Advance Fee Scams in Colombia
How advance fee fraud targets Colombians through fake inheritance claims, prize notifications, and government grant impersonation.
Part of: Advance Fee Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Advance fee scams are a persistent fraud category in Colombia, adapted to local contexts including fake SENA (National Vocational Training Service) grants, fake Prosperidad Social (government social programme) notifications, and inheritance claims from unnamed foreign benefactors. The common mechanic — a large promised payout contingent on a modest upfront fee — remains unchanged across all variants.
Scammers adapt their cover story to align with widely known legitimate programmes, making messages feel plausible to people who are genuinely hoping to receive government support.
How this scam works on Colombia
Colombian victims receive messages via SMS, WhatsApp, or email claiming they have been selected for a government grant, a cash transfer programme, or a prize draw. The message includes a convincing reference number and asks for payment of a processing fee — described as administrative, legal, or tax — before the funds can be released.
Some scammers clone the visual identity of Prosperidad Social or other government welfare programmes very accurately, including logos, official-sounding phone numbers, and names of real government programmes. Victims who have family members genuinely enrolled in such programmes may find the approach particularly convincing.
After the first payment, the story evolves — each new obstacle requires another fee, until the victim stops paying.
Common red flags
- Unsolicited message about a government grant or prize you had no prior knowledge of
- Fee required before the promised payment is released
- Message uses a genuine programme name but contact details do not match the official website
- Urgency: payment must be made today to secure the disbursement
- Contact is only via WhatsApp, not official government channels
How to protect yourself
- Verify any government programme by calling the official helpline or visiting the programme's official website directly
- Understand that genuine Colombian social programmes disburse funds directly — they never charge recipients a fee
- Never send money to receive money — this is always a scam signal
- Report suspicious messages to the SIC and Policía Nacional
How to report it
- Report to the SIC (Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio) using the consumer complaint portal
- File a complaint with the Policía Nacional CAI Virtual at caivirtual.policia.gov.co
- Notify the impersonated government entity so they can issue public warnings
Frequently asked questions
How can I check if a Colombian government payment or grant is real?
Call the official programme helpline — numbers are always listed on the programme's page at gov.co. You can also visit a physical Prosperidad Social or SENA office with your ID to verify enrolment status directly. No genuine government payment programme requires recipients to pay any fee.