Episode 54: True Crime: Cyber Kidnapping

Listen

Happy New Year!

In this first Privacy Files episode of 2024, we kick off a new true crime series…with a privacy angle.

We examine the disturbing crime of cyber kidnapping.

According to the FBI, scammers have been perpetrating variations of cyber kidnapping for at least 20 years.

Sometimes called “virtual kidnapping,” cyber kidnapping is an extortion scheme where scammers contact a person, claiming they kidnapped a relative and demand money to be wired in exchange for a safe release.

Although nobody is actually physically kidnapped, many people have fallen victim to this scam and have paid large ransoms.

The FBI says cyber kidnapping cases are difficult to investigate and prosecute because the scammers often reside in different countries where the US has no legal jurisdiction.

In this episode, we look at a recent cyber kidnapping case involving a Chinese high school exchange student living in Utah that led to the wire transfer of an $80,000 ransom.

Links Referenced:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/chinese-exchange-student-found-cold-scared-alone-tent-utah-mountains-c-rcna131840
https://wpde.com/news/nation-world/cyber-kidnappings-on-the-rise-chinese-exchange-student-utah-fbi-police-scammers-ransom-family-extortion-scheme-money
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67869517

Related Episodes

Episode 85: Former FBI Agent on Fighting Organized Crime

From cybercrime to fraud, the industry of organized crime is big business. Globally, it's measured in the trillions of dollars. In this episode of Privacy Files, we talk to a former FBI agent who spent his entire career working to put organized criminals behind bars....

Episode 84: Creating a Safer and More Secure Internet

Creating a safer and more secure internet involves a proactive effort on the part of three main actors: corporations, individuals and governments. In this episode of Privacy Files, we talk to someone who is playing a key role in facilitating forward progress with two...