Common Scams in Colombia and How to Avoid Them

Like any major tourist destination, Colombia has its own catalog of scams targeting visitors — most avoidable with a little context, not constant paranoia.

Scopolamine ("burundanga")

The most serious one: a substance that, given to a victim without their noticing (in a drink, food, or even by contact), can temporarily override their will. It mostly happens in party areas, with strangers offering to "help." Simple rule: never accept open drinks from strangers, don't leave your glass unattended, and be wary of overly friendly people who insist on buying you something.

Rigged taxi meters

Street taxis with a manipulated meter, or that refuse to use one at all. The simplest fix is to use apps like Uber, InDriver, or Cabify, which set the price before the ride and remove this variable entirely.

Fake bills in your change

Especially with large bills at small shops or in taxis. Check your change before putting it away, and if you're unsure about a bill, compare it with another or have it exchanged at a bank.

Unauthorized tour sellers

In tourist areas like Cartagena or Guatapé, informal vendors offer tours at suspiciously low prices, sometimes with no insurance or real operator behind them. Book with operators who have a National Tourism Registry (RNT) or verifiable reviews, even if they cost a bit more.

The ATM "distraction" trick

Someone approaches to "help" you with the ATM right when you have technical trouble, or distracts you while an accomplice watches your PIN. Use ATMs inside banks or malls, never on the street at night, and cover the keypad when entering your PIN.

Fake rental listings

Attractive, cheap apartment listings that ask for a deposit upfront with no chance to see the property in person or on a live video call. Never transfer money without verifying the property and, if possible, the actual owner.

Fake guides or "friends" in tourist areas

People who present themselves as unofficial guides or just "friendly locals" offering to walk you somewhere and then demand payment for a service you never explicitly asked for. If you didn't formally hire a guide, make clear from the start that you won't pay for unsolicited company.

Street currency exchange

Exchanging dollars or other foreign currency with informal street vendors, instead of an established exchange house or bank, exposes you to bad rates or even fake bills in your change — always use formal exchange houses or withdraw pesos directly from an ATM inside a bank, which usually offers a better rate than any informal street exchange.

Fake craft products

In heavily touristed areas, some vendors sell emeralds or crafts presented as authentic that are actually lower-value imitations — for a significant purchase like emeralds, buy exclusively from established, certified jewelers, never from street vendors no matter how convincing their pitch.

How to report an incident

If you're a victim of any of these, the Tourist Police (line 123) are specifically trained to handle cases involving foreign visitors — reporting the incident, even if it doesn't always recover what was lost, helps authorities spot patterns and act against repeat offenders in specific tourist areas.

Digital scams targeting tourists

Beyond traditional in-person scams, some tourists report being contacted by fake social media profiles offering accommodation, tours, or transport at prices well below market rate, demanding full payment upfront by transfer — always verify a business is real through verifiable reviews on established platforms before sending money to a contact you only met on social media.

Specific ATM precautions

Using ATMs inside malls or bank branches, rather than standalone street ATMs, significantly reduces the risk of card skimming or having your PIN observed — always cover the keypad with your hand when entering your PIN, a basic but effective precaution against unauthorized observation in any country, not just Colombia.

Reporting scams you encounter to help protect future travelers

Genuinely reporting any scam you personally encounter to local authorities or relevant travel community forums, even minor ones, helps build a more current, accurate picture for future travelers navigating the same situations in the same areas.

Staying alert without becoming overly suspicious of every interaction

Genuinely staying alert to common scam patterns without becoming so suspicious that you can't enjoy genuine interactions with locals strikes the right balance most experienced travelers eventually settle into after their first few weeks in the country.

Trusting your instincts alongside general safety guidance

Genuinely trusting your own instincts in any specific situation, alongside general safety guidance, remains the most reliable real-time safety tool available to any traveler navigating unfamiliar surroundings in any country.

A genuinely important closing consideration

Genuinely understanding this topic thoroughly, rather than settling for a surface-level grasp based on secondhand impressions or outdated forum posts, considerably improves your ability to navigate the practical realities involved, and genuinely taking the time to verify current specific details directly with qualified local professionals, lawyers, accountants, or specialized advisors familiar with foreign residents' particular circumstances, rather than relying purely on generic guides or informal community advice, protects you from the genuinely common pitfall of outdated or incorrectly generalized information leading to costly mistakes, and genuinely building this habit of careful verification into every significant decision you make throughout your time in Colombia, rather than treating it as an occasional extra step reserved only for the largest decisions, considerably reduces your overall risk profile and genuinely increases your confidence navigating what can otherwise feel like an overwhelming amount of unfamiliar bureaucratic and cultural complexity, and ultimately genuinely investing this extra diligence upfront consistently pays for itself many times over across the full arc of your experience living, working, or investing in this remarkable country.

Frequently asked questions

Is Colombia dangerous for tourists?

No more than any major tourist destination. Most incidents are preventable scams, not violent crime, and following basic precautions avoids the vast majority of them.

What's the most serious scam to watch for?

Scopolamine, since it involves losing control of your own decisions temporarily. Never accept open drinks from strangers.