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Colombia (CO)

Colombia offers expats an extraordinary combination of year-round spring climate (especially in Medellín), very affordable living, rich culture, improving safety, and one of Latin America's most welcoming visa systems.

Capital: Bogotá
Region: Americas
Language: Spanish
Currency: COP ($)
Cost of living: Very affordable (index 30)
Emergency: 123
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Scam Warnings

Common scams targeting expats in Colombia.

Colombia has undergone dramatic safety improvements since the 1990s, but serious scams and some violent crimes remain real risks — especially in tourist-heavy areas and for people who display wealth or lack situational awareness. The most dangerous scams for expats involve burundanga (scopolamine drugging), express kidnapping via street taxis (paseo millonario), and fake police officers. Bogotá authorities recorded a 362 % increase in reported paseo millonario cases in 2025 compared to 2024, confirming this is an active and growing threat. Three golden rules: never hail a taxi on the street — always use an app; never accept drinks you did not see poured; and verify any authority figure by asking to go to the nearest police station. Emergency line: 123 (Línea Única de Emergencias — free, 24/7, from any phone in Colombia).

Burundanga (Scopolamine) Drugging

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Scopolamine (burundanga, "devil's breath") is a powerful sedative derived from the borrachero tree. It renders victims compliant and causes complete amnesia of events. It can be dissolved into drinks, placed on materials, or administered as powder. Victims are walked to ATMs and forced to empty accounts, or are assaulted. Most incidents occur in Bogotá entertainment districts (Zona Rosa, Parque 93, La Candelaria), nightclubs, and occasionally via dating app encounters. The State Department confirms burundanga incidents continue to be reported by US citizens in Colombia.

How to spot it
  • - Never accept a drink from a stranger in a bar or club — the majority of burundanga incidents begin this way
  • - Overly friendly strangers approaching foreign men in bars are a classic setup — the "attractive stranger" invite is well documented
  • - Never leave your drink unattended; never accept a drink that was already poured
  • - Be cautious of any powder, folded paper, or material handed to you on the street
  • - If you suddenly feel dizzy, confused, or heavily sedated — alert a trusted person immediately and go to a hospital urgencias
What to do: If you suspect you have been dosed: immediately alert a trusted friend, security guard, or establishment staff. Go directly to hospital urgencias. Call 123. Do not accept help from strangers. Effects last 2–8 hours. Scopolamine can be detected by drug screening. Report to Policía Nacional and your embassy.

Fake Taxi / Paseo Millonario (Express Kidnapping)

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Hailing a taxi on the street in Colombia is one of the most dangerous things an expat can do. Criminals operate fake taxis (ordinary-looking cars) or compromise real ones. The paseo millonario involves driving the victim to multiple ATMs under threat, forcing withdrawals until the daily limit is reached. Some victims are held for hours or days. Bogotá recorded 40 paseo millonario incidents in 2025 — a 362 % increase over 2024 — with gangs like La 57 and La Zona T actively operating in Chapinero and other neighbourhoods. The US State Department named the Bogotá paseo millonario as the leading cause of financial loss affecting US citizens in Colombia in its 2025 report.

How to spot it
  • - You hailed the cab on the street rather than ordering through an app
  • - Taxi lacks a visible official medallion number (placa medallón) or functioning meter
  • - Driver asks your destination before you board, then makes unexpected detours
  • - The vehicle is unmarked or does not match the app booking details
  • - A second person enters the taxi after you are already moving
What to do: NEVER hail a taxi on the street in Colombia. Always use: Uber, Cabify, InDriver, or a registered app-based taxi (Tappsi). Your hotel or restaurant can also call a verified remise (radio taxi). If already in a suspicious vehicle: stay calm, do not provoke, call someone and state your location audibly, note the route.

Fake Police Officers (Fleteo / Identity Fraud)

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Criminals posing as plainclothes police approach foreigners claiming to inspect for counterfeit currency or drugs. They demand to see your wallet, phone, or ID and steal cash, cards, or the device outright. Fleteo is a related crime where criminals on motorcycles or in cars follow cash withdrawals from banks or ATMs and rob victims shortly after.

How to spot it
  • - Real Colombian police are uniformed — a plainclothes "officer" cannot lawfully demand your belongings without a formal warrant
  • - These encounters almost always happen near money exchange offices (casas de cambio) or ATMs
  • - The "inspection" story is vague — real police have a numbered badge (placa) you can ask to verify
  • - Being followed by a motorcycle or vehicle shortly after an ATM withdrawal is a fleteo pattern
What to do: If approached: stay calm, do NOT hand over your wallet. Ask to go to the nearest police station (CAI — Centro de Atención Inmediata) together. Real police comply; fraudsters do not. Call 123. Withdraw cash inside bank branches during business hours, not at isolated street ATMs.

Motorbike Phone Snatch (Motochoro)

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A motorcyclist — alone or with a passenger — pulls alongside a pedestrian using a phone and snatches it in seconds. This is one of the most common street crimes in all Colombian cities, particularly Bogotá, Cali, Barranquilla, and Santa Marta. Most incidents happen when the victim is walking near traffic while looking at the screen.

How to spot it
  • - Using your phone while walking on a pavement close to moving traffic
  • - A motorcycle slowing near you or making a second pass while you are on your phone
  • - Walking alone at night with a phone visibly in use in areas near main roads
What to do: Never use your phone while walking on a pavement near traffic. If you must make a call in public, stand against a wall with your back to it. Use your phone in indoor settings whenever possible. If snatched: do not chase — escalation risk is high. Report to Policía (123) with your IMEI number for the police report.

ATM Skimming and Card Cloning

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ATM skimming devices and shoulder-surfing PIN theft are well documented in Colombia. Isolated street ATMs at night are particularly risky. Card cloning (clonación) creates a copy of your card used for fraudulent withdrawals, sometimes from overseas accounts.

How to spot it
  • - ATM card slot or keypad looks loose, unusually thick, or has a plastic overlay
  • - Camera or mirror positioned to capture keypad entry
  • - Person standing too close behind you at the ATM
  • - ATM in a poorly lit, isolated location
What to do: Use only ATMs inside bank branches during business hours. ATMs inside supermarkets (Éxito, Jumbo) or shopping centres are safer. Cover the keypad when entering your PIN. Enable transaction notifications on your bank app. If your card is cloned: call your bank immediately to freeze it and dispute the transactions.

Fake DIAN / Tax Authority or Migración Phone Call

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Phone scammers impersonate DIAN (Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales), Migración Colombia, or Policía Nacional. They claim the victim owes taxes, has an outstanding fine, or has an immigration violation requiring immediate payment to avoid arrest. Increasingly sophisticated callers may have your name, cédula de extranjería number, and address from data leaks.

How to spot it
  • - Caller demands immediate payment by bank transfer or prepaid card to avoid "arrest tonight"
  • - Creates extreme time pressure and emotional urgency
  • - Asks for your banking OTP, card details, or passwords over the phone
  • - Call comes from an unrecognised or spoofed government number
What to do: DIAN, Migración Colombia, and Policía Nacional do not demand immediate payment by phone. Hang up. Check your DIAN or Migración Colombia status via the official portals independently. Report the attempted scam to the Fiscalía General (fiscalia.gov.co) or Policía Nacional cybercrime unit (caivirtual.policia.gov.co).

Counterfeit Colombian Peso (COP) Currency

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Counterfeit COP notes — particularly $50,000 and $100,000 bills — are a persistent problem. Street money changers (cambistas) are the primary source. Counterfeit USD bills also circulate in tourist areas.

How to spot it
  • - Note feels thinner or smoother than genuine currency
  • - Security thread (hilo de seguridad) is absent or appears printed rather than embedded
  • - Colour-shifting ink and watermark are missing
  • - Note received in a dark environment (nightclub, busy market) where inspection is difficult
  • - Exchange offered by a street cambista rather than an official casa de cambio
What to do: Exchange money only at official casas de cambio or banks. Check large notes under UV light — most commercial establishments have UV detectors. If you receive a counterfeit note: do not pass it on. Report to the Banco de la República or Policía Nacional. The note will be confiscated and cannot be exchanged.

Romance and Dating App Scams

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Expats — especially men — are targeted through dating apps and social media by individuals whose goal is robbery, drugging, or extortion. Physical meetings can lead to burundanga incidents or armed robbery. Online-only versions culminate in money requests after an emotional build-up.

How to spot it
  • - Profile seems perfect; romantic escalation happens within the first few messages
  • - Suggests moving conversation to WhatsApp away from the dating app immediately
  • - Proposes a first meeting at an unfamiliar venue or private apartment
  • - Offers to order drinks for you at a bar on a first meeting (burundanga risk)
  • - Online contact who never meets in person eventually requests money for a crisis
What to do: Meet first dates only at well-known public venues you have researched. Tell a friend your location and check in by text. Never accept a drink you did not see poured from a sealed bottle. If an online contact requests money: stop all contact immediately — there are no legitimate exceptions.

Fraudulent Job Offers and Trafficking Recruitment

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Fake job advertisements — on legitimate-looking websites, WhatsApp, and social media — promise high pay in Colombia's border regions or abroad. Victims are recruited into forced labour or sex trafficking. Colombia is both an origin and transit country for trafficking. The Colombian government operates a free 24/7 anti-trafficking hotline at 018000 522 020.

How to spot it
  • - Job description is vague about actual duties and working conditions
  • - Salary is dramatically above market rate for the role
  • - Employer asks you to pay transport or accommodation costs upfront
  • - Job is in a border area, jungle region, or another country with no clear verified employer
  • - Employer requests your passport or CE number to "process papers" before you have signed anything
  • - Communication is exclusively via WhatsApp with no verifiable business address or website
What to do: Verify any employer independently by calling the company directly using a number you find yourself — not one provided by the recruiter. Never surrender your passport to an employer. Human trafficking hotline: 018000 522 020 (free, 24/7, operated by Colombia's government). Report to Policía Nacional (123) or Fiscalía General (fiscalia.gov.co).

Reporting

Where to report: Línea Única de Emergencias Nacional: 123 (police, ambulance, fire — free, 24/7, from any phone). CAIVIRTUAL — Policía Nacional cybercrime unit: caivirtual.policia.gov.co (online fraud, cybercrime, phishing). Fiscalía General de la Nación: 122 or fiscalia.gov.co (formal crime reports). SIC — Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (consumer fraud, distance-purchase rights): sic.gov.co. Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia (financial fraud): superfinanciera.gov.co. Your national embassy: register on arrival through your embassy's online system.

Consumer helpline: SIC consumer protection: 018000 910 165 (free). Superintendencia Financiera (financial fraud): 01 8000 120 100 (free). Human trafficking hotline: 018000 522 020 (free, 24/7). Emergency: 123.