Overseas students face virtual-kidnapping risk

In recent years, a new type of telecommunications fraud, known as virtual kidnapping, has been extensively targeting Chinese overseas students, with police in various regions of China and Chinese embassies and consulates abroad having frequently issued warnings, advising students to be vigilant against such scams.

At the end of last year, a Chinese student studying in Utah in the United States, was reported missing by his host family and was unreachable, suspected of being kidnapped.

Later on New Year's Day, according to a statement from the Chinese embassy in the US, the student was found safe thanks to the efforts of both Chinese and US officials, adding that the student was in good health.