(The Center Square) – The State Department is warning Americans visiting Mexico not use dating apps after several kidnapping reports.
The U.S. Consulate General Guadalajara confirmed reports that U.S. citizens were kidnapped after meeting up with people on dating apps in recent months in the Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Nayarit areas.
Kidnappers extorted the victims and their family members in the U.S. “for large sums of money to secure their release,” according to a State Department security alert.
“Please be aware that this type of violence is not limited to one geographic area,” according to the alert. “Travelers should use caution when meeting strangers; meet only in public places and avoid isolated locations, such as residences or hotel rooms, where crimes are most likely to occur.”
The U.S. Consulate General reminds U.S. citizens that in the State Department’s travel advisory for Jalisco is classified as “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” due to crime and kidnapping, and Nayarit is classified as “Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution” due to crime.
The State Department’s most severe warning is “Level 4: Do Not Travel.”
