Hey everyone. I’m here to tell you a story about a not-so-great experience I recently had in Riga, Latvia, and hopefully it will help you to be more cautious if you’re ever in the same situation.
Six days ago, I was in Estonia, and on the third day I matched with a girl on Tinder. I’d heard stories about people using the app to take advantage of tourists, so I was a bit wary, but everything seemed legit. We decided to meet in the old town, and I arrived at the agreed location around 11pm. When I saw her, I noticed she looked different from her pictures, but I let it slide and we went into a nearby bar for a drink.
After a while, her friend showed up and joined us. We all had a great time, and then the girl suggested we have some Latvian shots. She ordered some, and then her friend got in on the action too. I was feeling quite tipsy by this point, and the last shot really hit me hard. I felt sick and needed to leave, but when I tried to pay for my drinks, I was told the girl had already taken care of it – and that’s when I realized I’d been scammed.
It turns out the girl and her friend had drugged me, and when they saw I was feeling sick, they had the bartender tell me that I didn’t have to pay for the drinks. I was obviously taken aback and felt very stupid for not seeing the signs, but I guess that’s what happens when you let your guard down.
The moral of this story is that it’s important to be cautious when you’re out and about, especially if you’re a tourist. I now know that if someone offers to pay for my drinks, I should always check to make sure there isn’t something else going on. It’s also worth taking the time to get to know someone before meeting them in person, and if something feels off, trust your gut and don’t go.
At the end of the day, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. I’m thankful that I got out of this situation relatively unscathed, and I hope my experience can help you to be more aware and stay safe.