Virtual kidnapping scams are on the rise! Imagine that you receive a phone call from a number you do not recognize. On the line, the caller tells you they have kidnapped your loved one and you hear a voice (that could be your loved one) screaming and crying for help in the background. This is a growing crime called virtual kidnapping.
They know your loved ones’ name and have information that makes the call seem real. To release your loved one safely, the criminals demand payment via Western Union or other forms of online payment.
What would you do?
This is the setting for an ongoing crime called virtual kidnapping. The criminals in this scam usually have done their homework including researching the victims’ social media sites and even hacking into the victim’s phone or computer.
The criminals have committed this crime many times before and know exactly what to say to make the scam seem like a real kidnapping.
Except in this crime, you are the victim and there is no kidnapping.
They are relying on you to panic and send them money quickly. They will try to force you to feel like you must make a fast decision, or your loved one will be harmed. They will create a scenario that they hope will give you the inability to think clearly and make smart decisions.
There are several variations on the scam currently in use. The origination of this crime is believed to have started in Mexico several years ago. In these crimes, American tourist were targeted with various extortion and kidnapping threats. Many of the recent calls are originating from Mexico or Puerto Rico.
Things that can make this scam seem real:
There are various ways that you could be targeted in these crimes. You or your loved one could have clicked on a phishing email and the criminals have hacked into your computer or phone to allow them to get the information they need to formulate this crime. You might have traveled to Mexico or Puerto Rico in the past and the criminals gathered information about you. Or you or your loved one shared too much information on social media that gave the criminals the details they needed.
This is another crime, where security awareness training can help to reduce risk. Being aware of new crimes and scams in the news is a fundamental part of security awareness training. Insuring that employees, family and friends are aware of this scam will greatly reduce the likelihood that you will be victimized.
Sharing new scams and crimes you hear about in the news with others, is important to ensure that the people you care about do not fall victim to these types of crimes.
The Center for Information Security Awareness, www.CFISA.org has been providing online and in-person security awareness training since 2007. The CFISA security awareness training stresses the importance of reducing the amount of information on social media and ways to protect yourself against these types of crimes.
Ongoing security awareness training is a great way to educate employees to the risk associated to this important issue.
Do you need help with security awareness training for your employees? Contact CFISA and we will help you with a training option to fit your budget!
If you have been using the same “evil empire” phishing testing and snippet training for…
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) serves as a critical safeguard for the…
Developing the necessary skills is essential in the rapidly changing field of cyber security to…
In an era where digital threats are ever evolving and becoming more sophisticated, staying informed…
As our work environments change, many employees now work from home as well as going…
In the ever-changing landscape of cybersecurity threats, criminal groups like BlackCat and ALPHV pose a…