"Kidnapping" scam

Friends, BEWARE!!!!

 There is another version of the "Kidnapping" scam that went viral some 5 ~ 10 years ago. Now, these conmen (Cantonese speaking) are targeting old uncles, old aunties, grandpas and grandmas. Don't laugh, these guys are really professional and there are already 60 cases reported in IPD Bricksfield alone. How many more went unreported???

 Version 1.

OK, many years back, they were targeting parents/grandparents of young primary/kindergarten children. That they have kidnapped them and demand a ransom. A friend fell for it.

 Version 2.

Then, came World Cup Football season, and they changed modus operandi to owing money to football bookies. This time, they graduated to capturing young adults. That your child (even girls) had lost few tens of thousand.

That they are holding your child and bashing him/her up now because the debt is not paid. Audio sound in the background of somebody being tortured and crying out for help and that he is bleeding from the head wounds, etc. and requiring medical attention or he will die, bleeding cannot stop..............

So, as a parent, your world started crashing and you won't think rationally. My wife received one such call and she was going to take out money(CASH) to pay these crooks. Why? Because that was HER CHILD. Luckily, she managed to call me and I told her it is a SCAM, but she won't accept it, insisting that the voice crying for help was my son.

Told her to hold on until I come home to take the next call. They never call back. On hindsight, the crooks did not call back, maybe it was because my wife told them that my son was not in the country.(so how did they catch him?)

Then, my son does not fancy football and he never gambles, so how can owe the bookies? Call you child immediately to confirm. Case closed.

 Version 3

Crooks ran out of primary school children and football gamblers. Now says your children stood GUARANTOR for friend's Ah Long LOAN. Same scenario, caught your child and now bashing until head BLEEDING NON STOP and BLOODY.

Background torture, crying out for help and begging. Same amount ten, twenty or thirty thousand ringgit. Anything more, scam overpriced and won't work. Said you just pay back the capital, no need interest. Even offered to pay you back when the friend is caught, hahahah.

Random call to house phones (locality can be controlled) so that they can collect your CASH the moment you withdraw from your bank. They keep on talking and won't allow you to put down the phone, even to the extent of calling your handphone so that you cannot call you child. Insisted to keep in contact with you all the way to the bank.

 They asked which bank that you are going and even can tell you where to drop off the money, like in film show. You won't be facing them. In my friend's case, they asked him to drop off at the empty phone "booth" opposite the bank. Only consolation is that I should tell the son that his papa really loves him despite all his dad's constant nagging.

 NOW, DO THIS AND KEEP THE INFORMATION ETCHED IN YOUR MIND.

1. NEVER BLURT OUT ANY INFORMATION, 
2. ASK THEM WHO THEY HAVE CAUGHT. 
3. YOU DON'T HAVE A HAND PHONE OTHERWISE WHY SHOULD THERE BE A HOUSE PHONE. SAYS YOU DON'T HAVE CASH AND NEEDS TO ASK FROM SPOUSE, ETC. INTENTION IS TO MAKE THEM CALL BACK WITHOUT ANTAGONIZING THEM. 
4. CALL YOUR CHILD IMMEDIATELY TO CONFIRM THEIR SAFETY. 
5. MAKE POLICE REPORT, 
6. CALL BUKIT AMAN HOTLINE 03-2115 9999