The Los Angeles Police Department has issued a sharp warning about a spate of "virtual" kidnapping scams preying on the Hispanic community, as reported by NBC Los Angeles. According to the LAPD, these scams typically begin with a phone call or a text from a private messaging app, with the fraudsters often speaking Spanish and feigning control over a supposed captive family member of the victim.
Although no actual kidnapping occurs, these charlatans demand ransoms, alleging various fabricated situations such as unpaid debts to drug cartels or accidents caused by the purported hostage. Victims are ordered to stay on the line, follow the payment directions without contacting police, and entertain the illusion that they are under surveillance, as mentioned in a KTLA report.
The department counsels caution, suggesting the public be wary of unexpected communications from foreign or unfamiliar numbers, particularly those prefixed by +52 - Mexico's country code. With social media often serving as a beacon for those seeking assistance in finding missing persons, the LAPD advises against unwarranted trust in information proffered by other users on such platforms, which scammers could manipulate to further their extortion schemes. For those in need of further assistance, the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division is reachable at 213-486-6840.
