Greg's Corner

AI Voice Fuels Virtual Kidnap Plot of Teen

By Greg Collier

A family in Buffalo, New York, was recently targeted in a terrifying scam that began with a phone call from an unfamiliar number. On the line was what sounded like the sobbing voice of a teenage boy, pleading for help. The caller then claimed the boy had stumbled upon a dangerous situation and that his life was at risk if the family contacted the authorities.

In an attempt to make the threat more convincing, the supposed victim’s voice declared that a friend was dead. That detail likely intensified the panic and added emotional weight to the situation, creating even greater pressure to act before pausing to verify the facts.

While the voice on the line appeared to match the teenager’s, relatives acted quickly to confirm his whereabouts. They checked his phone location and contacted friends who were with him at a local football game. After confirming that he was safe, the caller escalated demands for thousands of dollars in exchange for the teenager’s return. The family ultimately determined the audio was a fabrication engineered to provoke fear and extract money.

This scheme is known as the virtual kidnapping scam, and the Buffalo incident highlights its modern evolution. Law enforcement and consumer protection agencies have reported a rise in these incidents in recent years. Some of the more convincing cases now incorporate synthetic audio produced with artificial intelligence. Criminals frequently harvest voice samples from publicly posted videos, voice messages, and other social media content to train AI tools that can mimic a loved one’s voice. Other schemes require no sophisticated technology at all and rely instead on pressure tactics and background sounds that suggest urgency. Both approaches exploit emotional vulnerability and the instinct to act quickly when a family member appears to be in danger.

The narrative presented in this case involved a supposed drug deal that required silencing a witness. Scenarios like that are far more common in fiction than in real life. Local drug activity usually involves low-level sales of marijuana or other minor substances, not organized plots to eliminate bystanders. Scammers craft these kinds of dramatic stories because they sound believable in the moment and increase the pressure on the victim to comply.

Because these scams play on fear, verification is essential. Families can reduce their risk by establishing simple, prearranged measures that only they know. A short, memorable code word that is used in authentic emergencies is one practical precaution. If a caller claims a family member is being held or harmed, asking for the code word and independently confirming the person’s location can quickly expose fraud. Reporting the call to local law enforcement and preserving call records will help investigators and may prevent others from becoming victims.

The incident in Buffalo serves as a reminder that technology can magnify age-old criminal tactics. Virtual kidnappings represent an alarming fusion of traditional extortion and modern audio manipulation. Awareness, verification, and basic household protocols can blunt the effect of the scam and give families time to respond calmly and effectively.