Recent criminal activity in the state of Gujarat, India is highlighting a new twist on an old scam.

Cyber kidnapping is a type of crime in which perpetrators call victims to tell them their child or family member has been kidnapped and is in danger of being murdered or raped. The criminals then demand money to release the kidnap victim.

The fraud committed is that in reality, the "victim" has not been kidnapped, and often has no idea what is going on.

However, because, for whatever reason, the family cannot immediately get in touch with the "victim", and the story sounds so compelling, a ransom is paid immediately.

The newest twist to this old scam, however, involves the use of artificial intelligence tools to mimic the voice of the purported "victim." Cybercriminals pose as police officials to scare victims. They often put a person, or now an AI program, on the phone, sounding like the victim to make the call appear more authentic.

A recent kidnap attempt in Gujarat involved a mother who was called and told her son was involved in a rape incident and needed bail. The mother called a friend first, who attempted to dial the son's number. He did not answer because he was in school taking an exam. The ruse was discovered when the so-called police officer's phone number was listed as a fraudulent number. "Cybercrooks use AI to pull off fake kidnappings, seek ransom" timesofindia.indiatimes.com (Mar. 15, 2024).

Commentary

Here are some ways to minimize the risk of becoming a victim of virtual kidnap fraud:

Be vacation and business-travel smart. Avoid posting real-time travel updates and locations on social media that could provide a cybercriminal with information to make their ransom demand seem legitimate.

Make your data private. Revisit your online presence and lock down or delete your data so scammers know less about you that could be used against you, your employer, or your loved ones later.

Strongly consider using a codeword or closely held fact that only family members know. If contacted by a supposed kidnapper, demand they provide the codeword or relate the fact to show proof of captivity.

The FBI warns that virtual kidnapping calls are usually made from an outside area code and may involve multiple phone calls.

If you receive a phone call from someone who demands payment of a ransom for a kidnapped victim, stay calm and try to slow the situation down. Request to speak to the victim directly by asking "How do I know my loved one is okay?" Request the kidnapped victim call back from their cell phone. Listen carefully to the voice of the kidnapped victim if they speak and ask questions that only they would know. If they do not let you speak to the victim, ask them to describe the victim or something else that would identify the victim.