A ‘cyber kidnapping’ scam left a Chinese exchange student freezing in Utah wilderness

A Chinese exchange student fell victim to a “cyber kidnapping” scam and $80,000 was extorted from his parents after which he was found alive but “cold and scared” in a tent located in the wilderness of Utah, said the police.

17-year-old Kai Zhuang was reported missing on Thursday (Dec 28) after his parents – who are living in China – informed the officials at his host high school in Riverdale, Utah that they suspected their child had been kidnapped and a ransom demand had been made to them.

The case continued on the typical pattern for cyber kidnapping in which the victim is asked by the “kidnappers” to isolate themselves and provide pictures of them as if being held captive. The photos then taken are sent to the victim’s family to extort a payment. Generally, the victims comply fearing that going against the kidnappers will harm their family members.

After going through bank records, purchases and phone ping records in a search operation, the police were convinced that the boy was isolated in a tent some 40km (25 miles) north in a large area, close to Brigham City.

“Due to the cold weather in Utah this time of year, we became additionally concerned for the victim’s safety in that he may freeze to death overnight,” said the Riverdale Police Department, in a press release after he was discovered Sunday (Dec 31).

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Kai found isolated in a tent

A sergeant – who was hiking on a mountainside – found Kai’s tent which did not have any heat source but only “a heat blanket, a sleeping bag, limited food and water and several phones that were presumed to be used to carry out the cyber kidnapping,” the department said.

The detective said that he “contacted the victim inside the tent and found he was alive but very cold and scared”.

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After he was rescued, Kai “requested a warm cheeseburger” and spoke to his family, which had made the payment of US$80,000 to bank accounts in China when they were threatened, according to Riverdale police.

The host family of Kai in Riverdale was initially unaware that the boy was missing and had last seen him in the kitchen in the early morning of the same day when he disappeared. According to the press release, Riverdale police worked along with the FBI, Chinese officials and the US embassy in China to find the missing teenager.

Riverdale police said that the cyber kidnappers have been recently targeting foreign exchange students recently, and especially, Chinese foreign exchange students.

(With inputs from agencies)