The US State Department has issued a cautionary advisory to American travelers, urging them to abstain from using dating apps while visiting Colombia.
This advisory comes in response to multiple instances of “suspicious deaths” involving US citizens in the South American nation.
Since January, Colombia has been designated as a country where Americans are encouraged to “reconsider travel” due to concerns about crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping risks.
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Specific regions, including border areas, are marked with a “Do not travel” designation.
The warning regarding the use of dating apps in Colombia was communicated on Wednesday.
The advisory highlights “eight suspicious deaths of private US citizens” in Medellin, Colombia’s second-largest city, occurring between November 1 and December 31, 2023.
These deaths are suspected to be either forced overdoses or homicides.
Although the State Department does not believe these incidents are connected, several cases “involve the use of online dating applications.”
Dating App Risks Abroad: State Department Warning
The State Department advisory highlighted a surge in reported incidents involving dating apps as bait over the past year, emphasizing the risks associated with such platforms.
A notable case involved Minnesota comedian Tou Ger Xiong, who was kidnapped and subjected to a $2,000 ransom after informing his family about a planned meeting with a woman he encountered online.
Tragically, Xiong was later discovered deceased. The advisory underscores the criminal exploitation of dating apps to entice victims into public spaces like hotels, restaurants, and bars, leading to subsequent assaults and robberies.
It specifically notes that numerous U.S. citizens in Colombia have experienced incidents of being drugged, robbed, and, in some cases, killed by individuals they met through Colombian dates.
These unsettling occurrences primarily occur in major cities such as Medellin, Cartagena, and Bogota, with the advisory emphasizing that such incidents “routinely go unreported,” as per the State Department’s assessment.
When utilizing dating apps in Colombia, individuals are advised to exclusively meet in public settings, steer clear of secluded areas, and inform a friend or family member about their plans, according to the advisory.