Quick access to main page (top) Direct access to main contents Quick access to main page (bottom)

U.S. Embassy Issues Warning as Crimes Against Tourists Rise in South America

wikitree Views  

If you’re planning a trip to South American countries, there’s news you should pay close attention to.

The U.S. Embassy has issued a travel warning due to a recent surge in crimes targeting foreign tourists in some cities in Colombia.

In November 2022, American man Paul Ngo (right) visited Medellín, Colombia, where he met local woman Evelyn Henao Herrera (left) through the dating app “Tinder” and subsequently fell victim to a crime. Ngo was found dead in a garbage collection area in Medellín after meeting the woman. / Provided by GoFundMe

According to reports from the Wall Street Journal and The Guardian of England on January 20th (local time), the U.S. Embassy in Colombia recently warned that “crimes targeting foreigners, who have entered the country using the “Digital Nomad (Workation) Visa” (a special residence permit allowing long-term remote work in a country) issued in large numbers after the COVID-19 pandemic, are significantly increasing.” The embassy urged caution when meeting local women.

This is a response to the deaths of eight Americans in Medellín, the second-largest city in the Antioquia department in Colombia, over the past two months, along with dozens of kidnappings and robberies.

According to the embassy, most of the victims were male tourists who fell victim to crimes after making contact with local women through dating apps. They had used online dating platforms like Tinder and Bumble to communicate with local women and arrange in-person meetings, only to become targets of robbery or kidnapping.

According to a report released by Colombian police, drug gangs are involved in these crimes. The gangs approach foreign men who are meeting local women, secretly drug their drinks, and commit crimes when the victims lose consciousness. Afterward, they kidnap the victims, threaten them, and withdraw money from ATMs.

The gangs primarily target unmarried foreign men, believing they will be less likely to report the crimes. In Colombia, where prostitution is legal, some tourists who travel for this purpose are targeted, as the criminals believe they will be unable to expose the crimes if they fall victim to robbery or other offenses.

American comedian Tou Ger Xiong was kidnapped and killed during a visit to Medellín, Colombia, in December last year. A photo posted on social media (SNS) by Tou Ger Xiong during his visit to Colombia / Tou Ger Xiong’s Facebook

In one such incident, a comedian from the United States lost his life.

According to the report of Newsis, comedian Tou Ger Xiong, who lived in Minnesota, was kidnapped and later found dead after visiting Medellín in December last year.

At the time, he had met a local woman through a dating app and went on a date, only to go missing a few hours later.

The kidnappers called his friends and family to demand a ransom, and it was confirmed that approximately $3,000 was indeed transferred to them.

Tou Ger Xiong was found dead near a cliff the following day.

wikitree
content@www.kangnamtimes.com

Comments0

300

Comments0

[SOCIETY] Latest Stories

  • Why These Twins Want to Share a Boyfriend—And They’re Totally OK With It
  • How 8 COVID Infections Changed Everything for This Young Woman—Including Her Hair
  • Thai Man Arrested After 20 Years of Illegal Penis Enlargement Procedures
  • 23-Year-Old Woman Ignored Symptoms for a Year, Later Diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma
  • Wife’s Affair Exposed After Vasectomy: Husband Fights for Custody and Assets
  • 77-Year-Old Man Fathers Child with 33-Year-Old Assistant, Family Outraged

Weekly Best Articles

  • Lexus Reveals Sporty New ES Facelift with Aggressive Design Changes
  • 2026 Toyota RAV4: Bigger, Bolder, and Hybrid-Only—Is It the Future of SUVs?
  • Byeon Woo Seok’s Hot Streak Continues—Wins Hot Character Award for the Sixth Consecutive Month
  • Jung Hae In Gets Personal: Family First and Thoughts on Marriage Revealed
  • Min Hee Jin Faces $3.6 Million Lawsuit Over ‘False Claims’ About NewJeans Management
  • NewJeans Makes Waves in Japan: ‘Supernatural’ Nominated for the Prestigious Japan Record Award
  • Bruno Mars and Rosé Set to Steal the Show at 2024 MAMA Awards with ‘APT.’ Performance
  • How Honda’s Edix MPV Turns a Compact Design into a Spacious 6-Seater – You’ll Be Shocked
  • Is Elon Musk’s Trump Support Killing Tesla’s Brand? Truth Behind the Sticker Backlash
  • Is China’s Xiaomi SU7 a Road Warrior or a Circuit Breaker? Shocking Track Failures Revealed
  • Lee So Ra Reacts to Unexpected Exit from ‘Supermarket Sora’ Show
  • Lee Min Jung Gets Into the Holiday Spirit Despite Busy Filming Schedule

You May Also Like

  • 1
    Lee So Ra Reacts to Unexpected Exit from ‘Supermarket Sora’ Show

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    Lee Min Jung Gets Into the Holiday Spirit Despite Busy Filming Schedule

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 3
    Kim Junsu to Pursue Legal Action Against Malicious Rumors Following Extortion Incident

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 4
    Chae Soo Bin’s Surprising Hobby? Lying Down and Eating Cereal to Recharge

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 5
    BTS’s Jin Reveals How His Military Experience Influenced His Music Career

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Lamborghini's New Icon: The Revuelto Opera Unica Tailored for China

    TECH 

  • 2
    Toyota and Subaru's Engine Woes Lead to Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit

    TECH 

  • 3
    Classic Meets Contemporary: Inside Modena’s Maserati Shamal Restomod

    TECH 

  • 4
    Hong Seok Cheon Strikes Back: Celebrity Warns Fans Against Impersonators

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 5
    Han Hye Jin Flaunts Timeless Charm in Latest Beachside Snaps

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Weekly Best Articles

  • Lexus Reveals Sporty New ES Facelift with Aggressive Design Changes
  • 2026 Toyota RAV4: Bigger, Bolder, and Hybrid-Only—Is It the Future of SUVs?
  • Byeon Woo Seok’s Hot Streak Continues—Wins Hot Character Award for the Sixth Consecutive Month
  • Jung Hae In Gets Personal: Family First and Thoughts on Marriage Revealed
  • Min Hee Jin Faces $3.6 Million Lawsuit Over ‘False Claims’ About NewJeans Management
  • NewJeans Makes Waves in Japan: ‘Supernatural’ Nominated for the Prestigious Japan Record Award
  • Bruno Mars and Rosé Set to Steal the Show at 2024 MAMA Awards with ‘APT.’ Performance
  • How Honda’s Edix MPV Turns a Compact Design into a Spacious 6-Seater – You’ll Be Shocked
  • Is Elon Musk’s Trump Support Killing Tesla’s Brand? Truth Behind the Sticker Backlash
  • Is China’s Xiaomi SU7 a Road Warrior or a Circuit Breaker? Shocking Track Failures Revealed
  • Lee So Ra Reacts to Unexpected Exit from ‘Supermarket Sora’ Show
  • Lee Min Jung Gets Into the Holiday Spirit Despite Busy Filming Schedule

Must-Reads

  • 1
    Lee So Ra Reacts to Unexpected Exit from ‘Supermarket Sora’ Show

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 2
    Lee Min Jung Gets Into the Holiday Spirit Despite Busy Filming Schedule

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 3
    Kim Junsu to Pursue Legal Action Against Malicious Rumors Following Extortion Incident

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 4
    Chae Soo Bin’s Surprising Hobby? Lying Down and Eating Cereal to Recharge

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 5
    BTS’s Jin Reveals How His Military Experience Influenced His Music Career

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Lamborghini's New Icon: The Revuelto Opera Unica Tailored for China

    TECH 

  • 2
    Toyota and Subaru's Engine Woes Lead to Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit

    TECH 

  • 3
    Classic Meets Contemporary: Inside Modena’s Maserati Shamal Restomod

    TECH 

  • 4
    Hong Seok Cheon Strikes Back: Celebrity Warns Fans Against Impersonators

    ENTERTAINMENT 

  • 5
    Han Hye Jin Flaunts Timeless Charm in Latest Beachside Snaps

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Share it on...