Fraud Alert: Scammers target parents of overseas students with fake ransom calls

Hyderabad: In a modern twist on cybercrime, fraudsters have devised a new modus operandi, targeting parents with alarming threats of their children’s abduction.

Parents, especially those staying away from their children or sending their children to study classes, are being targeted with anonymous calls from unfamiliar international numbers on WhatsApp accounts with display pictures of police officials. These callers claim that the children have been abducted or kidnapped, demanding ransom for their safe return.

Frauds using personal information of students

Due to the anonymity afforded by VoIP calls, these incidents have surged in frequency. Parents, particularly those sending their children abroad for studies, are routinely falling victim to these deceptive calls. A recent tragic incident mirrors this alarming trend.

Mohammed Abdul Arfath, an Indian student in Cleveland, USA, was kidnapped on March 7 of this year. Ten days later, his parents received a call from an unidentified individual demanding $1200 for his release. Regrettably, he was later found murdered by unknown perpetrators.

Using this incident to their advantage, two similar incidents have been reported earlier this year regarding Indian students studying abroad. Cyber fraudsters obtained compromised data of students pursuing higher education in the USA, contacted their parents claiming that they have abducted their children and demanded ransom, while all this time the children were safe and unaware of the situation.

Parents of students studying in India are also targets

So far, fake calls such as these suggested that parents of students studying abroad were being targeted. However, in recent times, parents sending children to schools and colleges within India have also encountering these distressing ‘ransom calls’ from VoIP numbers with few complaints were raised regarding threatening calls from Pakistan/UK mobile numbers). In some incidents, cases have been registered and the investigations are ongoing.

Public advisory

- If you receive a ransom call as described above, call 100 or 1930 and promptly visit the nearest police station to file a complaint.

- Reach out to the institution to inquire about the safety measures in place for your children if you receive such calls.

- If possible, record any such calls immediately to aid in the investigation process.