6 Tourist Scams in Cali

You match with an attractive woman on Tinder in Cali and agree to meet at a bar in Granada. She is charming, the conversation flows, and she insists on ordering a round of aguardiente. You excuse yourself to the bathroom. When you return and finish your drink, your memory goes blank. You wake up in your hotel room 14 hours later with no phone, no wallet, no watch, and your bank accounts drained. You have no memory of anything after that drink. Scopolamine — known locally as burundanga or 'devil's breath' — is extracted from the Bugmansia plant that grows wild throughout the Andes. CNN reported in January 2024 that the US Embassy issued a warning about dating app attacks after eight US citizens died in suspicious circumstances in Medellin in late 2023, with authorities saying 39 tourists died in Medellin in 2024 alone, half of them American. While these reports focused on Medellin, Cali as Colombia's third-largest city has the same criminal networks using the same methods. The drug renders victims completely compliant or unconscious for up to 24 hours. World Nomads' Colombia safety guide confirms that 'attractive women often target male visitors who seem wealthy at bars or on dating sites, and slip scopolamine in their drinks when the man goes to the bathroom.' On February 29, 2024, Match Group (parent company of Tinder and Hinge) dispatched representatives to Colombia to meet with authorities after the crisis. The Ackerman Group documented the arrest of a Colombian woman accused of drugging and robbing tourists in multiple incidents.

You are walking through Cali's San Antonio neighborhood, checking your phone for directions. A motorcycle with two riders slows beside you. In a fraction of a second, the passenger reaches out and rips the phone from your hand. The motorcycle accelerates and disappears into traffic. You are left standing on the sidewalk, unable to even get a plate number. Motorcycle-based phone snatching is one of Cali's most common street crimes. The Cielo Travel Colombia safety guide describes how 'a moto pulls up and the punk rips off a gold necklace from a very surprised Dutch lad in the fashionable Granada barrio' — the same technique used for phones. The UK Government travel advisory for Colombia warns about 'mugging by people on motorcycles' specifically. Colombia's national 'No dar papaya' principle — literally 'don't give papaya,' meaning don't make yourself an easy target — exists because of how common opportunistic theft is. The government has deployed a thousand extra police to Cali to combat crime, and theft has been trending downward, but phone snatching remains an everyday occurrence. The scam is not limited to phones — gold chains, watches, bags, and cameras are all targets for motorcycle grab-and-run theft.

You head to Juanchito — Cali's legendary salsa strip — for a night of dancing. The clubs are packed, the music is incredible, and a local woman invites you to dance. While you are focused on the steps and the close contact, her companion lifts your wallet from your back pocket. Alternatively, your phone disappears from the table while you are on the dance floor. You do not notice until you try to pay for drinks and realize your wallet is gone. Cali is the undisputed salsa capital of the world, and the salsa clubs are a major tourist draw — which makes them a prime target for pickpockets. The Cielo Travel guide to Colombia safety notes that 'the worst you might experience is a taxi overcharging you or someone trying to pickpocket in a crowded salsa club.' The close physical contact inherent in salsa dancing — hands on waists, proximity, spinning — creates ideal conditions for skilled pickpockets. The clubs in Juanchito are particularly busy on Thursday through Saturday nights, with packed dance floors where it is impossible to maintain awareness of all your pockets and belongings. The scam is not limited to professional criminals — opportunistic theft by other clubgoers is also common when valuables are left on tables.

You are walking back to your hostel in San Antonio when two men in plain clothes step out from a side street. One flashes a badge and says he is a police officer. He claims there is a drug problem in the area and he needs to inspect your wallet and bag. His partner stands behind you. He takes your wallet to 'check for counterfeit bills,' palming several hundred thousand pesos in the process. He hands it back, tells you everything is fine, and they disappear. The fake police scam is one of the most dangerous cons in Colombia. World Nomads' Colombia scam guide describes how 'a corrupt/fake policeman has either stolen money from a foreigner's pockets or planted drugs — with the foreigner having to pay a hefty bribe.' Alexandra Allover's detailed Colombia scam guide warns that these scams 'commonly happen on the street, in public transportation centers, or around bars at night, where criminals will stop a traveler, quickly flash an ID or badge, and ask to check their documentation or money.' Lawyers Colombia reported on an emerging variation — fake police tickets (multas) — where scammers impersonate officers issuing fines that must be paid on the spot in cash. The key fact tourists should know: real Colombian police will NEVER ask to inspect your cash, check for counterfeit bills on the street, or demand payment of any kind.

After a night out in Menga, you hail a taxi on the street. Ten minutes into the ride, the driver picks up another passenger — his accomplice. They drive to a series of ATMs, holding you for hours as you are forced to withdraw the daily maximum at each machine. This is called the 'paseo millonario' — the millionaire's ride — and it is one of Colombia's most documented crimes against tourists. Road Junky's Colombia scam guide describes the 'millionaire's ride' explicitly: 'A traveler hails a street taxi that turns out to be unlicensed, and instead of going to their destination, they turn down a backstreet where the driver's friends with knives are waiting.' The Ackerman Group documented express kidnappings in Colombia where 'victims have been held in taxis for over three hours while assailants drained their bank accounts and made fraudulent online purchases, with amounts like two million pesos ($458) electronically transferred along with stolen cell phones, watches, wallets and jewelry.' The UK Government, Canadian Government, and US State Department all warn about express kidnappings via street-hailed taxis in Colombian cities. The Cali Adventurer safety guide emphasizes: never hail a taxi from the street in Cali, especially at night.

You open a tab at a bar near Parque del Perro, ordering beers and aguardiente shots for yourself and new friends you have made. The night is great and you are having a blast. When you close your tab, the bill shows 25 drinks instead of the 12 you ordered. The bartender insists the count is correct and points to tally marks on a napkin that you cannot verify. If you argue, a bouncer materializes. You pay the 450,000 COP bill ($110 USD) rather than cause a scene. Bar tab inflation is a known tactic in Colombian nightlife, particularly at venues catering to tourists. The Medellin Advisors scam guide (documenting patterns common across Colombian cities) warns about bars that add phantom drinks to tabs, charge for drinks you bought others that were never delivered, or run inflated prices for foreigners. The Alexandra Allover Colombia guide warns about 'bars where they are partners' — establishments that work with touts who bring in tourists and then overcharge them. In some cases, bar staff will 'ring the bell' — a tradition where if you hit the bar bell, you buy everyone a round — and then add it to your bill when you never actually rang it.