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Scopolamine: my story and how I was robbed of 60 million pesos ($15,000) in Cartagena, Colombia.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ต.ค. 2020
- My name is Kevin Mc Caffrey. I have been living as an immigrant in the tropical city of Cali for over 11 years and Colombia will always have a special place in my heart. Please do not let the following video deter you from visiting and travelling around one of the most magnificent countries in the world. It is a place of stunning scenery and nature, extremely friendly people and wonderfully rich culture. My deep love for Colombia has not changed from this experience and I will always recommend it as a tourist destination and a place to live. However, due to this, I feel compelled to tell my story to help Colombians and other foreigners so we can hopefully create a better change for the future.
In the following testimony I describe exactly what happened on Wednesday 7th October in Cartagena, and how I was a victim of an organised crime. After being robbed, 17 separate transactions of almost 60 million pesos were made with my bank card in just over two hours and taken from my account.
The likelihood is that it is the result of a sophisticated operation including one of Colombia's major banks, the police and local businesses. Due to legal reasons however, I cannot give the specifics of said establishments but I eventually hope to share that information in the future.
I want to use my story to create awareness about the drug through different social media campaigns (using the hashtags #nomasescoplamina and #nomorescopolamine) and also to encourage people to be as vigilant as possible when travelling to Cartagena. Additionally, I hope to shed light on the level of organised crime that is happening in Colombia's most important tourist destination.
About Scopolamine
According to the US State Department there are approximately 50,000 cases of scopolamine in Colombia each year. It is used most commonly to commit various crimes such as fraud and rape, with men between 30-45 being the most likely target. However, this affects many Colombians and other nationalities of many different backgrounds on a a daily basis.
When administered the drug, the victim loses all control and is at the total mercy of their aggressor. It acts within minutes and lasts approximately 6 hours where the person will lose all memory about what has happened. Due to these properties and the fact that it has such a short lifespan of 9-12 hours it is extremely difficult to investigate these crimes and bring the criminals to justice.
(source: medellinguru.com/scopolamine/)
![[Laureles Medellin Colombia] I Got Jumped And Robbed Twice In 1 Month (Gringo In Colombia) 🇨🇴](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2-0bWFGC4Fo/mqdefault.jpg)
I have a special bank account and card for travelling, and never keep a big amount of money on it. In case of trouble I'll lose a few hundred dollars maximum.
Smart. I’ll do the same when I travel again.
Great idea
Very smart guy.
Also with some cards one can freeze the atm card online and unfreeze it when you really need to use it, that way the card is useless even if someone has the pin
A prepaid card and prepaid phone is best for traveling. Never bring your $1000 iphone and electronics. Less is more
Takeaways for future travelers: 1. If girls approach you, walk the other way. 2 If a girl is denied entrance to your hotel, assume it's for good reason. Tragic story. Glad you're alive.
yea
maybe hire a private security if you're single and going out.
One of my biggest takeaways was to keep an extra credit card in your room!!
I visited Colombia 3 times. I had a bad experience all 3 times,. The last one was drugged and robbed. After that I decided not to visit again. No More Colombia. There are so many peaceful countries which I can travel safely.
This happened to a guy I met in Vietnam. While we were both hanging out we met 2 girls and had a fun night at the bars. We all agreed to go back to my friends hotel room, but one of the girls (leader) asked to go to a mini mart. She bought 4 yogurt drinks and we went to my friends room. My friend drank one of the yogurt drinks but for some reason I didn't want it. Long story short, the girl I was friendly with got cold towards me (apparently after I denied the drink). I ended up leaving, feeling rejected BUT a few days later I learned he was drugged and robbed. Crazy...be safe guys.
P.s I applaud 👏 you for posting this video. Hopefully good things come your way.
Yup, scopolamine is spreading fast, this'll be a world wide epidemic
You shouldn't have left your bro like that!!!
Wow I would never leave my friend(s) there alone.
So your friend got drugged in VN? What city was it?
"We were approached by some women". Bro. Cmon man. Men getting approached... and then the random friend? Just red flags everywhere.
huh girls dont say hi to you
As a Colombian it breaks my heart to hear your story, I have family members that this has happened to them and I know how devastating this may be for you, I'm truly sorry 😞
how can i prevent this to happend?
@@AntranikOhanian try to stay with locals of your confidence, avoid tinder and if that is not possible ask for IG and FB to try to check more details about girls and use common sense
I would have tried a different police station, as they were probably in on the crime.
@@AntranikOhanian , avoid bars & nightclubs, avoid bad areas, avoid drugs and people that have anything to do with them, avoid prostitutes, buy only closed drinks, have trusted but verified friends, take pictures of identity cards of all people you spend time with and send copies to your trusted friends & family/relatives.
Look at yourself bruv you’re not exactly a picture are you, that should have been a big clue
these stories have one thing in common it starts with a woman :D
Well said
And ends with the police doing nothing.
lol Guys will be guys! Women already know to not do this shit!
@@RondellKB hahahah exactly
I’ve always been a little confused.. seems Eve ate the apple, offered it to Adam, Adam was weak enough to be talked into it, than God puts him in charge. I never got that…
The same thing happen to my father in Bogota. Luckily he found the guy and broke his fingers.
You all probably dont give a shit but does anybody know of a tool to get back into an instagram account??
I stupidly forgot the login password. I love any tips you can give me.
@@jasezayden6383 Im banned from Instagram.
Hi brothers i just woak up and i do a shit
@@jasezayden6383 isn't there like "I forgot my password", or "Need more help", and then you put your e-mail address, and they send you a code. That works most of the time..
@@jasezayden6383 Oh, I'm sry I didn't see this was 2 months ago😅
I'm very sorry that this happened to you. I recently watched a youtube video by a young guy from the U.S. who's parents are from Colombia. He's been living in Medellin, Colombia for sometime now. He talked about someone offering him money to introduce a woman to a gringo tourist. They said all he had to do was introduce the woman and the woman would do all the rest. It totally freaked him out.
Man so appreciate this. Thank you for your story and bringing this to light. Especially scary given that you're a very experienced traveler/resident in Colombia.
Hi Benjamin, I appreciate your message. It is scary and these type of crimes happen to so many innocent people, you just never think that it will be you. Hopefully, a lot of others have already learnt from my story and I hope that that can create a positive change. Thanks man
@@KevinMcCaffreyMusic Sad story. Might sound weird and you do what you want with it, but do some research about Theta Token and Theta Fuel and maybe also XRP. Perhaps investing in these will get you back what you lost. Crazy4cryptos speaks a lot about Theta also some account called alienlike. Bearable Bull I think is a TH-cam account that speaks about XRP. There is also an account called Now Daily Bread or something like that where a Christian woman seem to have had dreams in regards to XRP. Might sound strange to you this, but I would encourage to do some research. These cryptos can be bought at for example Binance(can download app). KuCoin has I think Theta Token and XRP also. Other places you can buy these also, but there’s those two. If you would buy then I maybe think about transferring to wallets. Theta Wallet can store both Tfuel and Theta Token. Exodus wallet is a wallet that can store XRP. Then there is also what is called cold wallet, but I haven’t yet bought one(probably will do). Most famous ones are Ledger Nano and Trezor. If you would buy these then buy directly from the companies and not through Amazon or something like that.
You do with it what you like, but hope it blesses you.
God bless
@@KevinMcCaffreyMusic Sir, I may be naïve in asking this, but I want to know how the gang got hold of the Passwords/ ATM PIN etc. Will be grateful if you can throw some light on this.
@@pratilipibroadcast5322 did you watch the video lol no offense? The whole point of the drug is that you act like a zombie and just offer up the info to them and don’t remember doing it. Crazy stuff
@@brah153 I don't remember him mentioning that in this video (the zombie thing). I think you heard it in another video, like I did
I’m so sorry you had that awful experience. I’m so glad that you weren’t harmed. It’s really admirable that you’re turning a negative into a positive by spreading awareness about this topic and trying to get justice.
You are my next target be careful
Sorry this happened to you. Especially for guys travelling to Colombia be careful of women who approach you similar to this. For everyone else, never walk with your debit card. Leave it with your passport in your safe. Walk with 1 credit card and $100 cash. Credit cards have fraud protection for transactions not done by you. And worse case scenario if the credit card provider refuses to protect you, at the end of the day it’s their money and you can simply let it to go collection and take the hit on your credit score as opposed to losing out in your money. Most important please be safe when travelling ANYWHERE, you can never be safe enough especially in an unfamiliar place.
💯 been to Colombia 3 times now and that's how I roll. But I carry a lot more cash , never debit card at night.
Thinking of moving to Colombia for 6 months are so, was looking at Medellin. How bad/dangerous is it? Is this a once-in-a-blue moon thing, or every time you go out alone as a gringo dude, you're a target? Any thoughts on CDMX being any safer than Colombia? From what I've googled Colombia is much cheaper though?
@@EricBarryComedy1 dont move. youre a target if youre white. even if latin descent. White skin to their head equals american which equals too money, aka youre a target
Thanks for sharing this with everyone mate. Am sorry such a thing has happened to you or anyone for that instance. Am glad that you are safe and creating awareness on this issue. Ive been watching other videos on this scopa and is sure is scary. I wish you happiness mate.
Thanks a million for your support Jon, really appreciate it man. I also hope you peace and happiness, take care.
Thanks for sharing. It's good to be reminded that this can happen to anyone, anytime.
Brilliant to turn this positive! I am a resident of Yucatan, MX. My unique situation in the village where I live causes a sense of safety which does not transcend well when I'm out touring. Thanks for your personal safety boost!
This breaks my heart man, your attitude and strength is getting you through it. Much love to you.
I am so sorry to hear that, I am from Colombia and I now this shit happen there. I know a couple of friends who went to Pereira on holidays and the same thing happen to them. I hope you can make this campaign successful and please keep posting videos about your progress. I now the main thing is that you are okay and I also hope you can get your money back.
so can happen anywhere in Colombia and by anyone? even by friends u know for a while? sounds crazy! 😢😢
I wish you all the best mate! So sorry for what you went through and I hope that everything gets solved successfully!
Thank God you made it alive. I was in Medellin last week. Fortunately, I had no problems whatsoever. Take care my friend and thank you for sharing your story
I'm your 1,000 subscriber and very happy to be. Thanks for sharing your story!
Man you seem like a really good dude. I'm so sorry that happened. As soon as you said 40,000 pesos left my heart dropped...
Really hope you have had some time to get back on your feet.
It was 60 million pesos..total.
Most western banks have daily transaction limits to prevent this kind of thing, and some even block accounts or cards if suspicious transactions are detected. This makes me think that the banks in Colombia do not care and may even be in kahoots with organised crime. The police response also suggests that they may be receiving kickbacks as well.
the worst thing about this video is this guy's description of how beautiful Colombia is. WHO in his right mind would move to a country where cops LAUGH at you being a victim of a crime and refuse to help? I mean come on man, every second of life would be scary as you know there is no law enforcement there whatsoever. just hope you don't become a crime victim of a sort. and this guy is saying that it is a nice place? this man is retar rded.
you sould talk with your ambassador in Colombia
Banks do have daily transaction limits in Colombia. If you set them, otherwise they don't.
I know that I have been locked out of my account for hours becuse I made some transactions at 2 am.
Context, I'm Venezuelan.
Actually because of these types of scams, colombia had some very strong limits on widthdrawls. Normally they do this at night, so they pull money before and after midnight, but from what he indicated this seems more elaborate or used business to get around it.
Yes that sounds very possible out there..
Thank you for raising awareness about this issue in Colombia , I hope you are feeling better now and glad you are okay
Well done for spreading awareness. I think you have saved lives with this video so please appreciate that. God bless you.
Im sorry this happened to you! You have your health and life, move forward bro. I got robbed in Thailand for a small amount , so it can happen to anybody! Good lesson for me and everybody listening. Thanks for your honesty and sharing!
I am currently stuck in Bogota and was a victim of scopolamine poisoning last night. I am currently trying to get back to Belfast I was so lucky I knew something was wrong and got myself and 3 friends back to the hotel and called a paramedic, I have no idea were we got spiked but I think it was at a cocktail bar in the city, I am super super careful and don't even drink beer out of a glass usually just bottles so I can watch them open them, I let my guard down for one night. Colombia is an amazing country and I will be back but this video helped me explain to my family back home just what happened and the seriousness of it. 1 friends heart failed, the other 2 were violently sick I spent about 11 hours nursing them back from blue lips and choking on vomit. Be very very careful this stuff can be spread anywhere they sprinkle it on cash machines, door handles etc. Thanks for the video mate love to grab a beer with you when I'm back. ❤
Alright Gerard. I am so sorry to hear that and hope that you and all your friends are recovering and not too shaken up. If you want, send me an email at @Kevinmccaffreymusic and we can exchange numbers. If there's anything I can do to help or give advice on please let me know. Take care man
so did your friend make it?
😂😂😂😂
Where's my 🧢 emoji? It's around here somewhere.
Don't get had twice, Kevin.
The women are known to sprinkle it on their body parts too and invite you to kiss them on these spots so beware
You let your guard down that 1 night for a really pretty woman?
The saddest part is that he only saved $15,000 in 10 years of working in Colombia. He could have saved that in one year back in Ireland.
Thank you for sharing your story. 🙏🏼☺️. Glad you are ok but a very sad story. Be strong my friend . Lots of prayers
Dudes pay attention, when traveling in latin america, do NOT mess with any local female who makes the first romantic gesture towards you. Run bro. Especially if you are American, european. They assume you'r a mark.
Sorry to hear about your loss! But the best way to get over this loss is to move on! Otherwise you’re reliving this horrible experience over and over again!!! Shit happens bro! Thanks for sharing this because it’s dangerous out there!!!!
Thank you for making me aware, also for having a positive attitude in the face of adversity!
Thank you I wish u a relief from this horrible experience.May God heal ur heart and heal ur financial loss.
Thank you so much for sharing and for bringing awareness to these types of crimes. Justice is extremely slow in Colombia. I hope everything goes well for your best interest. Blessings
Hi Fabio, thanks a lot for your comment. Justice is slow but I believe that I eventually will get it and through my story help others to avoid a similar situation. Un abrazo
@@KevinMcCaffreyMusic Yes, with your commitment you will get justice. Thank you again for sharing
@@fabioguzman9519 lol good joke. Justice haha. The police buried his file that day and laughed at him
@@htown148 Just wanted to be positive to Kevin. You are correct justice in Colombia sucks ass and the victim always needs to pay a lawyer to see if something happens. Best to you as well nomad.
Bro!!! Glad your okay. I’ve been living in Colombia off and on for the past few years. Words Of advice be leery of girls that approach you. I found that most normal girls won’t typically approach a guy you’ll need to make the first move as a male. Working girls typically do this type of business scam. When they wouldn’t let the girl into the hotel this should have been a red flag because most of the locals are able to tell which girls are which based on their appearance, tattoos hair, bag, jewelry etc. The police don’t typically help in the situation because there’s so much prostitution and robbery that takes place like this they just chalk it up to part of the business. It’s unfortunate that this guy had to go through this it’s very traumatizing. The second thing is Colombia is not like the UK the EU or the US the system does not work the same it’s essentially a top level Third World country so people are not reimbursing money so freely.
Thanks a lot for your comment and taking the time to write. I appreciate your advice also, un abrazo.
Yeah if someone blows scopolamine in your face chances are pretty likely you'll willfully hand your banking cards over
The police get a cut also. That’s why they laughed. They laughed because they’re probably banging the girls AND getting a cut of the take.
You’re not going to get reimbursed in the USA either.😊
If you get scammed, you’re on your own.
@@KevinMcCaffreyMusic I saw on another scopolamine scam case in Columbia, they victim paid the police to investigate, and he got most of his stuff back. the cops want money for extra work, but they get it done.
I'm sorry this happened to you, thank you for sharing your story. You seem like a really calm, kind and smart guy who did what you could to be careful. Really cool to hear that you are doing your best to make something positive out of it, that's the champions way of dealing with the big slaps in life. Bless
Thank you so much for posting....very sorry this happened!
You're welcome, Sharon. Thank you very much for your support ☺️
Hey Kevin. Sorry to hear about your experience. Same thing happened to me three weeks ago in Bogota. They got 12,000$ from my cards. And like you, I am just grateful that nothing worse happened. It was a nightmare trying to file a police report as I don't speak spanish. My banks and credit card companies have not been helpful either. I don't know what else to do.
How did it happen?
When it comes to credit cards debt, you can fight it in court or consider filing bankruptcy and getting a discharge.
12k wow don't keep so much on your card
The same thing happened to me in Medellin. I had previously been to Medellin three times usually for one to 2 months. I had A Spanish lesson at 4 pm in my apartment (because of the Pandemic restrictions we could not meet in a CAFE or restaurant) The guy said we should pretend you’re in a bar and have a casual conversation. To get into my apartment building you had to go past security and he had to show his ID and the whole building was on CCTV. I woke up the next morning in a pool of blood in the bathroom and he took everything in total £10,400. In spite of having his face clearly on CCTV and fingerprints et cetera the police did not investigate it and told me I was lucky that I was not kidnapped and I was lucky that I was alive. The most surprising thing was the Colombian people I spoke to were not one bit sympathetic to my situation and told me I should never have let somebody into my apartment even that was on 4 pm in the afternoon.
OMG! A student drugging a teacher. What a mafia! These people are terrorists. How do you think he drugged you? Pool of blood so he hurt you with what?
I'm confused you have a spanish lessong at 4 pm, then u say : the guy said we should pretend you're in a bar and have a casual conversation?? why u mean by that, who is this guy? why he does has to do with your Spanish lesson,
wtf, dangerous to even have somebody to your apt at 4pm even with cctv cameras?! sounds really messed up place to be in.
may as well just stay in Panama or Mexico and bring any Colombian girls over or something if it's like that in Colombia.
what other places this happens commonly??
@@CarolinaASMR guy is Spanish teacher.. they should have lessen in public space ..like bar or restaurant.. bas of covid restriction they didn't go to bar.. Then guy come to his apartmen or flet.. show fake ID to doormen.. Came in the room and start with teaching Spanish.. then he put some drugs into the drink..and pick up all money.. you have fake ID.. fake Police officer.. fake bars.. fake shops.. fake security officer.. fake cleaning leady.. Someone can be regular doorman but he sells info to bad guys..ect
How are these people getting all this money from your bank accounts? I travel all over with US bank account and they would never be able to do that many transactions and even if they did all we have to do is prove it wasn’t us (easy) and we get the money back. The whole point of a bank is that they have insurance. You both should name your banks. I’m wondering if they are targeting people that they know have Colombian banks??
Hello Kevin, it saddens me that you had to go through such experience; notwithstanding, your strength and positive attitude are remarkable! I wish you luck with all your endeavors, including the legal proceedings. Stay sweet and be careful.
I appreciate you for sharing this tragic story and know your story will help others avoid the same thing. Hopefully by now you've recovered something from this whole ordeal. God bless you.
I’m really sorry you’re going through this nightmare. and thanks for sharing your experience. I have spent a total of nine months in Colombia without an incident. Here are my suggestions to stay safe:
Spend most of your time in small cities and towns like those of the Eje Cafetero, boyacá, Santander. The big cities are much more dangerous. Don’t go out late at night. Don’t go to night clubs. Don’t get drunk. Understand that it’s unlikely you’ll “get lucky” during your trip and understand the risks of trying to get laid. I made friends and had some nice experiences with time. Don’t do drugs except maybe some weed if you find a safe way to get it. I carried a debit card with just $2000 in the account and called my bank from Colombia to transfer money into it when needed.
$2000? i would suggest $150 at the most. I have 2 cards from different banks. One is my traveling bank, the other is my officinal one. Never walk around with a credit card. Never flash jewelry or watches. Get a cheap phone to travel with. It's all about being smart and not acting like a damn tourist FFS.
I see this pattern a lot in columbia. Dudes getting approached by females, most likely attractive ones. They don't think you're brad pitt dude, they just want something from you. Worst case scenario happened to you. Maybe you should look in the mirror a bit and ask yourself, why would a woman I just met, message to met me immediately in a shady country / town
😅
Man!!! So sorry to hear, this happened to me too in Cartagena but on a smaller scale. Very sorry bro, thanks for sharing your story
So many stories like this. That’s for sharing.
Kevin, it's great that you take such a positive attitude to the horrors of what happened and obviously thank you for telling the story, like almost everyone, sorry to learn that you had such a loss as well as the trauma of what you went through. I wish you luck in your endeavours to recover at least some or all of your financial loss and to bring the criminals and bank to justice.
As I was listening to your story, before you got to the point as to how your account was drained, I was thinking that they had used your fingerprint to get into your phone and bank, I immediately thought of how dangerous it is that this can happen, I for one will be removing the fingerprint options for my phone and bank, perhaps others too should consider that what we think of as a convenience and security measure could turn out to be an added risk.
Hi Jules, thank you so much for your message and offering support. Hopefully these people will be brought to justice and I am very determined to pursue my case and help spread awareness so we can avoid this type situation which unfortunately occurs on a daily basis in the country that we love so much. I would certainly encourage you to not trust the banks as it seems that we basically have no rights and make sure to not have it all in one account.
This story is a NICE EPISODE for the Colombian TV-program named ; " SEPTIMO DIA " !!!!
Wow!!! I can literally feel your pain through this video, (old video, I understand). Unfortunately I don't do ANY travels outside the USA, but I'm a huge fan of vlogger's as yourself & I experience other countries through people as yourself... I subbed, so I'll research your uploads & hopefully I'll find that the bank did right by you and reimbursed you for what was stolen. Thankfully you're physically ok, God bless.
I've been to Colombia several times and luckily nothing like that happened to me but you're alive and healthy, be grateful. Stay safe.
Dang man, I can imagine the frustration and anger you must have felt. I'm from Bogotá and I know how common those stories are and how often people end up dead. So fucked up at so many levels. Did you keep a picture/video of the girl, the name of the restaurants and drug stores where the transactions were made? I would have posted their faces and names all over. I hope those bastards get what they deserve.
that will never happen
@@passportbros173 it was you wasn't it? Lol
@@passportbros173 stolen money will never last. I hope those girls struggle for the 15000$ they stole. I hope someone takes double from them .
I lived in Bogota and Cali teaching English , rode on public transport , took taxis never had any problems , my rule of thumb I stay away from night clubs, bars , I only went to malls which Colombia has some of the best in the world they have everything. I only socialized with people I knew for awhile , but this was in the 1990s and later 2009-2011 nowadays the cities are overcrowded more people more trouble. I guess I go to places like the salt mine in zipaquira and Unicentro Cali , and never withdraw money from an atm in the street , go to a mall. Colombia is very nice but like everywhere cant let your guard down.
Good advice! but Cali is still a dangerous place overall, glad u were safe.
I'm so sorry for you man. Keep spreading your experience.
Glad you are good brother, I appreciate you sharing. Hope to hear some of your music!
I am Colombian and one of the things I noticed was that after we accepted a couple million venezuelan refugees, prostitution spiked as there weren't enough jobs to go around. I think the prostitution business wasn't doing well, because although this scam isn't new in colombia, there was a significant uptick now.
Are native colombians having a hard time to find jobs due to increase no.of immigrants and the competition with them?
@@pocoaditya7778 Not sure the actual statistics, perhaps to a small degree while the economy adapts to the increase in population. There has always been a large % of informal labor (ie people selling stuff on street, or cleaning cars on their own, etc), but I think the bigger part is you get a bunch of people who can't easily get a job in a foreign country and for good looking women there are much easier ways to make a living.
I'm sorry they robbed you. Thank you for sharing your story, mate. A number of red flags were apparent. But what troubles me is with the businesses where the transactions were processed. The corruption goes right up to the top. What's most important is that you're safe. They could have given you too much of the drug and you would have been off to the next life. My best wishes to you. Take care.
Really appreciate the message, Carlos. Yeah despite the potential 'red flags' I didn't at any time let me guard down at any time, moreover I was in a public place in the early evening. It certainly is a story about corruption and crime on so many levels. Thanks again for you support.
@@KevinMcCaffreyMusic which bank??
@@KevinMcCaffreyMusic I'm confused, did they just pay for REALLY expensive "things" in the restaurant using contactless or did you give them your credit card number?
@@lolsamftw some important quistions he never answer
Damn dude that's wild! Thanks for sharing your story
What a nightmare Kevin. I really hope you can get it resolved ok. I know it must be had but keep your chin up mate. Best of luck.
Man, very sad story but you seem to have handled it in the best way possible. To show you the difference in banking laws, here in the US I can't even send an old friend of mine in Mexico $150 without it getting flagged and incurring a 5 day waiting period. The lack of support from the bank is criminally horrendous.
Yeah man, unfortunately very little support here from the banks. It's certainly better to have an international one if possible. Thank you for your concern and support. Take care
That has been happening with more normality and police don't do anything, I'm COLOMBIAN and I was living in Bogotá with my boyfriend and we stand a the park one night, a guy came very friendly and offers us a beer ( big mistake ) and next morning we woke up at the apartment with most of the belongings stolen. There are some people that are dead because of overdose of this substance. I've moved to Barcelona and yes is also dangerous sometimes but I think any place in south America better be careful and with an eye caught every single day.
Such a credible story. Shocking. It is a shame they don't take this crime more seriously. Also that was a bad bad bad bank. I hope you moved your money to do business elsewhere. My bank tends to be very helpful and proactive. I don't know how they catch errant transaction but they do. I usually get my card somehow copied whenever I travel through certain airports and they catch those transactions lightning fast. Stop them. Contact me. And take steps to cancel the card and issue a new one. I'm really shocked your bank responded as they did. And also serious props to you for sharing your story.
Thank God you are fine and healthy ! I appreciate your advice mate and I am sure your attitude will bring your savings back! Thank you for sharing!
Happy you made this video to bring more awareness to situations like this. I was new to a place 45 minutes out of Medellin called Giradota. On my 2nd night, I went to the plaza and went to a bar that was full but in the main park area and well known. I was watching people dance and was asked to dance by a girl. After the dance, she asked me to join their table with her 3 other girlfriends. Somewhere along the way, they spiked my drink and all I remember was leaving, standing at the ATM, and when I woke in the morning I was locked in a house in the mountains. There were about 8-10 people in this gang that I can bearly remember. When I woke up there was only 2 woman watching me, in my broken Spanish I told them to let me go, they told me no. I grabbed one of the women and basically told her and the other woman I was going to kill them if they did not let me go. They let me go! I ended up walking about 5 miles off the mountain back to the main city. Thank God they only took $300 from me because that's how I set up my account, I could only pull $300 per day. It was a VERY CRAZY experience and I am very thankful to God that I got out alive. I ended up living in that city for 7 months. Despite what happened to me, the city of Giradota was absolutely amazing and the people as well.
Besides getting my cell phone pickpocketed 2 weeks before leaving nothing else happened to me. I'm in the U.S now and look forward to moving back! Colombia is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been too and the people are amazing. I do recognize that some people are very desperate and will try to take advantage of you every way they can. BUT, I also think that you will find that mindset anywhere you go. "WE ALL" just need to be more street smart, don't carry too much money and have an emergency action plan if something does happen. Thanks again for sharing your story.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write and share your story and be so open about your experience. It seems that your experience was a lot more traumatising than mine and I am so sorry you also had to through this. You showed amazing courage and strength to get out of that situation and luckily you feel comfortable enough to discuss this crime. It seems like we have had the same reflection; I also still love this country and it is not a fair reflection on the vast majority of Colombians who are generally the most wonderfully kind people. I'm glad that you are looking to come back and if ever you plan to come to Cali please let me know. Un abrazo amigo
Very smart of you to keep only a small amount in your bank account.
And I'm glad your stayed and could enjoy the rest of your time there.
You should try and take there photos before having a drink and send it to a friend or family and let them know to save these pictures if they don't hear back from you within a couple of hours share the photos on social media saying that these women you where last seen with them if you get out alive you get those pictures from your friend and you know who you are looking for
I’m confused why they would just let you go so easy after kidnapping you and locking you in a house
Ive been to Giradota and I was with my girlfriend and she told me to put everything up because they pick pocket and rob there. It is a beautiful area but you cant let a few bad apples spoil the bunch.
Honestly, my bf and I got robbed in Cartagena too. Thankfully we weren't drugged but you just feel like how could this have happened?? Not only did they take a big chunk out of our debit cards, but they stole the only shoes he had. And of course the Colombian police DONT EVER DO SHIT. I will never recommend Cartagena to anybody, it's full of scammers. Stay away from Playa Blanca, you'll even see everyone's similiar experiences in the reviews on google maps. I'm so sorry this happened!
Hi Cassandra, I am so sorry to hear that you were also a victim of crime while in Cartagena and like me you were given no support from the authorities. It's time for a change in this country and hopefully by sharing our stories and exposing such incidents maybe eventually someone will take notice. Thanks for sharing
@Billy Thorson This shit would be investigated in a similar city or town in the states. You wouldn't be told "sorry nothing we can do" . . . . or "well, you are a foreigner so it's you're own fault for being here" . . . . .that's bullshit. Travelers go there and pump money into the economy. We should have some justice when crimes are committed against us.
Sorry to hear about that. I spent a couple of weeks in Cartagena in the poorer part of the old city and didn't have any issues except being occasionally solicited by the street walkers who frequent the area my hostel was in. I'm starting to think I was just lucky after all the stories I've read on here.
True. I am Colombian and I have no desire to visit Cartagena again.
@@WayneLyons the sharks are in the tourists hotspots, not where you were
Terribly sorry about what happened. Thankyou for sharing.
Such a crazy story, and even crazier that it happens to so many people... I'm so sorry you had to go through this and I'm glad that you're fine.
It doesn’t happen to me why because every time I meet a girl in Colombia i simply explain that I’m a foreigner in order to protect myself I need to take a picture of your photo id. I’ve never had anyone deny me the id. If they lie to you and say they don’t have it just walk away because everyone in Colombia carry’s id
Thank you for sharing im glad you made it out well and healthy. Just dont expect too much handholding in troubled countries. Its not CSI, the police force has no money, the police has no power and you cant remember anything. So the police goes to the restaurant and 5 people will tell them that you have been drunk and invited the whole crowd for drinks. (Sorry that your first lesson was such a harsh one. I was in Spain entertaining myself with a friend, backpacks on the ground as a mumbling man asked for directions..i got closer, the backpack was behind me and never seen again. I expected from the police aswell some lost and found but was told to check the sorrounding trash bins :) )
That's why I use my Amex card all the time.
I once made a purchase at Target for around $150.
Then, I went to another Target about 20 minutes later, made a similar purchase and my card was rejected.
I called Amex and the said, they were suspicious of these purchases, because , it was out of my routine.
I have been to Colombia many times.
When I go out I carry a Amex, Visa and a Visa debit that does not have a high balance in the account.
My Amex and Visa have buyer protection, in case they get stolen and used.
My debit has a limited amout of money, in case it gets stolen and used.
Good luck on your case.
Don't give up on Colombia.
DITTO on Amex, they have your back. The membership fee I pay every year is the best money I spend every year. Never leave home without it.
You're right - it could have been worse. I hope you're doing well these days. Take care, Kevin.
I just returned from travels and this has helped me for future travels Kevin.. thank you!
PS.. How did she get it into you? Was it in the drink from the street vendor where you got the drink?
Moral of the story: don't keep your money in a Colombian bank account. It would have been good to know the name of the actual bank. Also, if the restaurant transactions went through the VISA or Mastercard networks then they would probably force the bank to refund the transactions.
And spread money and investments around, have a bank card for daily purchases. Then asap report fraud to bank.
Your right visa and mastercard you are covered for fraud.. But this was obviously a columbian bank account with a straight card.. What a wounder..
Yeah, early on I looked into opening a Colombian account. Then I realized it is a bad, bad idea for many reasons. An American debit card works just fine.
I am truly confused. I am currently travelling solo around Colombia, my first time here. I have been here 10 days. I just left Cartagena after spending 6 nights there and I realised after the second night it is not a safe place where you can let your guard down. If I realised that after two days I am confused how a man who has lived in the country for 10 years could be so naive.
Let me give some advice for anyone travelling to Colombia and in particular Cartagena:
1. The walled city is not safe. A girl from my hostel had foam sprayed in her eyes and handbag robbed. On the first night we walked through the clock tower on a bar crawl and some kids surrounded a guy and tried to pickpocket him but were ran off by the tour guides.
I am a very street wise guy from London and I have been to Brazil, DR and Ghana and I can tell you now, Cartagena is the dodgiest place I have ever been.
2. Do not get drunk. Get tipsy at most.
3. Always remember you are a meal ticket to these people
4. Stay away from prostitutes. I have been with many girls in my short time here and I didn't need to pay. But that's because I am a very good judge of character. I talk to the normal girls who have jobs. This guy was clearly approached by prostitutes and let his guard down.
Unless you are extremely diligent, street wise, have a backbone and can tell people to piss off if they're bothering you I wouldn't recommend travelling here alone.
I do not speak any Spanish and have still been able to navigate my way through this but know most people wouldn't be able to, so think about that before you come.
I just subscribed, i was your 1,000 sub 🍻🍻
thanks for sharing ! Keep your spirit up babe ! You have made it at least
Thank God you are Safe!
Hey, I'm from Colombia and I've lived in Cartagena most of my life. I very sorry that this happened to you. What you're doing is great, share your story, create awareness, give advice to other foreigners.
Unfortunately things won't change fast enough so it's important to make travelers aware of the dangers. This is not only Cartagena, there's organized crime everywhere in most of Latin America. So be careful and extra suspicious of everyone everywhere.
Keeping low money on you or only one credit card is terrible advice, the goal is NOT to reduce the amount of money you'll get robbed, the goal is to avoid putting yourself in situations in which bad people have access to your body.
Don't try to reduce the amount of money you'll get robbed. Reduce the chances of getting robbed at all.
Don't trust people in general if they seem to nice or friendly and want to spend time with you. Usually locals stay with locals. If they go out of their way to spend time with you, it's better to avoid it. I can be wrong for some people but it's not worth the risk.
Thanks so much for sharing this with us. I will be living in COL soon so i will be extra aware.
Why would u live there?
There is no protection from that
So sorry to hear about this. This is so scary and good to see you're safe now.
Thanks a lot Wendy for your kind words. I wish you all the best for this New Year.
My heart goes out to ya, man. Glad you're alive. Unfortunately, you made yourself an easy mark by riding solo in a foreign country. Also, I can almost guarantee you those cops were on those ladies' organization's payroll.
Been going to Colombia for many years and this never happened to me. I’ll help you my guy. When a woman approaches you first and what’s to know you and offers you her number that’s a red flag right there my brother. No matter how small they look, how innocent they look. Even if they offer drinks. Never drink it. Stay safe dude
He has lived in Colombia for 11 years. He is practically Colombian at this point. These girls are very smooth. Happened to my cousin who was born and raised in Colombia.
@@williamtempletonlondono2152 thinking with the little head
What if its a super expensive drink tho…
@@theempire00 drink fast & take taxi fast, go alone to your hotel and snooze
God Bless fi\or sharing your story to help others and bringing light to this topic. Sorry for you, and hope the bank does the right thing.
Thanks a lot Matthew, your message certainly gives me that little bit more determination to fight this thing and yes, hopefully the bank will eventually do the right thing.
Wow.. I've seen docs and vid abt this drug, but to listen to a victim of it.. I want to travel South-America myself one day. So vids like this is ver helpful, as a reminder. I cheer for you mate. Hope you have it better now!
Hey man, septimo dia would probably love this story and would probably investigate the issue further. Maybe you should try get in touch with them, or insist that they help you.
Hey Budgy, I'm not too familiar with 'Séptimo Día' but I would certainly be interested in exploring all possibilities. Do you have a contact or anything?
@@KevinMcCaffreyMusic It's a Colombian program I used to always see playing on TV. They have their own team of investigators and lawyers and stuff, and when cases similar to yours come along they make a program about it.
From their page:
''Si usted ha sido víctima de estafas, engaños o desea que conozcamos una historia impactante puede escribirnos a los correos mteodoro@caracoltv.com.co y septimodia@caracoltv.com.co.''
@@budgy54 this is great. Thank you so much for your recommendation, I will certainly write to both Caracol. This could be a great help. Muchas gracias!
jThat is a really really good idea. That is the way how things work in Colombia. If they are on the news, The bank, and the police will give you a solution for sure!
A great way to create awareness of this potential atrocity.
Amazing story man. What you are doing by sharing is going save a lot of guys. Colombia is a beautiful place but always be careful.
Tips: When going out, tell a friend where you are going and check in often. Take pictures of the people you're with/meet and email them to yourself or friend. This can easily be done without their knowledge. Set up your accounts through your bank to limit transaction. No reason for 20 transactions in one day. Don't carry your debt card that has access to your personal account. I strictly use visa cards. Even at home. Visa will reimburse you for fraud with no hassle. Get a GPS tracker that tracks your movement. Get a body camera. I got one that looks like a pen. This may sound silly, but can make a huge difference.
I was accused of something and the police were called. I let the prep (Her) dig a nice hole before reveling my body camera. Don't know why she wasn't charged. I sure would have been had it not been recorded. Last but not least. There is no such thing as being too careful when in a foreign country. We all like to think we are tough and can handle ourselves. But you are no tougher than the next guy, especially after that first bullet/knife goes through you.
Hey man, I appreciate all your advice and support. It's certainly an experience that I have learned a lot from. Take care and all the best for 2021
@@KevinMcCaffreyMusic Thanks friend. All the best to you in the new year.
accused of?
@@sleepnomore6065 inappropriate touching without her permission. The video clearly showed that I was not guilty. She had no idea that I had my camera and thank God I did. I always have my body camera with me!!
Lucky you survived and thanks for sharing.
Hello Kevin, I'm sorry for your very sad story. I just wanted to suggest that you write a book about this story and adapt it to a small film, but by following the video until the end, you said it. Courage bro!
I am sorry this happened to you my friend. I can't imagine. I am Canadian and have been living in Latin America for 20 years, currently Bogota but mostly Mexico. I have had my bank card stolen and money withdrawn from a casino without them even having the pin number and BBVA would not reimburse me even though they said it was done without the pin number. My girlfriend of 10 years is a cop in Bogota and has told me stories of Scopolamine. I'll try and help you any way I can with her contacts in the police if you want us to try. Good luck with everything and i admire your attitude of staying positive.
Hi Bill, thank you so much for reaching out. I am so sorry that you were also a victim of fraud and that you were not fully protected by your bank. Any help would certainly be appreciated in my fight for justice against the parties involved in this organised crime. Please let me know
Hey Bill, does your GF provide tours for Bogota??
@@GallivantA this is a great idea! Will definitely use this next time
@@GallivantA Judging by Kevin's experience with the police in Cartagena, having the woman's photo wouldn't do you much good. Hell, you could probably give the police her national identity card and address and you still wouldn't get justice.
@@WayneLyons , they will very likely help you if you are willing to give them some cash in exchange for help! their salaries are probably not high so In Such Places The Police Will Help You If You Help Them/Give Them Some Money, say $5, $10, or $20+ bucks for each police person or the main guy in charge of the police!!
The guy of the story lived in Cali in Colombia for many yrs yet he didn't know about how the things work there in Colombia about police and how to avoid bars & nightclubs or be very careful and with other friends if you do go?!?!
and if you associate with people you recently met better get pics of their identity cards and send to your close friends and family in case something happens!
the video guy let his guard down and acted not very smart.
Thank you for sharing your story! It's striking to see how many people talked about how useless the Colombian police is! they are all corrupt and part of these criminal organisations themselves!
Omg sorry for what happened to you Hope you get your money thanks for the info I am planning to go there so I been looking at TH-cam videos to learn about the place I did not know I was going to run into your video this video you uploaded is very helpful so we can be careful when we travel to other countries
Really appreciate it Robert. This type of thing is quite rare, particularly the amount of money but of course, it is always important to be as vigilant as possible.
Thanks for sharing your experience I’m thinking going there in colombia alone too . and I heard about that scopolamine drugs in colombia, take care my friend
Thanks a lot man, really appreciate it 🙂
Banks are insured usually, they should just take care of it. Good attitude on you man, be well and that’s for sharing your story.
Thanks a lot, dude. I thought it was certainly important to share my story and hopefully avoid it happening to others. Take care
Your forefathers raped & robbed from the Ancestors. You didn't think their children would forget did ya? Its called Reparations. ijs
Good on you mate, please post an update video
Thanks man, yeah I certainly will. Hopefully soon I can reveal all the details in terms of the parties involved in the organised crime which I currently am unable to do due to legal reasons.
Thank you for sharing this with us
Thank you for sharing. I feel for you Kevin... Dang......
Common, very common. You can't go out with a reputable girl in Colombia without meeting her with her family many times over.
Bro, do you have somewhere I can donate to you?
Man, i wholeheartedly wish you the best.
Thanks for sharing......sobering story for someone planning to visit Colombia.
There is always a warning about the breath of the devil. Protect yourself by using cash and keeping everything else in the hotel safe.
Unfortunately, when it comes to beautiful women, men often think with their tails.
During my last 1 month stay in Cali I was warned about this by 3 people.
Hi Rob, cheers for your message. As I say in the description, please don't let my story put you off, Colombia is an unbelievably friendly country with incredible landscapes. You just have to be careful if you visit Cartagena and I hope that my story has provided some sound advice. Take care
Rob Burnett if you have doubts about a woman take photos of her or with her if she refuses run 🏃♂️ she is up to something if she agrees send those pictures to a reliable friend or family and let them know if they don't hear from you within a couple of hours post those pictures of you on social media saying you where last seen with this person if you survive the ordeal then you will have something to work with you will know who you are looking for
A dozen trips to 🇨🇴 and never experienced that. But then again I never gave my phone number to a stranger 🤓
Hi Kevin! I've been to cartegena and I think I was drugged with scopolamine! I met a girl in the club and woke up in my room next day! Can't remember anything! I had all my possessions well hid in the room ! They didn't get anything ! I remember this old lady warning me about the devils breath there!
This story is absolutely gnarly man. Sorry to hear this happened to you. Now that its a few months later are there any updates?
Hi man, thanks for the message. I am finally going to be having a hearing with the bank in the next few weeks. There has been nothing to report but I certainly will do another one based on the outcome of that. Cheers for expressing an interest.
Yes keep us updated. A friend of a friend went through the same experience recently but in Cali. He's from the USA
Kevin, I hope you are well. How did you get on with the case I remember watching this a year or so ago?