): +591 2-211-4590 | justicia.gob.bo. File a SEPREC crime report at any FELCC office for insurance documentation.

Consumer helpline: SENACON (consumer protection): +591 2-211-4590 | justicia.gob.bo. ASFI (financial services fraud — Autoridad de Supervisión del Sistema Financiero): 800 103 103 (free) | asfi.gob.bo. Fundempresa (company verification): fundempresa.org.bo. US Embassy emergency: +591 2-216-8000. UK Embassy: +591 2-2010020.