Latest news with #USConsulate
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Kidnapping warning for U.S. tourists traveling to summer hotspot
Americans are being warned to swipe left while in Mexico amid new warnings that kidnappers are using dating apps to lure their victims into deadly extortion schemes. The State Department issued the urgent warning after U.S citizens were kidnapped and held for ransom by people met through online matchmaking services. The victims, whose names have not been made public, were abducted in Puerto Vallarta, a popular tourist destination in the western state of Jalisco, and Nuevo Nayarit, a coastal city in the western state Nayarit, just eight miles north from Puerto Vallarta. 'Victims and their family members in the United States have at times been extorted for large sums of money to secure their release,' the U.S. Consulate General Guadalajara said in a statement. 'Please be aware that this type of violence is not limited to one geographic area.' American travelers are advised to meet their dates only in public places and to steer away from isolated areas, such as private homes or hotels, since those are places where crimes usually are carried out. 'Tell a friend or family member of your plans, including where you are going, details of the person you are meeting, and the app you used to meet them,' the security alert recommended. 'Trust your instincts. If something does not feel right, do not hesitate to remove yourself from a situation.' Texas-based security consultant Robert Almonte told that the dating app scam was part of a push to make more money. 'It doesn't surprise me that the Mexican cartels are involved in this latest scam, basically a ruse to get people to fall into their trap and then kidnap them and hold them for ransom,' he said. 'That doesn't surprise me at all. That's how the cartels operate. People need to understand that the Mexican cartels are not just about drugs, when they make money they involve activities other than drug trafficking, [they] involve human smuggling. But in this case here they are using dating apps to trap people.' Almonte echoed the State Department's warning that that Americans traveling to Mexico should steer clear of going on dating apps. 'I urge them to be very, very cautious. As a matter of fact, there are plenty of ways to meet people out there in Mexico and I would not use dating apps,' he said. The State Department advisory comes amid a move by the Department of Justice to extradite Aurora Phelps, 43, from Mexico to the U.S. to face charges from a dating app scam, including kidnapping resulting in death. The dual Mexican-American citizen allegedly lured much older men she met through online dating apps such as Bumble, Hinge, and Tinder and stole their money from July 1, 2021, to December 9, 2022, according to an indictment that was unsealed February 21. Phelps, who lived in Las Vegas but had a home in Guadalajara, was arrested by Mexican authorities in February. In November 2022, Phelps allegedly kidnapped a man who was in search of love. She somehow managed to push him on a wheelchair through the Mexico-United States border as her daughter watched. The sedated victim was taken to Mexico City, where he was found dead in a hotel, according to the indictment. In May 2022, she connected with another man in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara. The victim was reported missing and police found him dead in the bathroom of his residence. Phelps waited several days until she tried to use the man's bank accounts to allegedly purchase gold coins and mail them to her own home. It's not the first time the State Department has warned U.S. citizens about the dangers that come along with matching on an online dating app while vacationing outside the United States. In January 2024, the U.S. Embassy Bogota in Colombia issued a warning following the deaths of eight Americans in Medellin between November 1 and December 31, 2023. Minnesota-based comic, Tou Ger Xiong, was murdered in Medellin on December 11 after he was kidnapped and robbed after going on a date with a woman he had previously met online. On November 13, Texas resident Jeffrey Hutson, 55, was found dead in his hotel room with at least 20 stab wounds in his neck after he had returned to the suite with an 18-year-old woman he met on a dating app. The woman was arrested November 27 and charged with aggravated homicide. In a press release, U.S. Embassy Bogota said that the 'deaths appear to involve either involuntary drugging overdose or are suspected homicides'. While they were not related, the embassy found that 'several of the deaths point to possible drugging, robbery, and overdose, and several involve the use of online dating applications'. It suggested American visitors 'should strongly consider meeting only in public places and avoiding isolated locations, such as residences or hotel rooms,' places were crimes could be executed. The embassy advised Americans that if they chose 'to invite a person they met to a home or hotel, they speak to the 'attendant/concierge beforehand and establish a policy as to what information your new visitor should provide before being authorized entry (photo of identification, etc.) and what process should be followed when your visitor departs'.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Why tourists are being warned about using dating apps in Mexico
The U.S. Consulate General in Guadalajara issued a security alert warning U.S. tourists to exercise caution when using dating apps in Mexico, following reports of kidnappings in Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Nayarit. Victims have been extorted for large sums of money by individuals they met on dating apps, with their families in the United States being contacted for ransom. The security alert identified Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and Nuevo Nayarit as potentially dangerous areas for using dating apps. The US consulate advises travellers to meet strangers only in public places, avoid isolated locations, inform friends and family of their plans, and trust their instincts. Jalisco is classified as "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" and Nayarit as "Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution" in the State Department 's travel advisory due to crime and kidnapping.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Kidnapping fears prompt warning to tourists using dating apps in Mexico
US tourists visiting Mexico have been warned to 'use caution' on dating apps after several kidnappings in popular tourist destinations. On Tuesday (3 June), the US Consulate General Guadalajara issued a security alert to 'use caution when using dating apps'. It warned: 'U.S. Consulate General Guadalajara has confirmed several reports of U.S. citizens being kidnapped by individuals the victims met on dating apps in recent months in the Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Nayarit areas. 'Victims and their family members in the United States have at times been extorted for large sums of money to secure their release. Please be aware that this type of violence is not limited to one geographic area.' The security alert identified Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco and Nuevo Nayarit as potentially dangerous areas to use dating apps in Mexico. Under the State Department's travel advisory for Mexico, Jalisco is classified as 'Level 3: Reconsider Travel' due to crime and kidnapping, with Nayarit a 'Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution' due to crime. The US consulate advised travellers to only meet strangers in public places and to avoid isolation locations, including hotel rooms where 'crimes are most likely to occur'. It added that tourists should make friends and family aware of their plans and the platform they are using before meeting someone from a dating app. 'Trust your instincts. If something does not feel right, do not hesitate to remove yourself from a situation,' said the alert. In February, tourists were warned not to travel to several Mexican cities due to 'increasingly frequent gun battles' and criminally manufactured IEDs in one region. The US travel advisory for the Tamaulipas region, bordering Texas and the Gulf of Mexico, has a level 4, 'do not travel' warning due to violent crime and kidnapping.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Urgent kidnapping warning for American tourists traveling to summer hotspot
Americans are being warned to swipe left while in Mexico amid terrifying new warnings that kidnappers are using dating apps to lure their victims into deadly extortion schemes. The State Department issued the urgent warning after a spate of U.S citizens were kidnapped and held for ransom by people met through the online matchmaking services. The victims, whose names have not been made public, were abducted in Puerto Vallarta, a popular tourist destination in the western state of Jalisco, and Nuevo Nayarit, a coastal city in the western state Nayarit, just eight miles north from Puerto Vallarta. 'Victims and their family members in the United States have at times been extorted for large sums of money to secure their release,' the U.S. Consulate General Guadalajara said in a statement. 'Please be aware that this type of violence is not limited to one geographic area.' American travelers are advised to meet their dates only in public places and to steer away from isolated areas, such as private homes or hotels, since those are places where crimes usually are carried out. 'Tell a friend or family member of your plans, including where you are going, details of the person you are meeting, and the app you used to meet them,' the security alert recommended. 'Trust your instincts. If something does not feel right, do not hesitate to remove yourself from a situation.' Texas-based security consultant Robert Almonte told that the dating app scam was part of the cartels' push to make more money. 'It doesn't surprise me that the Mexican cartels are involved in this latest scam, basically a ruse to get people to fall into their trap and then kidnap them and hold them for ransom,' he said. 'That doesn't surprise me at all. That's how the cartels operate. People need to understand that the Mexican cartels are not just about drugs, when they make money they involve activities other than drug trafficking, [they] involve human smuggling. But in this case here they are using dating apps to trap people.' Almonte echoed the State Department's warning that that Americans traveling to Mexico should steer clear of going on dating apps. 'I urge them to be very, very cautious. As a matter of fact, there are plenty of ways to meet people out there in Mexico and I would not use dating apps,' he said. The State Department advisory comes amid a move by the Department of Justice to extradite Aurora Phelps, 43, from Mexico to the US to face charges from a dating app scam, including kidnapping resulting in death. The dual Mexican-American citizen allegedly lured much older men she met through online dating apps such as Bumble, Hinge and Tinder and stole their money from July 1, 2021, to December 9, 2022, according to an indictment that was unsealed February 21. Phelps, who lived in Las Vegas but had a home in Guadalajara, was arrested by Mexican authorities in February. In November 2022, allegedly Phelps kidnapped a man who was in search of love. She somehow managed to push him on a wheelchair through the Mexico-United States border as her daughter watched. The sedated victim was taken to Mexico City, where he was found dead in a hotel, according to the indictment. In May 2022, she connected with another man in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara. The victim was reported missing and police found him dead in the bathroom of his residence. Phelps allegedly waited several days until she tried to use the man's bank accounts to purchase gold coins and mail them to her own home. It's not the first time the State Department has warned U.S. citizens about the dangers that come along with matching on an online dating app while vacationing outside the United States. In January 2024, the U.S. Embassy Bogotá in Colombia issued a warning following the deaths of eight Americans in Medellín between November 1 and December 31, 2023. Minnesota-based comic, Tou Ger Xiong, was murdered in Medellín on December 11 after he was kidnapped and robbed after going on a date with a woman he had previously met on Tinder. On November 13, Texas resident Jeffrey Hutson, 55, was found dead in his hotel room with at least 20 stab wounds in his neck after he had returned to the suite with an 18-year-old woman he met on a dating app. The woman was arrested November 27 and charged with aggravated homicide. In a press release, U.S. Embassy Bogotá said that the 'deaths appear to involve either involuntary drugging overdose or are suspected homicides.' While they were not related, the embassy found that 'several of the deaths point to possible drugging, robbery, and overdose, and several involve the use of online dating applications.' It suggested American visitors 'should strongly consider meeting only in public places and avoiding isolated locations, such as residences or hotel rooms,' places were crimes could be executed. The embassy advised Americans that if they chose 'to invite a person they met to a home or hotel, they speak to the 'attendant/concierge beforehand and establish a policy as to what information your new visitor should provide before being authorized entry (photo of identification, etc.) and what process should be followed when your visitor departs.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Urgent kidnapping warning for American tourists traveling to summer hotspot
Americans are being warned to swipe left while in Mexico amid terrifying new warnings that kidnappers are using dating apps to lure their victims into deadly extortion schemes. The State Department issued the urgent warning after a spate of U.S citizens were kidnapped and held for ransom by people met through the online matchmaking services. The victims, whose names have not been made public, were abducted in Puerto Vallarta, a popular tourist destination in the western state of Jalisco, and Nuevo Nayarit, a coastal city in the western state Nayarit, just eight miles north from Puerto Vallarta. 'Victims and their family members in the United States have at times been extorted for large sums of money to secure their release,' the U.S. Consulate General Guadalajara said in a statement. 'Please be aware that this type of violence is not limited to one geographic area.' American travelers are advised to meet their dates only in public places and to steer away from isolated areas, such as private homes or hotels, since those are places where crimes usually are carried out. 'Tell a friend or family member of your plans, including where you are going, details of the person you are meeting, and the app you used to meet them,' the security alert recommended. 'Trust your instincts. If something does not feel right, do not hesitate to remove yourself from a situation.' Texas-based security consultant Robert Almonte told that the dating app scam was part of the cartels' push to make more money. 'It doesn't surprise me that the Mexican cartels are involved in this latest scam, basically a ruse to get people to fall into their trap and then kidnap them and hold them for ransom,' he said. 'That doesn't surprise me at all. That's how the cartels operate. People need to understand that the Mexican cartels are not just about drugs, when they make money they involve activities other than drug trafficking, [they] involve human smuggling. But in this case here they are using dating apps to trap people.' Almonte echoed the State Department's warning that that Americans traveling to Mexico should steer clear of going on dating apps. 'I urge them to be very, very cautious. As a matter of fact, there are plenty of ways to meet people out there in Mexico and I would not use dating apps,' he said. The State Department advisory comes amid a move by the Department of Justice to extradite Aurora Phelps, 43, from Mexico to the US to face charges from a dating app scam, including kidnapping resulting in death. The dual Mexican-American citizen allegedly lured much older men she met through online dating apps such as Bumble, Hinge and Tinder and stole their money from July 1, 2021, to December 9, 2022, according to an indictment that was unsealed February 21. Phelps, who lived in Las Vegas but had a home in Guadalajara, was arrested by Mexican authorities in February. In November 2022, allegedly Phelps kidnapped a man who was in search of love. She somehow managed to push him on a wheelchair through the Mexico-United States border as her daughter watched. The sedated victim was taken to Mexico City, where he was found dead in a hotel, according to the indictment. In May 2022, she connected with another man in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara. The victim was reported missing and police found him dead in the bathroom of his residence. Phelps allegedly waited several days until she tried to use the man's bank accounts to purchase gold coins and mail them to her own home. It's not the first time the State Department has warned U.S. citizens about the dangers that come along with matching on an online dating app while vacationing outside the United States. In January 2024, the U.S. Embassy Bogotá in Colombia issued a warning following the deaths of eight Americans in Medellín between November 1 and December 31, 2023. Minnesota-based comic, Tou Ger Xiong, was murdered in Medellín on December 11 after he was kidnapped and robbed after going on a date with a woman he had previously met on Tinder. On November 13, Texas resident Jeffrey Hutson, 55, was found dead in his hotel room with at least 20 stab wounds in his neck after he had returned to the suite with an 18-year-old woman he met on a dating app. The woman was arrested November 27 and charged with aggravated homicide. In a press release, U.S. Embassy Bogotá said that the 'deaths appear to involve either involuntary drugging overdose or are suspected homicides.' While they were not related, the embassy found that 'several of the deaths point to possible drugging, robbery, and overdose, and several involve the use of online dating applications.' It suggested American visitors 'should strongly consider meeting only in public places and avoiding isolated locations, such as residences or hotel rooms,' places were crimes could be executed. The embassy advised Americans that if they chose 'to invite a person they met to a home or hotel, they speak to the 'attendant/concierge beforehand and establish a policy as to what information your new visitor should provide before being authorized entry (photo of identification, etc.) and what process should be followed when your visitor departs.'
