Virtual Kidnapping Phone Scam Reported in Region

WASHINGTON, DC — Reports of a familiar, yet scary, scam dubbed a “virtual kidnapping” have resurfaced in the Washington, DC, area, says the FBI and area police departments.

On its Facebook page, the Prince William Police Department warns residents that the scam, which has been around for a few years, is becoming popular again with scam artists. Authorities warned that residents in neighboring counties have also been targeted, as have members of the Archdiocese of Washington, which serves Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

This is how it works: Scammers will call your cell phone and try to extort money by claiming that a family member has been taken hostage. The callers often use accomplices to convince their victims the threat is legitimate.

The Washington archiocese said Tuesday that a parent with a child in an archdiocesan school was recently targeted by the virtual kidnapping scam.

George Mason University warned its community last week that a student and an employee fell victim to the scam, reports WTOP.

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The caller might try to convince a parent their daughter was kidnapped by having a girl scream for help in the background during the phone call. Another scenario tells the victim that her husband or son has been hurt in a car accident with a gang member, but the gang member will not allow medical care until he is paid for damage to his vehicle.

Victims of the scam are told to stay on the phone until money is wired, often to a third party in Puerto Rico. Instructions usually require the ransom payment be made immediately and by wire transfer using Western Union. Ransom payments often range from $600 to $1,900.

To avoid becoming a victim of this scam, watch out for:

• Incoming calls come from an outside area code, sometimes from Puerto Rico with area codes (787), (939) and (856)
• Calls that do not come from the kidnapped victim’s phone
• Callers go to great lengths to keep you on the phone
• Callers prevent you from calling or locating the “kidnapped” victim
• Ransom money is only accepted via wire transfer service

If you receive a phone call from someone who demands payment of a ransom for a kidnapped victim, the following should be considered:

• Try to slow the situation down. Request to speak to the victim directly. Ask, “How do I know my loved one is OK?”
• If they don’t let you speak to the victim, ask them to describe the victim or describe the vehicle they drive, if applicable.
• Listen carefully to the voice of the kidnapped victim if they speak.
• Attempt to call, text, or contact the victim via social media. Request that the victim call back from his or her cell phone.
• While staying on the line with alleged kidnappers, try to call the alleged kidnap victim from another phone.
• To buy time, repeat the caller’s request and tell them you are writing down the demand, or tell the caller you need time to get things moving.
• Don’t directly challenge or argue with the caller. Keep your voice low and steady.
• Request the kidnapped victim call back from his/her cell phone.

If you believe you are the victim of this scam, call the FBI at (202) 278-2000 to report it.

If you believe your family member is victim of a real kidnapping, call 911 immediately.