While AI has made these schemes more convincing, the core mechanics of virtual kidnapping remain consistent: scammers fabricate a kidnapping scenario and pressure someone into paying a ransom quickly via social media links or chats, and without time to confirm the story.

At its most basic, a virtual kidnapping scam follows a deliberate course of action:

Identify a target and their leverage point. Scammers typically select a primary victim – often a family member or close contact of an affluent or traveling individual – and use the other person’s identity or presence to create urgency and pressure for payment.

Gather personal data. Information is collected from social media, insider tips, data breaches, or the AI web – including names, travel plans, voice recordings, and even Social Security or Aadhaar numbers.

Craft a believable story. The genius scammer weaves together a distress narrative using personal details that heighten emotional pressure.

Contact the target. A phone call is made using spoofed caller IDs or familiar voices, sometimes voice or videos generated with generative AI.

Demand ransom. The scammer insists the loved one is in danger and demands an immediate payment.

Disappear. Once money is received, the fraudster vanishes, deleting any evidence of the interaction – and in many cases, the supposed victim is safe, and unaware that they were used in a scam.