BURST(NEXSTAR) – The U.S. Embassy in Bogota is advising Americans to put the dating apps away if they plan on visiting Colombia after a string of "suspicious deaths" in tourist hotspot Medellín.
Embassy officials say there were eight such deaths involving U.S. citizens between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2023.
"The deaths appear to involve either involuntary drugging overdose or are suspected homicides," Embassy officials wrote in a security alert notice Wednesday. "At this time, it is not believed these deaths are linked as each involved distinct circumstances, however several of the deaths point to possible drugging, robbery, and overdose, and several involve the use of online dating applications."
In Medellín, there were 200 percent more robberies and 29 percent more violent deaths of foreign visitors in the last trimester of 2023 compared to the previous year, the US Embassy said, citing local tourism data.
State Department advises against travel
The danger to U.S. travelers isn't confined to Medellin, however.
"Numerous U.S. citizens in Colombia have been drugged, robbed, and even killed by their Colombian dates," the Embassy said. "Over the last year, the Embassy has seen an increase in reports of incidents involving the use of online dating applications to lure victims, typically foreigners, for robbery by force or using sedatives to drug and rob individuals."
Embassy officials say they receive "regular" reports of these types of incidents from Americans in other parts of the country, including major cities such as Cartagena and Bogotá.
On Jan. 2, the State Department issued a travel advisory classifying Colombia as a "Level 3: Reconsider" destination, citing crime, terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping. The advisory level is one below the most serious: "Level 4: Do not travel."
One of the deaths now under investigation is that of Hmong American comedian and activist Tou Ger Xiong, 50, of St. Paul, Minnesota, who was found dead in December.
Xiong was supposed to meet up with a friend in the city Dec. 10 and was last heard from by a friend in the U.S. who, Colombian prosecutors told The Associated Press, said Xiong called him to say he had been kidnapped and needed $2,000.
Prosecutors said that the alleged kidnappers didn't collect the ransom money. Xiong's body was later recovered from a wooded area of Medellín.
How to stay safe
Embassy officials advise Americans to take extra caution if they are considering using a dating app in Colombia.
If you do plan on meeting with someone you don't know well, you should do so in a public place and avoid residences or hotel rooms.
If you want to invite someone you just met into your hotel room or the place you are staying, the Embassy recommends working out a protocol with a door attendant or concierge to make sure the visitor has identification, etc. Additionally, travelers should plan out steps the building employee should take when that person leaves.
If you have a meet up arranged, make sure friends or family members know the full details about the person and the place you are going, as well as the name of the dating app used. "Victims who are targeted via online dating applications tend to have their electronic devices stolen which often contain all evidence of communication with the assailants," the Embassy warns.
Most importantly, trust your instincts if you feel like you should walk away from a situation, and do not physically resist any robbery attempt.