Mounties are warning the public after a “virtual kidnapping” scam surfaced in North Vancouver, sending one resident into a panic.
According to police, the victim was called Tuesday by someone claiming to have kidnapped his wife. The caller demanded a ransom be paid by e-transfer or the woman would be harmed.
Software was used to make call look like it came from his wife’s phone and a woman could be heard pretending to be the man’s wife in the background, RCMP said in a Wednesday news release.
“Our officers worked quickly to locate the victim’s spouse ensuring her safety. It was determined that the kidnapping was a hoax,” said Const. Mansoor Sahak in the release.
“We treat these types of investigations as serious until such time we have information that it’s not a real kidnapping. These investigations are complex and draw in a lot of resources.”
RCMP are warning anyone who receives such a call not to comply with the fraudster’s demands or provide any personal information. Residents are encouraged to hang up, inform their local police department, or call 911 in an emergency.