OAN Staff Cory Hawkins
4:25 PM – Friday, December 5, 2025
The FBI issued a public service announcement (PSA) warning about a new variation of “virtual kidnapping” scams where criminals use artificial intelligence (AI) to alter publicly available photos, often from social media, as fake “proof-of-life” evidence to extort ransoms from victims.
In these schemes, scammers contact victims via text, claim to have abducted a loved one, demand immediate payment, often in cryptocurrency or gift cards, and send manipulated images or videos showing the supposed hostage in distress — sometimes with features like “timed messaging.”
The public service announcement, announced on Friday, details how tech-savvy criminals are contacting victims through text to later demand ransom payments.
“Criminal actors typically will contact their victims through text message claiming they have kidnapped their loved one and demand a ransom be paid for their release,” the FBI states on Friday.
“Oftentimes, the criminal actor will express significant claims of violence towards the loved one if the ransom is not paid immediately. 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.”
Advertisement
The FBI recommends taking protective measures to defend against these scams, such as creating a code word to verify communication with friends and family, in addition to avoiding posting personal information online.
The bureau has also warned Americans to remain vigilant when posting online about people who are missing, as scammers can reach out with false information.
“When posting missing person information online, be mindful that scammers may contact you with fake information regarding your loved one.” FBI reports.
The number of complaints regarding these virtual kidnapping scams were absent from the public service announcement.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below