State Department apologizes for tweeting bizarre overseas travel warning

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State Department apologizes over controversial tweet

Travel warning seen as offensive

The State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs was forced to apologize Wednesday after a tweet that appeared to offer overseas travel advice specifically for ugly Americans.

For the past several days, the bureau's Twitter account has posted messages offering practical, straightforward travel advice for American students heading overseas, using the hashtag "springbreakingbadly". Below are two examples.

Wednesday, however, the official counsel took a very personal turn.

"Not a ‘10’ in the US? Then not a 10 overseas. Beware of being lured into buying expensive drinks or worse – being robbed," the controversial tweet said.

While the message was meant to warn of potential scams initiated by personal compliments and/or alcohol, most social media users reacted with sarcasm or anger.

Eventually, the consular affairs bureau's social media team deleted the tweet and posted an explanation.