The U.S. Embassy in Colombia has issued a warning regarding the use of online dating apps in the country after a series of suspicious deaths. In light of these incidents, members of the dating industry have shared their perspective on the issue.
The U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia issued a warning to American citizens in the country after eight suspicious deaths, where “several of the deaths point to possible drugging, robbery, and overdose, and several involve the use of online dating applications”.
The Embassy explained that “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”.
As a result of this, it advised that individuals should be cautious when using dating apps in the country. Any meetings with strangers should be done in public places, and family / friends should be informed of these plans, the Embassy adds.
International matchmakers A Foreign Affair (AFA) have released a statement to assure members that it can safely create romantic connections in Colombia.
“These recent events are tragedies, but we have helped tens of thousands of American men safely meet Colombian women without any serious incidents”, said John Adams, President of AFA.
The matchmaking agency highlighted that several safety measures are in place to protect Americans who visit the country, as well as the Colombians who are being recommended for romantic connections.
“The International Marriage Broker Act of 2005 (IMBRA) was designed to protect foreign women, so we collect significant background information on our male clients including their criminal records, previous marital records, among other things. We also conduct a check of the national sex offender database”, Adams pointed out.
And to protect men who are visiting Colombia, AFA collects government ID, biometric data, and contact information from the Colombian women. This is in addition to on-the-ground staff getting to know these women personally.
Presenting itself as an efficient and convenient way to create international connections, AFA also believes that it is the safer option compared with “the far more dangerous option of dating apps”.