Coljuegos filed complaints with Colombia’s Prosecutor General after foreign citizens were allegedly defrauded through fake lottery prize schemes
The case highlights how lottery fraud in Colombia is evolving through digital channels, social media manipulation and artificial intelligence, with criminals allegedly using fake spiritual services and false Baloto prize claims to extract money from victims. For Coljuegos, the warning is both a consumer protection alert and a reminder that lottery prizes are paid by authorised operators, not by the regulator.
Coljuegos President Marco Emilio Hincapié has filed complaints with the Fiscalía General de la Nación against five people who, through alleged witchcraft-related activities, are suspected of defrauding several foreign citizens with the false promise that they had won Baloto prizes. According to the regulator, some victims may have lost up to US$21,000 through the deception.
Hincapié said: “We filed the corresponding complaints so that the authorities can act against these mafias. We want to remind citizens that, in case of any doubt, the best thing to do is to approach the game operator directly or, failing that, our entity.”
According to information received by Coljuegos, the alleged criminals contacted foreign citizens through social media with the promise of making them lottery winners. Once contact had been established, they organised virtual sessions in which a supposed witch gave the victims a series of “lucky numbers”. The victims were then asked to transfer money to accounts in Colombia, supposedly to purchase Baloto tickets.
The scheme then moved into a more sophisticated phase. Coljuegos said the criminals allegedly used artificial intelligence to create a video of the lottery draw in which the winning number matched the one previously given to the victims. This AI-generated material was used to convince victims that the prize was genuine and to continue requesting money from them.
Hincapié said: “From there, they request huge transfers from people to supposedly pay taxes and collect the prize. They have even asked for up to US$3,000 in the name of the entity to speed up the payment process.”
He added: “It is important to remind bettors that prizes are paid directly by the game operators, not by our entity. Therefore, if they believe they have won, they should consult the official channels of the game.”
The warning comes amid continuing regulatory activity around Baloto, Colombia’s national online lotto-style game. Coljuegos recently published a draft agreement to modify and replace the regulatory title governing the national chance game known as Baloto, reflecting the regulator’s ongoing supervision of the product and its operating framework.
The alleged fraud also shows how lottery brands can be exploited by criminal groups to give credibility to scams. By combining social media contact, virtual sessions, false spiritual claims, bank transfers and AI-generated draw videos, the scheme appears designed to create a staged path from emotional manipulation to financial extraction.
For consumers, the regulator’s message is clear: anyone who believes they has won a Baloto prize should verify the information only through the official channels of the game operator or Coljuegos. The entity also warned citizens to be alert to elaborate scam formats that may use lottery names, fake documents, manipulated videos or supposed payment procedures to demand additional money.
Coljuegos said anyone with doubts or anyone wishing to verify information can contact the regulator via contactenos@coljuegos.gov.co or by calling 018000182888. Players can also contact authorised game operators through the official service channels listed on their websites.
For Colombia’s regulated lottery sector, the case underlines the importance of public education, fraud prevention and clear communication around prize-payment procedures. As criminals adopt artificial intelligence and digital channels to make scams more convincing, operators and regulators face a growing need to protect consumers not only at the point of sale, but also across the wider online environment where false claims and impersonation can circulate quickly.
