Scams are as old as mankind and they continue to thrive and evolve. The Internet age has enabled scammers to operate without coming face to face with potential victims. This information is intended to provide education about these types of scams, and tips to prevent it from happening to you.

Virtual Kidnapping Ransom Scam

 The scam typically begins with a phone call saying your family member is being held captive. The caller may allege your daughter has been kidnapped and you hear a female screaming in the background. Victims may hear screams or other stressful sounds in the background of a call. Scammers may also use new AI “voice cloning” technologies to create very realistic sounding audio clips of the alleged victim’s voice using audio samples from real videos posted on the person’s social media pages. Callers will typically provide the victim with specific instructions to ensure a safe return of the family member. You may be ordered to stay on the line until money is wired. The caller may claim not to have received the money and may demand more payment.

To avoid becoming a victim of this type of scam, look for the following possible indicators:

• Incoming calls come from an outside area code. In rare cases, scammers can “spoof” the victims actual phone number.
• Calls do not come from the alleged kidnapped victim's phone.
• Callers go to great lengths to keep you on the phone.
• Callers prevent you from calling or locating the "kidnapped" victim.
• Ransom money is only accepted via wire transfer service.

Virtual kidnappers can be very convincing, often representing themselves as members of drug cartels or corrupt law enforcement.

Here are some tips on how to respond if you receive a phone call from someone who demands payment of a ransom for a kidnapped victim:

• Never post news of upcoming travel dates and locations online.
• Discuss virtual kidnapping with family members prior to any travel.
• Scammers portray a false sense of urgency. Stop and think; do the kidnapper’s claims make sense?
• Have a “password” that family members can ask for in an emergency to confirm that a loved one is really in trouble.
• Be wary of providing financial information to strangers over the phone.
• Attempt to call, text, or contact the alleged victim to confirm they are safe.
• At the earliest opportunity, notify your local police department.

To help prevent this scam, check privacy settings on social media accounts and revisit the information you publicize on those accounts. The more information available to the public, the more information scammers can use to convince you into believing a scam is real.

If you have questions about this information or need to report a potential scam happening to you, please contact the Dinuba Police Department at (559) 591-5911. If you are experiencing an emergency, dial 9-1-1.