Because eight people have died on dating apps in Colombia, the U.S. Embassy in Bogota is telling Americans who are going there not to use them.
“Over the last year, the Embassy has seen an increase in reports of incidents involving the use of online dating applications to lure victims, usually foreigners, for robbery by force or using sedatives to drug and rob individuals,” the warning from the Embassy said.
“Criminals use dating apps to get people to meet up in public places like hotels, bars, and restaurants, where they attack and rob them later,” they said. Many Americans who have been on dates with Colombian women have been drugged, robbed, or even killed by them.
The Embassy said that this mostly happens in bigger towns like Medellin, Cartagena, and Botoga. Between November 1 and December 31, eight suspicious deaths were reported in Medellin. They also said they don’t think the crimes are connected but rather that the same method is used.
The U.S. Embassy recommended “being cautious” if you are going to Columbia and want to use dating apps there on Wednesday. “Consider meeting only in public places; avoid meeting in isolated places,” they said.
“Victims who are targeted through online dating apps usually have their electronic devices stolen, which usually have all of their communication logs,” The Embassy said.
If you are going on a trip, they say to stay in touch with family and friends and let them know where you are going. People were told to go with their gut and leave if they thought something was wrong. Also, they said not to fight back physically during a heist. “Victims of crime who resist robbery are more likely to be killed,” they stated.
At the end of 2023, 200% more foreign tourists were robbed than at the same time last year, according to the Tourism Observatory of the District Personnel of Medellin.
