An elaborate cyber scam pulled in Utah tricked a Chinese family into thinking their son, who was studying in the United States, was kidnapped.
His parents were forced to pay an $80,000 ransom to ensure his safety. Not long after, the student was found alone in freezing temperatures in a snow-covered forest.
Elaborate Scam Pulled Off by Cyber Con Artists
Kai Zhuang, a 17-year-old student from Utah, was convinced by the cybercriminals to camp alone outside of Salt Lake City in close to freezing temperatures, according to the Riverdale Police Department.
As he camped in a region without cell service, the scammers then proceeded to send a ransom of $80,000 to his parents, claiming they had just kidnapped their son.
Convincing Families of a Kidnapping
The shocking scam has become increasingly popular among cybercriminals in the past decade. Scammers typically target foreign exchange students with wealthy parents.
Typically, cybercriminals will convince students to follow their commands or risk that their families will be in danger. Next, the criminals instruct the students to send images of themselves as captives, which they’ll use in the ransom letter.
Fear Tactics and Voice Recordings
According to the Riverdale Police Department, the criminals use various tactics to instill fear in both the student and the family.
“The cyber kidnappers continue to extort the family by using fear, tactics, photos, and voice recordings of the victim, leading the family to believe the kidnappers are with the victim causing them harm,” Riverdale Police said (via USA Today).
Zhuang Told to Camp Alone
The young student was instructed to head out into the woods and camp by himself, away from the watchful eye of his host family in Riverdale.
According to reports from the police department, he initially tried to carry out the instructions given to him on Dec. 20, but it didn’t go as planned the first time around.
Police Don’t Realize Student Under Duress
Zhuang was found with his camping equipment by police officers in Provo, a city just south of Salt Lake City, that same day.
As they didn’t believe any foul play was taking place, they simply offered to give Zhuang a ride back to his host family.
Zhuang Leaves the Home Again
Not long after, Zhuang, still fearing for his family’s safety, decided to leave home again and comply with the scammers’ request.
Not long after, his parents, living in China, reached out to the school to let them know about the ransom note they had received and to check on their son’s well-being.
Host Family Realize Zhuang Is Missing
Zhuang’s parents in China confirmed to the Riverdale Police Department that they’d already paid a sum of $80,000 to the scammers after “continuous threats.”
The police checked in with Zhuang’s host family, who had failed to notice he was missing. Following this, a search party was set up.
Search for Missing Student Begins
Riverdale Police organized helicopters to search the area, and drones were also used to track Zhuang. They managed to pinpoint a rough area using the student’s bank records and phone.
The family’s worries were eased soon after, as a detective hiking in a mountainous region outside of Brigham City found the young student “alive but very cold and scared.”
Horrid Conditions for a Teenager
The Riverdale police department later confirmed that Zhuang had been camping without any kind of heating source in the harsh winter weather.
In a statement, the department said, “The victim had no heat source inside the tent. Only a heat blanket, a sleeping bag, limited food and water, and several phones that were presumed to be used to carry out the cyber kidnapping.”
Zhuang Arrives Home Safe
The young student was escorted back to his host family’s home by the police officers.
When asked by police if there was anything he needed, Zhuang simply replied he wanted to talk to his family members and eat a cheeseburger.
No Sign of Physical Kidnapping
It was later determined by the Riverdale Police that there was no evidence to suggest Zhunag was physically kidnapped.
The elaborate cyber scam is becoming an increasingly popular way to trick wealthy families into paying hefty ransoms to overseas accounts.
