Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: With the Cyber Crime Cell of Goa police receiving several complaints from parents that they are receiving phone calls demanding money claiming that their child has been kidnapped or is in police custody, the Cell has issued an advisory regarding the scam known as virtual kidnapping or cyber kidnapping.
The phone calls are often from numbers with a foreign country code such as +92 (Pakistan) or any other foreign country number generated through a VPN.
“We have received multiple complaints from parents who have received such calls,” said Rahul Gupta, Superintendent of Police, Cyber Crime.
“These scammers are using emotional manipulation to extort money from panicked parents. We urge parents to remain calm and verify the claims before taking any action.”
Gupta issued a warning, stating that scammers frequently make calls using VPN-generated numbers or foreign country codes (+92). They may also include particular details or background noises to add credibility to their threats.
“Avoid succumbing to these strategies,” Gupta counselled. “To ensure your child is safe, get in touch with them directly or through other family members or friends. Most importantly, resist the scammer’s demands and do not give any money.
Police have asked Goans not to fall prey to such fraudsters and report the matter to the local police or cyber crime cell and also report on https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/Home/sfc-complaint.jsp to permanently block scammers numbers.
