'Virtual kidnapping' scam reported in North Vancouver, RCMP say
Mounties in North Vancouver say they are investigating a "virtual kidnapping" that briefly convinced a local man his wife had been taken hostage Tuesday.
The man received a call from someone demanding a ransom and threatening harm to the man's wife, who the caller claimed to have kidnapped, according to a news release from North Vancouver RCMP.
Police said the man could hear a woman's voice in the background of the call, which appeared to be coming from his wife's phone.
"Our officers worked quickly to locate the victim’s spouse, ensuring her safety," said Const. Mansoor Sahak, in the release.
"It was determined that the kidnapping was a hoax and the fraudsters had used technology to make the victim think the call was coming from his wife’s personal phone."
This type of scam is known as a "virtual kidnapping," according to RCMP, who said perpetrators often tell the victim not to answer their phone or make contact with friends, family or police, threatening harm to a loved one if they don't comply.
In Tuesday's case, the fraudster demanded payment by e-transfer, police said.
"We treat these types of investigations as serious until such time we have information that it’s not a real kidnapping," Sahak said. "These investigations are complex and draw in a lot of resources."
North Vancouver RCMP advise anyone who receives a call claiming a loved one has been kidnapped to hang up the phone and report the incident to local police.
Do not comply with the caller's demands or give out personal information over the phone, police added.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.