FBI: Crooks manipulate online photos to fuel virtual kidnapping ransoms

The FBI warns of criminals altering images shared on social media and using them as fake proof of life photos in virtual kidnapping ransom scams.

The FBI warns that criminals are altering publicly available photos to create fake “proof-of-life” images used in virtual kidnapping scams, posing as kidnappers and demanding ransom.

“The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warns the public about criminals altering photos found on social media or other publicly available sites to use as fake proof of life photos in virtual kidnapping for ransom scams.” reads the FBI’s public service announcement (PSA). “The criminal actors pose as kidnappers and provide seemingly real photos or videos of victims along with demands for ransom payments.”

Criminals text victims claiming to have kidnapped a loved one and demand immediate ransom, often threatening violence. They send fake “proof-of-life” photos or videos altered from online images, which show inconsistencies like missing tattoos, scars, or distorted proportions. Scammers may also use timed messages to limit victims’ ability to inspect the images.

“Oftentimes, the criminal actor will express significant claims of violence towards the loved one if the ransom is not paid immediately.” continues the the PSA. “The criminal actor will then send what appears to be a genuine photo or video of the victim’s loved one, which upon close inspection often reveals inaccuracies when compared to confirmed photos of the loved one.”

The FBI recommends caution when posting missing person information online, as scammers may exploit these situations by providing false updates. Individuals should avoid sharing personal information with strangers while traveling and are encouraged to establish a private code word with loved ones for emergency communication. The FBI warns that scammers often create a false sense of urgency, so people should pause and question whether the claims being made are credible. They also recommend taking screenshots or recordings of any supposed proof-of-life images and always attempting to contact the alleged victim directly before considering any ransom payment.

“If you believe you have been a victim of a virtual kidnapping scam, please report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.” concludes the alert. “Be sure to submit as much information as possible about the interaction including phone numbers, payment information, text and audio communications, and proof of life photos.”

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, virtual kidnapping)