Another Evolution In Scamming Are Kidnapping Scams

Scammers Connect Via A Fake Profile That Then Says They Have Been Kidnapped

It sounds like something out of Hollywood, but it’s hitting homes across the country: “virtual kidnapping,” where fraudsters try to extort money by claiming that a family member has been taken hostage.

This fear-provoking fraud isn’t new; there was a nationwide wave of similar calls two years ago in which swindlers usually claimed a loved one was being held after causing a traffic accident and refusing to pay for damages. But in recent weeks, the scam has exploded — and this go-round has been refined with more convincing “legitimacy.”

The scammer first establishes a relationship with the prospect victim, then after time, instead of simply asking for money as usual, says here or she has been kidnapped. They say they are being held by