Colombia banks halt charges over identity theft

The Constitutional Court of Colombia has cleared Law 2573 of 2026, and with that ruling the measure will take effect in November 2026 for banks and financial institutions in the country. According to Red+ Noticias, the key milestone was not limited to presidential approval, but also required the high court’s backing.

What changes for banks and financial institutions

Under Law 2573, institutions must immediately suspend the collection of installments, loans, credits, products, or services that are under dispute because of possible identity theft. They will also have to request the removal of negative reports from credit bureaus such as DataCrédito while the case is being clarified.

The same coverage adds that once the judicial process ends, if the impersonation is confirmed, the affected person will be exempt from all charges and the report will remain removed from credit bureaus. If it is not confirmed, the charges resume with interest and other fees, along with the negative report.

The victim’s path

Although the burden of proof shifts to the institutions, the person who believes they were a victim of identity theft still has to complete an initial procedure. Red+ Noticias says they must go to the bank or merchant with their own evidence of the fraud, ask for charges and reports to be suspended, and file a formal complaint with the Attorney General’s Office or the police for personal and document falsification.

That setup creates a shared process between the victim, the financial institution, and the authorities, with a direct effect on collections management and on credit bureau reporting while it is determined whether impersonation occurred.

Verification and identity framework

The source material also refers to broader regulatory developments on identity verification for loans and the new framework from the Financial Superintendence, with an emphasis on data governance and cybersecurity for banks and fintechs. Combined with Law 2573, those requirements place institutions under greater obligations for traceability, identity checks, and documentary support to sustain charges or reports when fraud or impersonation disputes arise.

As presented in the available material, the issue remains tied to specific deadlines, banks’ operational response, and how they document identity verification and evidence handling in each case.