Online Scams in Cartagena

Romance Scam via Dating App Setup

Cartagena has a documented pattern of locals (men and women) using dating and social apps to connect with tourists before or during their visit, building rapport over several days and then introducing the tourist to a restaurant, bar, or nightclub where the bill is wildly inflated. In the most serious variant, the drink is spiked with scopolamine (burundanga) and the tourist is robbed of cash, phone, and passport. The romantic framing lowers victims guard compared to typical street scam awareness.