Colombia: Fraud complaints rise 141%

Between January and August 2026, complaints of fraud involving electronic transfers rose 141% in Bogotá, 121% in Barranquilla, 119% in Cali and 84% in Medellín compared with the same period in 2025, according to an analysis by BPC using National Police data. The study reviewed cases reported under article 269J of Colombia’s Penal Code, which covers unauthorized transfer of assets, and used cybercrime records updated through October 21, 2026.

What did the analysis measure?

The report compared January to August 2025 with January to August 2026 and was based on National Police cybercrime records, according to El Tiempo and El Espectador. In that period, all four cities posted triple-digit increases except Medellín, which still recorded a sharp rise.

Bogotá saw the largest increase, followed by Barranquilla and Cali. The report focused specifically on fraud complaints tied to electronic transfers, not other types of digital scams.

How far did Bre-B factor into the coverage?

The additional coverage clarifies that the study does not determine how many cases were specifically linked to Bre-B, even though the increase coincided with the rollout of the instant payments system. That point appears in Lado.mx, which notes that the timing alone is not enough to establish causality.

How is the fintech ecosystem responding?

IONIX LATAM introduced Ionix Trust Verify, a digital identity platform that combines forensic document analysis, facial biometrics with liveness detection and digital risk signals to verify identities. The solution also includes validation against official sources, device, IP and email signals, along with behavior-based rules, according to Colombia Fintech and Economía y Desarrollo.

The company described the tool as a SaaS service and presented it as a response to the rise in identity fraud. According to Economía y Desarrollo, IONIX operates in Chile, Mexico, Colombia and Peru, and the solution already has clients in three Latin American markets.