Bulgaria: AI-driven cybercrime surge in investment fraud and child exploitation
Bulgaria's cybercrime directorate reported a surge in AI-enabled crimes, particularly deepfake-based investment fraud where victims lose substantial sums, and AI-generated child sexual abuse material. Criminal organizations based mainly in Asia and North Africa use AI to automate fraud processes and deceive victims into fraudulent investment schemes.
What happened
Bulgaria's cybercrime directorate reported an increasing share of cybercrimes conducted with artificial intelligence as criminals use AI to automate parts of their operations. Creation of deepfake video materials featuring known personalities is used to deceive victims into investing money in fraudulent platforms.
Reported impact
Victims reportedly lost hundreds of thousands of Bulgarian leva in investment fraud schemes, with some losing 100,000 to 200,000 leva each. In some cases, victims took loans or sold property to invest in the fraudulent platforms. AI-generated sexual material depicting child exploitation is also being distributed, though the directorate reported this represents only 1-2 percent of cases currently, a percentage that is gradually increasing.
Index analysis
The directorate noted that organized criminal groups perpetrating these frauds are typically based in Asian or North African countries, often operating call centers with dozens or hundreds of workers. Victims and perpetrators are frequently in different countries, with funds and money mules in yet others, complicating enforcement by Bulgarian police and international partners.
Governance controls
Bulgaria's Cybercrime Directorate operates a specialized sector to counter illegal distribution of child sexual exploitation material, using specialized software to identify Bulgarian IP addresses distributing such materials. The directorate participates in daily and weekly operations with international partners from Europol, other police structures, and the FBI targeting criminal groups.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.