Look, we get it. The dream sounds kind of amazing: hop on a plane, escape the “Western dating scene,” land in some exotic city where the drinks are cheap, the women are “traditional,” and you’re treated like a king. That’s the fantasy fueling the whole Passport Bro trend, and it’s all over TikTok, YouTube, and those spicy little subreddit threads.
But here’s what they don’t always show you in those vlogs with tropical sunsets and giggling dates: the druggings, the robberies, the fake romances that turn into real nightmares. Some guys end up broke. Some end up stranded. A few don’t make it home at all.
These are their passport bro horror stories. Not to scare you, but to prepare you, because what starts as a Tinder match abroad can sometimes turn into a cautionary tale with no swipe-left to save you.
Real Passport Bro Horror Stories
Paul Nguyen’s Tinder Date That Ended in Murder
Paul Nguyen, 27, flew to Medellín in November 2022 with high hopes and a Tinder account full of matches. He met a woman in the nightlife district of El Poblado. They snapped a selfie together, and Paul even sent it to his friend as a safety check. Hours later, he vanished. Two days after the meetup, his body was found beside a dumpster. No visible wounds. No phone. No wallet.
Surveillance later showed his card being used at multiple ATMs. Authorities arrested the woman from the selfie and two men. They say Paul was drugged with clonazepam, robbed, and dumped like garbage. His death shook the travel community. His family had to crowdfund to bring his body home. What was supposed to be a vacation became a tragedy.
Livestreamers Get Drugged Mid-Stream
Travel streamers CrisTravels and Captain Gee thought it’d be fun to stream their Medellín nightlife adventures. They flirted with women at a bar, laughed into the camera as viewers cheered them on through donations, and joked about being kings in Colombia. Then the camera fell. Then the stream went dark. The next morning, they posted a shaky update from a hotel room.
They had been drugged, their gear stolen, their cash cleaned out. They’d blacked out on-air and only woke up when hotel staff knocked on the door. The worst part, viewers watched it happen in real-time and didn’t know it was real.
The Scopolamine Queen of Medellín
She was young, pretty, and knew exactly what to say. Police dubbed her the “Scopolamine Queen” after linking her to over a dozen incidents where men were drugged, stripped, and left clueless. Most victims didn’t even report the crimes. They were too embarrassed or couldn’t remember a thing. All they knew was they met a beautiful girl, and after long night of drinking and partying, they woke up 12 hours later in a different hotel room with nothing but their boxers and a hangover from hell.
Tou Ger Xiong’s Date That Turned Deadly
Tou Ger Xiong was more than just a traveler, he was a Hmong-American comedian, activist, and public speaker. In December 2023, he visited Medellín and met a woman through social media. They arranged a date. Not long after, his brother received a panicked call: Tou was being held at gunpoint and needed $2,000 for his release. The money was sent, but Tou was never heard from again.
The next day, his body was found in a ravine, stabbed, beaten, and thrown from a height. Police later arrested four people, including the woman he met. All four were convicted of kidnapping and homicide and sentenced to nearly 30 years each.
The Fake Date and the $500 Bar Bill
A traveler posted on Reddit about a woman he met on Bumble who insisted they meet at a specific bar. When he arrived, he was shown to a VIP table and offered bottle service. He figured it was a little flashy, but he didn’t want to look cheap. Ten minutes later, she disappeared. A security guard handed him a bill for $498. When he refused to pay, they locked the exit. He eventually caved and paid through Zelle. Turns out the woman worked with the bar, luring in foreigners with flirtation and setting them up for the scam.
The Devil’s Breath Assault No One Talks About
One of the darkest stories came from a man who shared anonymously on Reddit that he was drugged, escorted by multiple men to a hotel room, sexually assaulted throughout the night, and robbed of everything. He woke up naked, confused, and bleeding. Every valuable he had, phone, laptop, wallet, was gone. He never reported it. He said he just wanted to get on a flight home and forget it ever happened. But his post ended with a warning. “Everyone’s chasing this fantasy of being a Passport Bro. I was one too. Until it nearly broke me.”
Eight Americans Die After App Dates in Colombia
In late 2023, the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá flagged a sudden and alarming trend. Eight Americans had died in Medellín in just a few months, most after using dating apps like Tinder and Bumble. Many were drugged with scopolamine, also known as “Devil’s Breath,” which wipes memory and makes victims highly suggestible. Some woke up to empty bank accounts. Some never woke up at all. The embassy reported a 200 percent spike in tourist thefts and a surge in violent deaths. Local gangs were targeting foreigners like clockwork, and dating apps were the bait.
Colombian authorities later confirmed that these weren’t just one-off incidents. Small, highly coordinated honey trap crews were working the Tinder circuit, usually women who lure in foreigners, drug them, then signal male accomplices to swoop in and rob everything from phones to passports. One officer described it as a full-time business. Some crews were hitting three victims a week.
Tips for Staying Safe When Dating Abroad – Do’s and Don’t’s
So you just read through all those passport bro horror stories and you’re still gonna hop that flight and swipe away in a foreign city? Cool. Just don’t do it blind. Whether you’re looking for a casual night out or something more serious, here’s how to keep your trip from turning into one of the cautionary tales you just read.
- Don’t trust a pretty face with no mutuals
If her Instagram has 12 followers, all photos are too good to be true, and she’s trying to move the convo to WhatsApp instantly — red flag. In a lot of these scams, fake profiles are the first trap. - Meet in public, not in private
Always meet for the first time in a well-lit public place. Restaurants, cafes, rooftop bars — all better than someone’s apartment or that “secret spot” they insist on. If they refuse, bounce. - Watch your drink like it’s your passport
Don’t let anyone pour your drink, stir your drink, or offer you a “special shot.” It takes one second and a few drops of scopolamine to wipe your memory clean. - Use fake wallet/fake phone strategy
If you’re somewhere riskier, keep a decoy wallet with a few bills and an old phone. If things go south, better to give that up than the real deal. Bonus: hide your real valuables in hard-to-reach places (yes, sock pockets count). - Keep someone in the loop
Tell a friend where you’re going. Share your location on WhatsApp or iPhone. At the very least, send them a selfie with your date. If you go missing, that info could save your life. - Don’t brag online
Flexing your cash, passport, or Airbnb view on social media? You’re just painting a target on your back. Stay low-key until you’re back home. - Don’t assume “traditional” means safe
A lot of Passport Bros head out thinking the women abroad are safer, sweeter, more loyal. And while that can be true, scammers know exactly how to play into that fantasy. Don’t let the stereotype get you robbed. - Trust your gut
If something feels off, it probably is. Leave the date. Cancel the meetup. Block the number. It’s better to ghost than to get got.
Final Thoughts: If It Seems Too Good to Be True…
Here’s the deal. No one’s saying you can’t find love or fun abroad. But if you’re showing up thinking you’re the prize just because of your passport, you might be the mark instead. The guys in these stories weren’t all clueless. Some were careful. Some were experienced travelers. They still got hit, because in the right place, with the wrong person, one drink is all it takes.
If you’re gonna travel for romance, cool. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Never let your guard down and allow yourself to be put in a position you’re not in control of getting out of.
Also Read:
- What Is A Passport Bro and Should You Be One?
- 10 Best Countries To Visit In Southeast Asia For Men In Their 20s
