Greg's Corner

Missing student victim of kidnapping scam

By Greg Collier

Over the weekend, you may have heard the story about the 17-year-old exchange student who was reported missing in Utah. He was found in a tent in the freezing Utah wilderness. Thankfully, he had not been abducted, nor had he been physically harmed. Instead, he was told to isolate himself by scammers while they tried to extort money from his family back home in China.

This is a variation of the typical virtual kidnapping scam. In that fraudulent scheme, individuals are targeted with a phone call from scammers who falsely assert that they have abducted a family member or loved one. Frequently, these scammers employ unsettling tactics, such as having someone simulate distress in the background to create the illusion that the alleged kidnap victim is in danger. Alternatively, the scammers may utilize an AI-generated voice clone of the victim’s loved one. These manipulative techniques are designed to induce an emotional state in the actual victim, impairing their ability to think clearly. Subsequently, the scammers proceed to demand a ransom payment. It is important to note that the person supposedly kidnapped by the scammers is typically safe and unaware of being exploited in this deceitful scheme.

This emerging scam specifically preys on college students with international visas. Victims receive a deceptive call that appears to originate from their home country. The scammer falsely claims that the student is entangled in legal issues back home, purportedly due to identity theft. Subsequently, the student is coerced into making a payment to prevent their arrest.

Following the initial deception, scammers employ tactics to isolate their victims further. They instruct the targeted individuals not to disclose the matter to anyone and emphasize the importance of maintaining secrecy. Victims are warned against using social media and are even instructed to power off their phones. This isolation strategy aims to limit the victim’s access to external assistance or verification, thereby increasing the likelihood of compliance with the scammer’s demands.

While the student in Utah was isolating himself in an unheated tent in the woods, his family in China was being told their son had been kidnapped. The scammers were able to con the teen’s parents out of $80,000.

A common red flag in many scams involves attempts to isolate individuals from their friends and family. Legitimate authorities or organizations typically do not enforce secrecy to such an extent. When someone on the phone insists that you can’t discuss the matter with others, especially friends and family, it often indicates an attempt to manipulate and deceive. In such situations, it’s crucial for individuals to be skeptical, maintain open communication with trusted contacts, and verify the authenticity of any alarming claims before taking any further actions. This awareness can be a crucial defense against falling victim to scams that exploit isolation as a tactic.