Fake abduction and Bitcoin ransom the latest way to trick victim: RCMP in B.C.

RICHMOND, B.C. – Mounties in Richmond, B.C., say it appears criminals have added Bitcoin ransom to the growing list of manoeuvres to swindle money from unsuspecting victims.

Officers responded to a report of an abduction on July 16 where a victim said they had received a call from a person demanding money for the safe return of their partner.

Police say the threat was taken seriously because the cellphone call was from their partner’s phone number and the victim then transferred $10,000 into a Bitcoin machine in Richmond.

The victim’s partner was later located unharmed and unaware of the supposed abduction.

Cpl. Dennis Hwang says police are warning that criminals are trending towards more sophisticated techniques in gathering personal information from their victims.

Hwang says the most widely demanded forms of payment related to the scams are iTunes and gaming gift cards or Bitcoin.