Crimes Extorting Ransoms by Manipulating Online Photos

It is estimated that there are more than 1,000 sophisticated virtual kidnapping scams being perpetrated right now, prompting fresh warnings from the FBI, as criminals are increasingly using facial recognition software to create photos, videos, and sound files designed to fool victims into believing that their loved ones are in immediate danger. 

As a result of increasing difficulty in distinguishing authentic content from digital manipulation, fraudsters are now blending stolen images with hyper-realistic artificial intelligence tools to fabricate convincing evidence of abductions, exploiting the growing difficulty of distinguishing authentic content from digital manipulation in the current era.

It is quite common for victims to be notified via text message that a family member had been kidnapped and that escalating threats demand that an immediate ransom be paid. 

A scammer often delivers what appears to be genuine images of the supposed victim when the victim requests proof, often sent through disappearing messages so that the fake identity cannot be inspected. This evolving approach, according to the FBI, represents a troubling escalation of extortion campaigns, one that takes advantage of panic as well as the blurred line between real and fake identity as it relates to digital identities. 

The FBI has released a public service ann

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