How to Report a Cyber Scam in Colombia: ¡ADenunciar! Portal and Attorney General's Office

Quick answer: If you were the victim of an online scam in Colombia, stop all contact with the scammer and save screenshots, receipts, and URLs. Then, go to the official portal Time to Report! (associated with the National Police and the Attorney General's Office) to file your case for free. If the fraud involved platforms like Nequi or DaviPlata, keep the formal complaint as support for the report to the provider.

1. What to do in the first 15 minutes (Testing checklist)

Panic is the worst enemy when you realize that an online purchase or payment was a fraud. Before blocking the user or deleting the conversation out of anger, you need to secure the evidence. The authorities need a clear digital trail to evaluate the case.

• Do not confront the scammer: If you tell him you're going to report him, he'll probably delete his accounts, the messages, and disappear.
• Take screenshots of everything: Save the seller's profile, the original listing, phone numbers, and the complete chat history.
• Save your bank receipts: Download the PDF or take screenshots of the transfer receipt showing the account number, date, time, and the name of the account holder you sent the money to.
• Write down the URLs: If the scam was on a fake website (spoofing), copy the exact link.

If during the deception you also shared photos of your ID and fear identity theft, I suggest checking our guide on how report the loss or theft of documents in SIDEX to protect yourself legally.

2. How to use the ¡ADenunciar! portal step by step

In Colombia, cybercrimes (such as computer-related theft or non-consensual transfer of assets, included in the Law 1273 of 2009) can be reported without leaving home. The system Time to Report! is the official platform associated with the National Police and the Office of the Attorney General.

The procedure is completely free and does not require a lawyer. Here is how the process works:

1. Go to the official National Police website and look for the ¡ADenunciar! section, or go directly to adenunciar.policia.gov.co.
2. Accept the data processing terms and select the available category that corresponds to the facts, such as "Cybercrimes".
3. Fill out the form with your personal information and write down the events chronologically. Be specific: mention dates, times, amounts, and any details you know about the alleged scammer.
4. Attach the evidence you collected (screenshots, transfer PDFs).

Upon completion, the system will send you a incident number to your email. Mind you, this number is only confirmation that the system received your request. If it proceeds, they will inform you later about the NUNC (Número Único de Noticia Criminal), which consists of 21 digits and is the case identifier.

3. What to do if you paid via Nequi, DaviPlata, or your bank

One of the biggest frustrations is contacting the bank and feeling like they are doing nothing. File the report as soon as possible, provide the supporting documents, and ask about the applicable procedure; a complaint does not guarantee that a transfer will be reversed.

If you used Nequi: The platform expressly indicates that the first step is report to the Attorney General's Office. Once you have the police report, you must contact Nequi through their official help channels by sending the payment receipts, your account of the events, and a copy of the report. If you notice transactions you didn't make, the app has a specific path to report "I don't recognize this transaction" and take security measures.

If you used DaviPlata: They have a online help portal with a direct option that says "I want to report fraud". Just like with Nequi, document everything and have your criminal complaint ready.

Realistic note: Reporting it does not guarantee that you will get your money back. It is a step to bring the facts to the attention of the authorities and provide support for the financial institutions' internal processes, but recovering the money depends on the facts and the process of each institution.

4. Virtual CAI and how to check the status of your case

If you have doubts before filing the report, the Police have Virtual CAI. This is a channel to receive guidance on cybersecurity, report incidents, or verify suspicious URLs, but remember: a chat with the Virtual CAI does not replace a formal complaint on ¡ADenunciar! or at the Attorney General's Office (Fiscalía).

Once you have your 21-digit NUNC, you can check the basic information of the case on the Attorney General's website, or contact their official lines:

• From a cell phone: dial 122.
• National toll-free line: 01 8000 9197 48.

If the scam involves pyramid schemes or alleged investments that collect money from the public on a large scale, you can also report it to the Superintendencia Financiera to the email super@superfinanciera.gov.co.

5. How to reduce risks when buying or selling online

According to active listings on Colombia Move (July 2026), high-value categories like vehicles have 12 active classifieds on our platform. On the internet, this type of business can also serve as a hook for scammers asking for "advance payments to secure the deal".

To avoid falling into these traps, change the way you transact online:

• Do not pay strangers in advance: Even less so if they pressure you by saying that “another buyer is waiting”.
• Check the documents: If you are going to buy a car or motorcycle, use official tools to consult the digital SOAT and verify its authenticity in the RUNT before letting go of a single peso.
• Distinguish between a scam and a bad product: If you bought something used and it arrived with a scratch, that is not necessarily a cybercrime. Learn how the legal warranty for used products in Colombia to know if you should go to the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) instead of the Prosecutor's Office.

Frequently asked questions

❓ Where do I report a virtual scam in Colombia?

The official channel is the ¡ADenunciar! portal, associated with the National Police and the Attorney General's Office (Fiscalía). If the specific crime does not appear in the virtual options, you must go in person to a complaint reception point of the Fiscalía or the Police.

❓ What evidence should I save before reporting?

You must collect screenshots of the chats, bank transfer receipts, URLs of the fake profiles or web pages, phone numbers, and any data that identifies the transaction or the alleged scammer.

❓ What is the NUNC and what is it for?

The NUNC is the Unique Criminal Report Number (Número Único de Noticia Criminal), a 21-digit code that identifies the case if the report proceeds. It is used to check its basic information through the Fiscalía's channels.

❓ Will I get my money back if I report it?

There is no guarantee that you will recover your money. Reporting allows you to bring the facts to the attention of the authorities and serves as formal support before financial institutions, but the refund depends on the facts and the process of each institution.

❓ What do I do if I was scammed through Nequi?

First, file your formal complaint with the Fiscalía. Then, contact Nequi's official help channels by sending the fraud evidence and a copy of your complaint so they can analyze the report.

❓ What do I do if it was through DaviPlata?

Go to DaviPlata's official help portal and use the option "I want to report a fraud" ("Quiero reportar un fraude"). Save all the transaction evidence and also file the criminal complaint with the competent authorities.

❓ Can I report if I don't know the scammer's real name?

Yes, you can do so. Provide all the data you have, such as cell phone numbers, social media links, or bank account numbers to which you transferred, without making up information or publishing personal data.