Police in Greenville, South Carolina warn of 'virtual kidnapping' scam calls
Greenville police say scammers may use cloned voices and spoofed numbers to claim a loved one has been taken. Checking directly with the person is the key step.
In short
- What happened?
- According to FOX Carolina, Greenville police warned of a "virtual kidnapping" scam in which callers falsely claim a loved one has been taken and demand money, sometimes using AI-imitated voices.
- What was the warning sign?
- A caller claims a loved one has been kidnapped and demands immediate payment, perhaps with a familiar-sounding voice or a number that looks like theirs.
- What can you do?
- Stay calm, do not send money, and contact the loved one directly to check they are safe. If someone may truly be in danger, call the police straight away.
What happened
According to FOX Carolina, the Greenville Police Department in South Carolina has warned residents about a "virtual kidnapping" scam. The police describe it as a form of extortion. Scammers use fear, urgency and emotional pressure to persuade people to send money for a loved one who may not be in any danger at all.
The department said the scammers may use several methods. They may use artificial intelligence to imitate a loved one's voice. They may take details from social media to make the story sound believable. They may use edited images or videos to make the supposed kidnapping look real. They may demand payment straight away, and they may spoof the call so that it appears to come from the loved one's own number.
The police advice, as reported, is to stay calm, not to send money, and to contact the loved one directly to check they are safe. Anyone who believes someone may truly be in danger should call law enforcement immediately.
Warning signs
- A caller says a family member has been taken and demands money at once.
- The voice sounds like someone you love, or the number on screen appears to be theirs.
- You are pushed to act immediately and not to hang up or check with anyone.
- The caller knows personal details that could have come from social media.
- You are sent a photo or video meant to prove the story.
What families can do
- Stay calm and do not send money while the call is going on.
- Hang up and contact the family member directly, using a number you already have, or ask someone else to reach them.
- Talk with relatives in advance about what you would do if a call like this came, so nobody has to decide alone under pressure.
- Think about how much family detail is visible publicly on social media.
- If you think someone may genuinely be in danger, call the police or the local emergency number straight away.
The pressure in these calls is designed to stop people thinking, so a plan agreed beforehand can help. QuietGuard, our Android phone safety app, lets only the people you trust ring, with other calls staying quiet and listed in Activity. That can cut down calls from unknown numbers, but it cannot tell whether a call that looks like it comes from a trusted person has been faked, so checking directly remains the important step.
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