Extortion attempt leads to Vancouver police warning about virtual kidnappings

Vancouver police say they have thwarted an elaborate attempt to extort thousands of dollars from a 27-year-old man, in what they suspect was a scam they describe as a virtual kidnapping.

Police spokesperson, Sgt. Aaron Roed, said similar scams have occurred in the last two years.

Roed described how so-called virtual kidnappers who are from outside of Canada operate by preying on the victim's vulnerability. Typically, a person receives a phone call from someone saying there is a warrant for their arrest in China, or that Chinese police need their help with an investigation, he said. 

"The suspects then tell the victim to go into hiding and to make fake videos claiming they've been kidnapped."

The scammers then send the videos to the victim's family and friends asking for money to pay for their release.

In the case of the 27-year-old man, police said his family notified them before any money was transferred.

Unreported virtual kidnappings

Police have said many of these types of incidents usually involve foreign fraudsters who target women in their early 20s from mainland China who are in Canada studying on a student visa.

This new case has prompted investigators to issue a warning before more people become victims.

"We are trying to get ahead of this because what we saw last time was all of the sudden there was eight, nine,10 reportings in a small short period of time." said Roed.

"We want people to be notified that the Chinese authorities, Chinese police are not going to call you."

He said police believe some incidents of fraud have gone unreported, and want anyone with information to contact the VPD's Major Crime Section or Crime Stoppers.