US issues urgent kidnapping warning for anyone travelling to tourist hotspot this summer
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Mario Tama
The US State Department has issued a concerning warning to travelers.
As summer quickly approaches, many Americans will be packing their bags in anticipation for their first vacations of the year.
Some favorite spots for US citizens to visit include the UK, Canada, France, and Italy; and there's another popular destination that people are being warned about going to. In 2023, nearly 37 million Americans visited the country in question — that being Mexico.
While people are not being told to cancel their trips to America's neighboring country, the State Department is urging people to stay off dating apps while there.
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Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Nuevo Nayarit, and Nayarit are Mexican locations that have been specifically named in the warning.
Issued on June 2, the security alert read: "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. 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 warning went on: "The U.S. Consulate General reminds U.S. citizens that in the State Department’s travel advisory for Mexico, 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."
In regards to actions for people to take, the agency has urged people to be wary while using dating apps in Mexico, to only meet potential suitors in public places, and to tell a friend or family member the details of your plans such as location and time of meeting.
The US Embassy continued to say that people should call 911 if 'faced with immediate security threats'.
"U.S. citizens in need of emergency consular services should contact their nearest U.S. embassy or consulate," it added.
The cautioning comes after the Trump administration brought in a new ban that will prohibit people from 12 countries coming into the US.
The 12 nations included in the newly-created order are: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.