'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.




Share

Latest podcast episodes

ELECTION25 PETER DUTTON CAMPAIGN
OTM - Pensions, Personal finance, Superannuation (Getty).jpg
APL ENGLAND CARGO SHIP DEBRIS
Canada US Trade War

Recommended for you

A man in a dark coat and blue tie gestures while speaking outdoors.
A composite image showing photo of Peter Dutton, the Australian flag, passport and a toy kangaroo
A person holding a petrol hose near the fuel flap of a car
Vegetables at a supermarket
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young holding a dead salmon wrapped in plastic while inside the upper house.
Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers on a split red and green background with a bug white thumbs up and a thumbs down
An aerial view of an island encircled by greenery.
Vice President JD Vance gestures as he tours Pituffik Space Base - a large white expanse of snow