Kathmandu reports first cyber-kidnapping case as scammers use video call to demand ransom

Kathmandu, July 24 –

Police in Kathmandu have reported Nepal’s first case of cyber-kidnapping — a new type of online crime where criminals fake a kidnapping using digital tools to demand ransom from victims’ families.

The case came to light when a 16-year-old boy from Thankot went missing on Tuesday morning. Around 11:30 am, his mother received a WhatsApp video call from a foreign number starting with +923. A man speaking in Hindi told her that her son had been involved in a gang rape and that they had taken him into custody. He threatened to kill the boy unless she sent Rs 800,000.

Terrified, the mother tried to call her son, but his phone was off. The caller then sent her a disturbing video that appeared to show four boys being beaten and a girl on oxygen support — supposedly the victim. When she said she couldn’t pay, the caller asked to access her phone and banking apps. He screen-shared her mobile wallet and saw only Rs 34. He then reduced the ransom to Rs 100,000 before ending the call.

In a panic, the boy’s mother contacted the Thankot police and informed her husband, who rushed to Kathmandu from Dhading. Police referred the case to the Valley Crime Investigation Office in Teku. There, DSP Roshan Khadka’s team began their investigation and traced the WhatsApp number to Pakistan.

With help from CCTV and field investigations, the boy was eventually found safe at Star Mall in Putalisadak, watching a free comedy show — completely unaware of the chaos unfolding around him. He had left home at 8:30 am and put his phone in flight mode at 10:30 am.

Police believe the scammers accessed the boy’s personal information — like photos, contacts, and social media — through phishing links he unknowingly clicked. They then used that data to stage a convincing fake kidnapping and emotionally manipulate the mother.

While no money was stolen, police say the crime shows how easily people can be targeted through their phones. “If there had been money in her e-wallet, it could have been gone in seconds,” said one officer.

Authorities are still investigating how the boy’s data was leaked and whether someone close to him helped the criminals. They’ve urged the public to be extra cautious about unknown links and suspicious video calls.

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