Scammers harvesting Facebook photos to stage fake kidnappings, warns FBI

The FBI has warned about a new scam in which your Facebook photos are harvested to act as “proof-of-life” pictures in a virtual kidnapping, with scammers pretending they have kidnapped somebody and demanding a ransom. The article notes that attackers show the family real Facebook photos to convince relatives that the person is alive but in custody, using imagery sourced from public profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, X or any public profile.

It explains that criminals often manipulate those images with AI or simple editing to produce extortion material, and that the tactic feeds on oversharing. The piece also points to panic as a key driver, with scammers pushing tight deadlines and threatening violence to force quick decisions.

To counter these threats, be mindful of what you share, adjust privacy settings via Facebook’s built-in tools, and if contacted, establish a code word, try to reach the supposed victim, keep records, and report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.