Facts:
Virtual kidnappings are used by criminals to cash in on parents' fears of something happening to their child.
The scammer will call the parent — and use details obtained from their child's social media account — to convince the victim that the abduction is real.
They then demand a ransom from the parent, generally between $1,000 and $2,000. These payments are often broken up into smaller amounts and sent to multiple people.
According to the FBI, these cases are notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute because the ransom money is often transferred out of the country, making it difficult to trace.
A Cautionary Tale
For five terrifying minutes, Jamie was convinced that her daughter had been kidnapped.
"There was a child crying on the phone," she explained in a press interview. "I have two kids, born one year apart. And it sounded like both of them were crying.”
That’s when a man got on the phone and began threatening her, telling her to do exactly as he said.
In a moment of quick thinking, Jamie dialed 911 on another line, so that emergency responders could listen in on the call. In the seconds that followed, the 911 operator heard her begging to hear her daughter’s voice — a request that was met with, "You are going to do what I tell you to do, if you want to hear her alive."
Fortunately, the dispatcher was able to tip Jamie off to the likelihood of the call being a scam.
Man: Who’s there with you? What's going on?
Jamie: Nobody, I'm here by myself! I want to hear my daughter's voice, please!
911 Operator: Ma'am..
Jamie: Please!
Man: Who is there with you?
911 Operator: Okay, this sounds like it might be a scam phone call, do you know the phone number that it's coming off of?
Jamie: (crying) He just hung up, he just hung up with my daughter!
After the scammer hung up, Jamie raced to her children's school. The local police were also dispatched there, to verify that her daughter was indeed okay.
"I lost it when I saw the kids,” Jamie recalled. “My son came down first and then my daughter. That’s when I crumbled to the ground. The whole thing had felt so real.”
The Larger Scheme At Play
Law enforcement agencies have been warning the public of virtual kidnapping schemes for years now. Using a combination of Google search and social media, scammers are able to research their victims ahead of time. They can even spoof loved ones’ phone numbers to make it seem as if the call is coming from a person the victim knows. While no one is ever physically kidnapped in these instances, virtual kidnappings are often traumatic for everyone involved. And sadly, families will send thousands of dollars to these “kidnappers,” before reaching out to law enforcement.
Source: Derek Thomson on Unsplash
Despite these warnings, stories like Jamie’s are becoming more and more common. Why? Because it’s a lot easier to use deception and threats to conduct a virtual kidnapping than to attempt a real one. With scammers adding their own twists to an old con, the crime itself can be lucrative and manages to dodge law enforcement more often than not.
It also doesn’t require a whole lot of technical skill, as you’ll find out shortly.
How It Works
This frightening scam can take one of two forms:
The first is when a scammer calls and pretends to be a relative or friend who has been kidnapped. Then, a second person will take over the call and claim to be the kidnapper, demanding ransom in exchange for the loved one’s safe return.
In the second scenario, the alleged kidnappers call directly and claim that they have abducted your loved one. If you ask to speak with the kidnapped victim, your request will be denied until you pay up.
The call itself can come from anywhere. Sometimes, the scammer will use an unregistered, prepaid phone. Other times, he may use a voice-over-IP service, like Skype or a spoofing app, to make the call appear as if it’s coming from someone you know. However, many of these scammers simply cold-call dozens of numbers and then use social media to search for more information once someone picks up.
Using any of the methods above, the scammer will collect as much personal information as he can about a target in whatever window of time he has.
To open the call, the “kidnapper” will have someone screaming in the background, usually a recording of a child crying for his or her “Mommy” or “Daddy.” This can be very convincing and heart wrenching for the victim, placing them into the ether.
Ether n.: a mental state of heightened emotion that makes a person easy to manipulate.
Once the victim is in this heightened emotional state, the scammer will do everything he can to keep them on the phone and threaten harm if they try to contact the police or anyone else.
From there, he tries to convince them to wire money to a bank account, or to purchase prepaid debit cards and read the numbers back to him. He might even demand that the victim flushes the evidence down the toilet afterwards. However, unlike real kidnappings — where ransom sums can go into the millions — the amounts demanded in virtual kidnappings are much smaller. And the scammer might quickly lower his demands, in order to increase his chances of getting paid.
After the victim has sent the money, the “kidnapper” hangs up without a word. This leaves the victim frantically scrambling to get in touch with their allegedly kidnapped loved one, to make sure they are safe.
Take Steps to Protect Yourself
The success of any type of virtual kidnapping depends on a combination of speed and fear. Criminals know they only have a short time to extract a ransom before the victim wisens up to the con, or before the authorities get involved.
In order to play “kidnappers” at their own game, here’s what to do if you get one of these calls:
Hit the pause button. First and foremost, calm yourself down so that you can think clearly. Be skeptical of the legitimacy of this call. To buy yourself some time, repeat the caller's request and tell him you are writing down his demands. Alternatively, say that you’re having a hard time hearing him and ask if you can call back. If the caller refuses to let you hang up, keep him talking with the following tips.
Slow the situation by probing. Ask if you can speak to the alleged victim and listen carefully to their voice. Does it sound like your loved one? To be sure, ask questions that only the kidnapped victim would know, such as a specific memory or a secret code word. Don’t give any clues or provide any of this information yourself. If the call truly is a scam, the kidnapper won’t have the answer and will simply hang up. However, if the emergency is real, you can respond accordingly.
Contact the victim. As you keep the kidnapper talking, attempt to contact your loved one via text or social media to see if they are okay. If you can’t get a hold of them, reach out to someone who can — such as a friend, a family member, or a teacher at the school.
Don’t pay ransom. Don't agree to pay a ransom in any form. Wire transfers cannot be reversed and delivering money in person can be dangerous. If you suspect a real kidnapping is taking place, contact local law enforcement immediately.
Follow the money. Pay close attention to how the kidnapper wants you to pay his demands. If he asks for a wire transfer, Western Union, MoneyGram, a prepaid debit card, gift cards, cash, or check sent via courier, these are all red flags.
Report it. Whether you fall for one of these virtual kidnappings or not, report the call to the authorities. (See Resources below.) Even though you may want to forget what happened, it's critical for authorities to keep track of these incidents — both to spread awareness and help prevent future victims.
Final Notes and Updates
Virtual kidnappings are difficult to crack down on because of where they originate. One FBI investigation found that the majority of these calls come out of Mexico, often within prisons. With nothing but time on their hands, these criminals can bribe guards to acquire cell phones and then use spoofing apps to start dialing the numbers of wealthy area codes.
To skirt around cross-border money transfer laws, virtual kidnappers will keep their ransom demands low. Not only does this avoid triggering any red flags at the bank, it also increases the odds that the target will have that money on hand or can easily access the required funds.
All of these factors make it tricky to track down these criminals. Leaving only a small trail of breadcrumbs to follow, the dollar amounts often do not warrant the expense of any real investigation. This means that victims are left to reassemble their peace of mind and deal with the financial consequences on their own.
Useful Resources
To report a kidnapping scam:
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
To file a complaint with the FBI:
https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
To leave an anonymous tip with the FBI:
Editor’s Note: Have you been affected by fraud? Most people have, in some form or another. If you have a story you would like to share, we’re sure our readers would benefit from hearing it. Please send an email to editor@theconartist.pub detailing your experience, and we will be in touch. Your privacy and any wishes of anonymity will be respected.
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