“Virtual Kidnapping” in Juarez

An 18 yr old in Juarez was victim of a “virtual kidnapping.” He received a call telling him his parents were kidnapped and to go to the central bus station to await instructions. No one met him there, but he was kept on the phone and the kidnappers got his parents’ cell phone number from him. They then called the parents and told them the boy was being held and that they must deposit 250,000 pesos in a bank account in order to have him released. The family did not have the money, but eventually they gathered and deposited 50 thousand pesos. They were given instructions to go to the bus station to recover their son, but then the kidnappers demanded another 50,000 and that is when the parents reported the crime to the Fiscalia.  The boy was found and rescued at the bus station. At no time was there any physical contact with the kidnappers and the calls appear to have come from other states. The spokesman for the Fiscalia warned citizens not to be tricked…that the callers used the telephone directories to find their victims.  A google translation is posted below.  molly

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GOOGLE TRANSLATION
Teen victim of virtual kidnapping is released for 50,000 pesos
Staff
The Journal | 12.09.2012 | 14:24
A man of 18 was kidnapped by a group of criminals over the phone was kept in captivity in the bus station for more than 24 hours.
 
This Wednesday morning, members of the Attorney General’s Office (FGE) conducted an operation to rescue the boy, after making the payment of 50,000 pesos to Bancoppel account.
 
According to the complaint lodged by the family, it all started on Tuesday shortly before noon when the boy received a call at his house in which he said he had kidnapped their parents, so they have to follow the instructions they give .
 
The order was to move to the bus station to make contact with them, so from 10:00 in the morning he went to the place. Throughout this process the hijackers chatted with the young and brought him into confidence, saying he will meet soon with his parents, so he offered to talk to them, but in return they ask for your phone number.
 
Once you have the phone speak to the father to ask 250 thousand pesos. The mother, who for security reasons asked conceal his name, he said he did not have the money, but they would try to get it.
 
In a second call, 20 minutes later, they demanded money, even 50 thousand dollars for releasing his son. Meanwhile the young fielding calls from his captors continue to advise on the premises of the bus station, order obeyed.
 
Once the family was able to get the money they were instructed to deposit it in an account of Bancoppel.
 
The boy’s father said the numbers of those who were marked key one with 883, corresponding to the state of Sonora and a 662-key, number 170-0092, she said.
 
He stated that when they got to talk to your son asked a switch links from your cell phone to him.
 
The young man said that at no time addressed nobody to give you some instruction and everything went through phone calls.
 
The boy’s mom said that after paying the money to the kidnappers asked him to hand over his son, but the man informed them that they would later give them another call for further instructions and pick up your child at the bus station. Minutes after he spoke, but to ask for another 50 thousand dollars, and that was when they chose to go to put the complaint FGE.
 
After informing the officers what had happened went to the bus station to rescue the young and already in place was taken to the premises of the EGF to initiate the investigation. No ministerial agents arrested anyone for the moment because everything was done by phone calls from locations in other states.
 
Figón Arturo Sandoval, a spokesman for the EGF, called on citizens not to be fooled by this type of speakers to houses whose telephone number appears in the directories.
 
Therefore declined to provide any information and warn their children of such cases to avoid becoming victims.

About virginiaisaad

Virginia is a journalist based in Los Angeles who's written for publications including Los Angeles magazine, Upworthy, and Elite Daily. She was born in Argentina and raised in the San Fernando Valley along with her three siblings. Fun fact: She took a Chicanas and Feminism course with Eva Longoria while studying for her master's in mass communication at California State University, Northridge. Follow her on Twitter @virginiaisaad

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