Kai Zhuang: Cyber kidnapping in US illustrates growing crime trend

Researchers cautioned that parents all over the world had become victims of the larger legal pattern that included the” computer theft” fraud that extorted the Chinese community of a foreign exchange student studying in the US.

After being persuaded to isolate himself by private con artists, student Kai Zhuang was reported missing by his great school last week and after discovered “very cold and afraid” in a camp in rural Utah, according to local authorities.

When the teen was left alone in the forest, according to authorities, the kidnappers demanded a payment and showed his parents in China the photo of himself that Zhuang had taken. In the end, Zhuang’s family gave the offenders$ 80, 000 ( £62, 600 ).

Technology advancements, according to experts, have made it simpler for criminals to carry out digital theft schemes. They claimed that Zhuang’s practice is not an isolated incident, despite the lack of precise data on the number of cases.

According to Joseph Steinberg, a cyber security expert who has provided advice to businesses and governments,” The way it’s being perpetrated in most cases, [it ] could happen to anyone.” The acts have become much more costly and targeted.

According to police, criminals started manipulating the 17-year-old trade student as early as December 20 when he was spotted in Utah with camping gear.

Digital robberies usually involve criminals calling or messaging a prey to deceive them into believing they have been abducted even though the person is truly healthy, according to Mr. Steinberg.

Screaming on the phone while the offender threatened to demand a payment from their loved one has been reported by the patients.

The director of the Center for Cybercrime Studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Marie-Hilliam Maras, said,” They will do anything to keep you on the phone.” ” If you hang up or if you try to contact people to scare their goals into making hasty judgments, they’ll threaten to produce hurt.”

According to Dr. Maras, who has researched digital theft scenarios, there have been several instances in which Foreign foreign exchange students in other nations, such as Canada and Australia, were forced into staging their personal kidnaps in order to steal money from family.

No information is available on the frequency of digital kidnappings, which are essentially unreported, according to experts. However, they emphasized how technological advancements have facilitated crimes and made them simpler to undertake.

Mr. Steinberg expressed concern over the use of artificial intelligence to mimic the tones of loved ones and force them to make ransom payments.

He claimed that” the technology has advanced to the point where even devoted parents who truly know their children can be duped.”

Social media also enables offenders to research and gather data on victims before they get in touch, giving them important information into a person’s life.

According to Dr. Maras, criminals” may yet spoof numbers to make it seem like it’s coming from you.” ” They are getting better and better at hiding the fraud.”

According to Mr. Steinberg, who noted that offenders are often apprehended, the crimes appear to be increasing payouts as well.

For smaller quantities, he claimed, criminals in the past targeted more vulnerable people, such as illegal immigrants and non-native English speakers.

However, according to officials, Zhuang’s parents paid a sizable compensation in his case.

According to Mr. Steinberg, “Cyber violence is probably the violence that pays the best.” ” People may be targeted in various language.” It is accessible from somewhere.

Despite the fact that anyone can be the victim of a digital kidnapping, experts advise taking numerous precautions to better safeguard themselves.

The first step, according to Mr. Steinberg, is just being aware of the issue, understanding what personal information is common, and exercising caution.

However, those who are the target may first file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Mr. Steinberg even advises attempting to contact the loved one to find out where they are after receiving an incident call or message. According to him, families can also think of specific words or phrases to use in dire circumstances that criminals would n’t know about.

By making changes in updating and tracing the cause of calls, Mr. Steinberg said that law enforcement organizations and telecom businesses may play a role in preventing crimes in the future as well.

Although the exact number of victims is still unknown, authorities said that taking these little precautions may enable keep people safe.

We are aware that individuals just like us have fallen victim, according to Mr. Steinberg.