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