Three foreign visitors were victims of a virtual kidnapping in Huatulco this week.
The state prosecutor’s office received a report on Thursday that two adults and a teenager had been kidnapped in Huatulco while on vacation, and that a person or persons were demanding money for their release.
The authorities activated the corresponding protocols through the State Investigation Agency (AEI) and the Specialized Unit to Combat Kidnapping (UECS), to determine the victims’ whereabouts.
The trio was found in a hotel in La Crucecita, downtown Huatulco, and authorities soon were able to determine that theirs had been a virtual kidnapping.
The modus operandi of virtual kidnappers is to scour the internet for targets, focusing on social media posts by international travelers. Scammers then contact the target’s relatives claiming to have taken the target hostage. Family members are coerced into paying a ransom quickly to ensure the victim’s release.
With reports by El Piñero
