Cyber kidnapping is a form of cybercrime where the victim is coerced into isolating themselves and sending photos pretending to be held captive. The criminals then extort money from the victim’s parents by threatening to harm their children. Cyber kidnappers will often threaten victims’ families in order to demand their compliance and have them abandon their living situation in order to make it appear as though they have been forcefully abducted. Cyber kidnappers will then monitor the victims through video chat and use pictures the victim has taken of themselves in their isolated condition to demand money from their families.
According to Investopedia, there were between 15,000 to 20,000 cyber kidnappings globally last year 1. This figure doesn’t include unreported incidents. By some estimates, the number of reported kidnappings is less than 20% of the total. If that’s true, then the real number is between 75,000 and 100,000 kidnappings annually .
In recent news, a Chinese student fell prey to cyber kidnapping in the US. The student was convinced to isolate himself and send photos pretending to be held captive. The criminals extorted money from the student’s parents by threatening to harm their child 2. Another Chinese student who was a victim of ‘cyber kidnapping’ was found in rural Utah, unharmed. The 17-year-old was reported missing on December 28. By the time the police traced him, his parents back in China had paid $80,000 in ransom .
To protect yourself from cyber kidnapping, it is important to take proactive steps. Here are some key ways to protect yourself:
Strong passwords: Use unique, complex passwords for all accounts and enable multifactor authentication (MFA) wherever possible. Consider a password manager for secure storage and complexity .
Stay alert: Be wary of unsolicited messages and friend requests on social media platforms. Do not share personal information with strangers online 4.
Stay informed: Keep up-to-date with the latest cybercrime trends and stay informed about how to protect yourself .
According to Investopedia, there were between 15,000 to 20,000 cyber kidnappings globally last year 1. This figure doesn’t include unreported incidents. By some estimates, the number of reported kidnappings is less than 20% of the total. If that’s true, then the real number is between 75,000 and 100,000 kidnappings annually .
In recent news, a Chinese student fell prey to cyber kidnapping in the US. The student was convinced to isolate himself and send photos pretending to be held captive. The criminals extorted money from the student’s parents by threatening to harm their child 2. Another Chinese student who was a victim of ‘cyber kidnapping’ was found in rural Utah, unharmed. The 17-year-old was reported missing on December 28. By the time the police traced him, his parents back in China had paid $80,000 in ransom .
To protect yourself from cyber kidnapping, it is important to take proactive steps. Here are some key ways to protect yourself:
Strong passwords: Use unique, complex passwords for all accounts and enable multifactor authentication (MFA) wherever possible. Consider a password manager for secure storage and complexity .
Stay alert: Be wary of unsolicited messages and friend requests on social media platforms. Do not share personal information with strangers online 4.
Stay informed: Keep up-to-date with the latest cybercrime trends and stay informed about how to protect yourself .