What is virtual kidnapping? 

Law enforcement agencies have been aware of virtual kidnapping fraud for over two decades, but a recent FBI case demonstrates how this alarming scam, once confined to Mexico and Southwest border states, has evolved, making U.S. residents anywhere potential victims.

Virtual kidnapping, encompassing various tactics, consistently involves an extortion scheme where victims are deceived into paying a ransom to free a loved one they believe is under threat. Unlike traditional abductions, virtual kidnappers don't physically abduct anyone. Instead, they use deception and threats to coerce victims into a rapid ransom payment before the scheme unravels.

From 2013 to 2015, FBI investigators in Los Angeles monitored virtual kidnapping calls from Mexico, mainly originating from Mexican prisons. Initially targeting specific Spanish-speaking individuals in Los Angeles and Houston, the calls transitioned to English in 2015. Criminals abandoned specific targets, opting to cold-call numerous numbers across various cities.

This change significantly expanded the pool of potential victims. In Operation Hotel Tango, over 80 victims were identified in California, Minnesota, Idaho, and Texas, with cumulative losses exceeding $87,000.

Incarcerated fraudsters, often bribing guards for cell phones, selected affluent areas like Beverly Hills, California. After researching area codes and dialing prefixes, they sequentially called numbers, attempting to deceive unsuspecting individuals.

Upon answering the phone, victims would hear a recorded female voice screaming for help. Instinctively, victims might reveal their child's name, prompting a man's voice to claim the child's kidnapping and demand ransom.

Most intended victims quickly realized the deception, but the scheme succeeded when people with daughters picked up the phone and believed she was not at home.

Scammers aimed to keep victims on the line, preventing verification of their loved ones' whereabouts. They hurriedly demanded wire payments to Mexico, usually under $2,000 due to legal restrictions on larger amounts.

While victims were typically instructed to wire payments, two individuals in Houston were coerced into paying larger amounts, approximately $28,000, through money drops. Yanette Rodriguez Acosta, involved in the scam, received the money in specified trash cans, wired a portion to individuals in Mexico, and was subsequently arrested and indicted on charges like wire fraud and money laundering.

Arbuthnot highlighted that Mexican prisoners conducting virtual kidnappings use ransom money for bribes and to improve their prison conditions. Investigating and prosecuting these cases is challenging, given the subjects' presence in Mexico, and the money being wired out of the country, making it difficult to trace.

Acosta's case marks the first federal indictment in a virtual kidnapping case. Many victims do not report the crime, often due to embarrassment, fear, or not considering the financial loss significant, emphasizing the lasting trauma experienced by victims who believe their loved ones are in real danger during these events.

Testing your understanding:

True or false: 

1. Law enforcement agencies have only recently become aware of virtual kidnapping fraud.

2. Virtual kidnappers physically abduct individuals to demand ransom.

3. In Operation Hotel Tango, over 100 victims were identified across several U.S. states.

4. Scammers often targeted specific Spanish-speaking individuals in Los Angeles and Houston during the initial phase of virtual kidnapping calls.

5. Yanette Rodriguez Acosta was arrested for wire fraud and money laundering in connection with virtual kidnapping.

Pick the right answer:

1. How long have law enforcement agencies been aware of virtual kidnapping fraud?

   • a) Two decades

   • b) One decade

   • c) Five years

   • d) Six months

2. What was the primary motivation for scammers selecting affluent areas like Beverly Hills, California?

   • a) Cultural interest

   • b) Better phone reception

   • c) Availability of potential victims

   • d) Lower security

3. Why did virtual kidnappers transition to making calls in English?

   • a) Increased difficulty in targeting Spanish speakers

   • b) Broader approach to find victims

   • c) Language preference of scammers

   • d) Improved communication technology

4. How did scammers attempt to keep victims on the line during virtual kidnapping calls?

   • a) Offering reassurance

   • b) Threatening police action

   • c) Providing proof of kidnapping

   • d) Creating urgency

5. Why is investigating virtual kidnapping cases challenging for law enforcement?

   • a) Lack of awareness among victims

   • b) Presence of perpetrators in the U.S.

   • c) Victims' reluctance to report

   • d) Public indifference to the crime

Answer Key: 

True and False: 

1. False

2. False

3. False

4. True

5. True

Pick the right answer key:

1. A

2. C

3. B

4. D

5. C