The United States embassy in Colombia issued a warning Wednesday to its citizens against using dating apps after eight Americans died in suspicious circumstances.
The embassy noted in a press release that the eight deaths, occurring between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2023, appeared at present to be cases of “involuntary drugging overdose or are suspected homicides” and that several of the cases may have involved “the use of online dating applications.” (RELATED: Colombian Mayoral Candidate Promises To End Corruption In Video Showing Half-Naked Women Twerking)
“Criminals use dating apps to lure victims to meet in public places such as hotels, restaurants, and bars, and then later assault and rob them. Numerous U.S. citizens in Colombia have been drugged, robbed, and even killed by their Colombian dates,” the press release read. The embassy also revealed that the eight deaths appear at present to be unrelated to each other, given “distinct circumstances” being at play.
American activist and comedian Tou Ger Xiong was among the deceased, having been allegedly kidnapped and murdered in Colombia back in December. Xiong told a friend on Dec. 10 that he had been kidnapped after connecting to a woman through an online app. Xiong’s body was later found in a ravine with multiple stab wounds and evidence of blunt force trauma, The New York Post reported.
US warns against using dating apps in Colombia after suspicious deaths of 8 US citizens https://t.co/xww0ObD5wp pic.twitter.com/Ch79oWDoRQ
— New York Post (@nypost) January 11, 2024
The embassy advised citizens to, among other things, exercise caution if they use online dating apps in Colombia, avoid meeting in isolated locations and, if they are the victim of a robbery, not resist because resistance is more likely to get them killed.
The State Department issued a level three advisory travel warning regarding Colombia on Jan. 2, 2024. This means that one ought to “[r]econsider travel due to crime and terrorism. Exercise increased caution due to civil unrest and kidnapping. Some areas have increased risk.”