The “cyber kidnapping” scam that extorted the Chinese family of a foreign exchange student studying in the US is part of a larger criminal trend that parents across the globe could fall victim to, experts warned.
Student Kai Zhuang was reported missing by his high school last week and later found “very cold and scared” in a tent in rural Utah after anonymous scammers convinced the 17-year-old to isolate himself, according to local police.
Once the teenager was alone in the wilderness, officials said the kidnappers sent a ransom demand and a picture – that Zhuang took of himself – to his parents in China and claimed he had been abducted. Zhuang's family eventually paid $80,000 (£62,600) to the perpetrators.
Experts told the BBC that advancements in technology have made it easier for criminals to pursue cyber kidnapping schemes. While there is not clear data on the number of cases, they said, Zhuang's experience is not an isolated occurrence.
“The way it's being perpetrated in most cases, [it] could happen to anyone,” said Joseph Steinberg, a cyber security expert who has advised business firms and governments. “The crimes have gotten much more targeted and much more expensive.”
What is a cyber kidnapping?
Police believe kidnappers began manipulating the 17-year-old exchange student as early as 20 December, when he was seen with camping equipment in Utah.
Typically, cyber kidnappings involve criminals calling or messaging a victim to trick them into thinking a loved one has been kidnapped, though the person is actually safe, Mr Steinberg said.
Victims have reported hearing screaming on the phone while the perpetrator claimed their loved one was in danger to secure a ransom.
“They will do anything to keep you on the phone,” said Marie-Helen Maras, the director of the Center for Cybercrime Studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “They'll threaten to cause harm if you hang up or if you try to contact anyone to frighten their targets into making rushed decisions.”
There have been several cases in which Chinese foreign exchange students in other countries – including Canada and Australia – were coerced into staging their own kidnappings to extort money from relatives, said Dr Maras, who has studied cyber kidnapping cases.
— CutC by bbc.com
