Chinese student falls prey to cyber kidnapping in US | What is it? How to protect yourself

Technology

Chinese student falls prey to cyber kidnapping in US | What is it? How to protect yourself – Crypto News

Published

1 year ago

January 4, 2024

Dripp

A new criminal trend has emerged known as ‘cyber kidnapping’ that parents across the globe could fall victim to. Recently, a Chinese exchange student fell victim to the ‘cyber attacking’ scam in which his parents were extorted for $80,000 in the US.

The victim Kai Zhuang, 17, was reported missing by his high school last week in Utah and later found “very cold and scared” in a tent into the woods.

What is cyber kidnapping?

In the cyber kidnapping scam, a criminal tells a victim to isolate and provide pictures of oneself as if being held captive. The photos are then sent to the victim’s family to extort a payment.

The victims comply under the belief their family will otherwise be harmed. Perpetrators employ threats, isolation orders, video monitoring, and ransom demands to coerce families into compliance.

In the US, cyber kidnappers have been targeting foreign exchange students recently, in particular, Chinese foreign exchange students, and extorting huge amounts of money from parents.

Cyber kidnapping in the US

In the US, 17-year-old Kai Zhuang was reported missing last week in Riverdale, Utah.

The police initially said that they believed the student had been forcefully taken from his home. But on Sunday night they said he was found safe in a tent about 25 miles (40 kilometers) away from Riverdale in the Brigham City area.

He was convinced that his family in China was threatened and that he needed to isolate himself, according to police. It’s unclear how he received this information or why he was isolating himself.

Samsung users alert! Govt. notifies against THIS critical risk: How to stay safe

Meanwhile, his family had received a ransom note and photograph of the student that made it appear that he’d been abducted and was in danger. The family paid $80,000 in ransom before he was found.

Scam call alert: Elderly man loses life savings while updating KYC

The Riverdale police collaborated with the FBI, the US embassy in China, and Chinese officials in the search for Zhuang.

How cyber kidnapping can be prevented?

Some of the measures people can take to protect themselves from cyber kidnapping are-

Once an emergency call or a message comes from home, it is recommended to verify the location of your loved ones.

5 reasons why cybersecurity is the fastest growing job market

Families can come up with phrases or code words that perpetrators would not be aware of.

Law enforcement agencies and telecommunications companies must take stringent measures against such calls and messages.

People should be aware of how their personal information is public and remain vigilant.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it’s all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Technology News and Updates on Live Mint.
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.

More
Less

Published: 04 Jan 2024, 12:23 PM IST