Americans traveling to Colombia are being warned not to use dating apps in the country after eight suspicious deaths occurred in the South American country over the past two months.
The U.S. Embassy in Bogota says criminals use dating apps to “lure” victims and meet them in public places like hotels, restaurants and bars, where they are “drugged” and He said he was sometimes assaulted and robbed.
The embassy said it was aware of eight “suspicious deaths” of Americans in Medellin between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31.
“Many Americans living in Colombia have been drugged, robbed, and even murdered for dating Colombians.” the embassy said in a press release.
“Last year, the embassy reported a number of incidents in which people used online dating apps to lure victims, usually foreigners, and then robbed them by force or sedated and drugged. We have seen an increase in reports.”
According to the embassy, most of the violence and murders reported in connection with dating apps occurred in Medellin, Cartagena and the capital Bogota.
The Tourism Surveillance Office of the Medellín District Official announced that thefts against foreigners increased by 200% in the third semester of 2023.
According to the embassy, Shakira's home country has seen a 29% increase in deaths due to violence against foreigners, with the highest number of victims being Americans.
Minnesota comedian Tou Nga Xiong was among the victims. Before his death, he posted a photo with a Colombian girl who was kidnapped and murdered in Medellin, police said.
He called a friend on Dec. 10 to tell him he had been kidnapped and was being held at gunpoint. The group demanded 8 million Colombian pesos, or about $2,000, for his release.
The comedian was later found dead in a ravine with multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma.
As of January 2nd, The State Department issued an order to Colombia. A “Level 3” advisory means U.S. travelers “should reconsider travel” due to “crime and terrorism.”
Additionally, Arauca, Cauca, Norte de Santander, and the Venezuela-Colombia border have been designated as “Level 4” and travelers are advised to refrain from traveling to these areas.
“The ability of the U.S. government to provide emergency services to Americans is limited because of severe restrictions on the movement of U.S. government personnel to these areas due to security concerns.”
The U.S. national also faces terrorism charges for accidentally crossing an “unclearly marked” border with Venezuela without a visa, the State Department said.
