'Virtual kidnappings' on the rise again

Over the shoulder view of young Asian woman receiving an incoming suspected call from unknown caller on her smartphone and rejecting the call at home. Device screen showing warning sign as detected by the network provider. Phone scam and fraud concept

A suspicious call Source: Getty / d3sign/Getty Images

SBS News In Depth

View Podcast Series

Get the SBS Audio app

Other ways to listen

There are fresh reports of a scam targeting Chinese international students in Australia in a bid to extort money from them. In some cases victims have been so terrified they've staged their own kidnappings to encourage their families to pay.

Listen to Australian and world news and follow trending topics with

SBS News Podcasts.

Mike Dirnt, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day perform during the FireAid benefit concert.

Star-studded musical lineup in LA raises money for bushfire relief

M23 rebels escort government soldiers and police who surrendered to an undisclosed location in Goma, Democratic republic of the Congo (AAP).

Where did the crisis in the Congo come from?

New Chinese AI chatbot fuels competition in artificial intelligence technology

On The Money: why some food prices might stay high, & the ASX hits a record

Recommended for you

Two blue US passports, one laid on top of the other, on top of a US flag.

Could Donald Trump take a page out of Australia's citizenship book?

trump presidency

State-by-state: These are the suburbs where home prices have had the biggest falls

housing affordability

Silhouette of father and son pointing to sky.

How to watch the 'planetary parade' at its peak in Australian skies

planets

Finland's housing policy has shrunk homelessness rates. Could Australia do the same?

social housing

'The shelves are empty': Where have all the eggs gone?

eggs

A light blue piggy bank on top of a pile of coins.

How did these gen Z Australians accumulate over $2 million in super?

superannuation

Donald Trump points his finger as he speaks at a press conference.

Donald Trump blames 'diversity' for deadly Washington plane crash

planes

A drone shot of the pit at a coal mine around twilight.

'Be prepared to die out there': Workers blow the whistle on Adani's Carmichael coal mine

adani mine