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NEW DELHI: In a harrowing incident of ‘cyber kidnapping,’ Kai Zhuang, a 17-year-old Chinese exchange student, was found alive but in a distressed state in a tent in the Utah wilderness. The Riverdale Police Department reported that Zhuang had been the victim of an elaborate scam that led to his parents in China being extorted for $80,000.
Zhuang was reported missing last Thursday after his parents contacted his host high school in Riverdale, Utah, expressing concerns over his apparent kidnapping and the ransom demand.The case unfolded in a manner typical of cyber kidnapping scams, where victims are coerced into isolating themselves and providing staged photos to their families to facilitate extortion.
The police, after a meticulous analysis of bank records, purchases, and phone ping records, deduced that Zhuang was likely in a tent about 25 miles north near Brigham City. “Due to the cold weather in Utah this time of year, we became additionally concerned for the victim’s safety in that he may freeze to death overnight,” the Riverdale Police Department stated.
A breakthrough came when a sergeant, hiking up a mountainside, discovered Zhuang’s tent. Inside, there was no heat source, only a heat blanket, a sleeping bag, limited food and water, and several phones believed to be used in the cyber kidnapping. The detective found Zhuang alive but “very cold and scared.”
Following his rescue, Zhuang expressed a desire for a warm cheeseburger and to speak with his family, who had already transferred $80,000 to bank accounts in China during the scam. Unbeknownst to his host family in Riverdale, Zhuang had been missing since they last heard him in the kitchen on the morning of his disappearance.
The Riverdale police collaborated with the FBI, the US embassy in China, and Chinese officials in the search for Zhuang. In light of this incident, the Chinese embassy in Washington has issued a warning to its citizens in the United States to remain vigilant against ‘virtual kidnapping’ and other forms of telecom and online fraud.
This case highlights a disturbing trend where cyber kidnappers increasingly target foreign exchange students, particularly those from China. Riverdale police emphasized the growing concern over such scams and urged the community to raise awareness and take necessary precautions against these sophisticated forms of extortion.
(With inputs from agencies)
Zhuang was reported missing last Thursday after his parents contacted his host high school in Riverdale, Utah, expressing concerns over his apparent kidnapping and the ransom demand.The case unfolded in a manner typical of cyber kidnapping scams, where victims are coerced into isolating themselves and providing staged photos to their families to facilitate extortion.
The police, after a meticulous analysis of bank records, purchases, and phone ping records, deduced that Zhuang was likely in a tent about 25 miles north near Brigham City. “Due to the cold weather in Utah this time of year, we became additionally concerned for the victim’s safety in that he may freeze to death overnight,” the Riverdale Police Department stated.
A breakthrough came when a sergeant, hiking up a mountainside, discovered Zhuang’s tent. Inside, there was no heat source, only a heat blanket, a sleeping bag, limited food and water, and several phones believed to be used in the cyber kidnapping. The detective found Zhuang alive but “very cold and scared.”
Following his rescue, Zhuang expressed a desire for a warm cheeseburger and to speak with his family, who had already transferred $80,000 to bank accounts in China during the scam. Unbeknownst to his host family in Riverdale, Zhuang had been missing since they last heard him in the kitchen on the morning of his disappearance.
The Riverdale police collaborated with the FBI, the US embassy in China, and Chinese officials in the search for Zhuang. In light of this incident, the Chinese embassy in Washington has issued a warning to its citizens in the United States to remain vigilant against ‘virtual kidnapping’ and other forms of telecom and online fraud.
This case highlights a disturbing trend where cyber kidnappers increasingly target foreign exchange students, particularly those from China. Riverdale police emphasized the growing concern over such scams and urged the community to raise awareness and take necessary precautions against these sophisticated forms of extortion.
(With inputs from agencies)
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