What is “cyberkidnapping”?

When police in Utah finally caught up with foreign exchange student Kai Zhuang on Dec. 31, three days after he’d been reported missing from his home north of Salt Lake City, they found the 17-year-old sheltering in a tent on a snowy mountainside. Authorities believe Zhuang, unharmed but dangerously cold, had been manipulated online to run away from his host family and seclude himself against his will. The incident drew attention to a relatively new frontier of “cyberkidnapping,” where bad actors use the internet, fake identities, and false stories to elicit ransom money.

Why did Zhuang run away? Investigators say Zhuang, a high school student in Riverdale, likely fell victim to a two-pronged scheme. After online fraudsters told Zhuang his family in China was in danger, they coerced him into running away and demanded he take pictures appearing to show himself in ­danger. The pictures were then sent back to his family in China. Simultaneously, the perpetrators told the family they were holding Zhuang captive and used his photos to corroborate the claim. The family ultimately paid $80,000 in ransom, according to Riverdale Police Chief Casey Warren.

How did police find him? The investigators eventually used signal data from Zhuang’s phone to track his general location 25 miles north of Riverdale. They found him in a wooded area in a camping tent he’d purchased. After his discovery, Zhuang reportedly asked to speak to his family and for a cheeseburger.

Is cyberkidnapping common? It’s a growing trend: Whereas traditional kidnapping often involves physical force, cyberkidnappers use a fake threat of danger against a person to which they don’t have physical access. (The technique is also known as “virtual kidnapping.”) Recently developed artificial intelligence tools that can replicate a person’s voice and likeness are also frequently a part of the deception. Last April, CNN reported how scammers convinced Arizonan Jennifer DeStefano that her 15-year-old daughter Brianna had been kidnapped. DeStefano panicked when she received a call that mimicked Brianna’s voice screaming for help. The would-be kidnappers demanded a $1 million ransom, but their ploy was thwarted when separate communication between the mother and daughter revealed Brianna was in no danger.

How can people guard against these scams? The FBI recommends caution when posting information online. Pet names, school locations, family members, and other personal details can easily give fraudsters an edge of authenticity to substantiate their threats. The bureau also recommends using two-step authentication for website and app log-ins.