Chivo Bitcoin Wallets Setup Process Hijacked by Hackers

Salvadorans have come out in their hundreds, claiming that their IDs have been used by supposed hackers, in order to open Chivo Bitcoin wallets. As part of efforts by the Nayib Bukele-led government to ease Bitcoin adoption in the country, a $30 dollar bonus had been placed on every new wallet opened. But now according to reports, the entire process has been totally compromised.

Hackers Open Several Chivo Bitcoin Wallets Using the IDs of Unsuspecting Salvadorans

Since launching the Chivo Bitcoin wallet on September 7, many Salvadorans have been complaining about being unable to activate the wallets as their DUI numbers had already been used without their consents.

According to Cristosal, a human rights organization in El Salvador, it has already started receiving complaint notifications in this regard. Within the space of just six days (Oct. 9 to Oct. 14) only, Cristosal, received no less than 755 notifications from Salvadorans who have experienced identity theft with their Chivo Wallets in one way or another.

So far, El Salvador’s government is yet to  comment on the claims of identity theft involving the wallets.

Reports About A Flawed Registration System

Recall that at the end of September, Bukele provided a report claiming that over 2 million people have officially downloaded the Chivo Wallet.

Meanwhile, Chivo’s official website is claiming that for an account to be opened, one must first scan the DUI front and back, and then go on to do some sort of facial recognition that will help to verify the registrant’s identity. But several Salvadorans say that the system is flawed and in no way nearly as protected as it says.

Adam Flores, a Salvadoran YouTuber who runs the channel La Gatada SV, has revealed the flaws of the system in a personal experiment he did using his grandma’s details. Even though Flores used photocopy of the grandma’s DUI, the application was accepted.

He didn’t stop there. During the facial recognition stage, the YouTuber only snapped an unrelated photo of a Sarah Connor poster on his wall. Quite interestingly, the process was successful.

Many other similar cases have since been shared to social media with so many showing how extremely easy it is to fool the tests.