Cyber Kidnapping- Protect Yourself From Being a Victim

What is kidnapping? So far I think we are all aware of the term ‘Kidnapping’ because we often see it happening in any movie, web series, TV serial or in our society. But hey, stop! Here we are going to talk about ‘Cyber Kidnapping’ so, now again think about what cyber kidnapping would be. Is it the kidnapping of somebody who is a cyber expert or of anybody who uses any computer, mobile etc. or something else? What is it? Whether the term cyber concern the offender, the victim or both of them? Let’s get acquainted with the concept of cyber kidnapping.

What is Cyber Kidnapping? –

The term cyber kidnapping is a combination of two words the first one is cyber and the second is kidnapping. As per Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, the term Cyber means ‘relating to, or involving computers or computer networks (such as the internet)’ and the term kidnapping means‘ seize and detain or carry away by unlawful force or fraud and often with ransom demand. However, the conjoining meaning of both does not infer the exact meaning of the term cyber kidnapping. Although, some inferences can be drawn.

Cyber Kidnapping refers to a crime wherein the kidnappers convince their victim to hide and then contact their loved ones to extract a ransom. In this, there is no any kind of physical kidnapping of the victim. They are tricked in such a way that gives them a belief that they are in danger. The kidnappers though not present physically monitor the victim through video calls or any other relevant online medium. It may also be termed as virtual kidnapping because of the absence of physical elements likewise in the case of actual kidnapping. It is also very necessary to know that they may threaten the victim or their family members with injury or even death, they are also creating fake evidence of kidnapping such as photos or videos. Basically, it is a kind of cyber scam.

Reported Incident-

Recently a 17-year-old Chinese Student named ‘Kai Zhuang became a victim of ‘cyber kidnapping’ and was found isolating himself in a tent about 40 K.M. north of Brigham City. He went missing on December 28, 2023. His parents paid $80,000/- as ransom to kidnappers for his release. The scammers also threatened him for about a month, asking him to comply with their demands otherwise they would harm his family back in China. The Chinese embassy in Washington has issued a warning to its citizens who are in the USA about its risk along with other cyber frauds.

Cyber kidnapping has become a rapidly growing issue in the USA, as many other regions have reported multiple incidents. In this, the kidnappers/scammers have also started using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to mimic the victim’s voice. Foreign Exchange students, especially those from China are more prone to risk than others. A BBC report of July 2020 mentioned that eight cases of cyber kidnapping had been reported in Australia that year and all targeted Chinese students.

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Safety Measures-

• By using complex, strong passwords for all the accounts along with enabling Two Factor Authentication if possible.
• By turning off the mobile data and Wi-Fi when they are not in use.
• Adjust privacy settings on social media to limit access to your profile.
• Keep the software of your applications, and operating systems updated.
• Use a secure internet connection and avoid using public Wi-Fi.
• Stay updated with recent and common cyber threats and scams.
• Do not share everything on social media, especially addresses, travel plans, names of family members and friends etc.
• Enable location sharing only when it is necessary otherwise turn it off.
• Discussing cyber-security related threats in family and if they are not aware educate them for their safety.
• If there is suspicion immediately report to police or any other appropriate authority, if any. Do not hesitate to seek help from any cybersecurity expert if needed.

There has been a rapid increase in cyber-crime as the technology is growing. It is very necessary to keep in mind and use the preventive measures that are expected to protect us from becoming the victim of cybercrime. It is also a very old saying that ‘Prevention is better than cure’. So, we should focus more on protecting ourselves and educating others so that they can also protect themselves. To know more about cyber crime you can click here.