Police in Los Angeles say they are tackling a rise in "virtual kidnappings", where people are terrorised into giving money to con artists.
The victims are called by someone who falsely claims to be holding a loved one hostage, and they are told to pay ransom money urgently to protect them from harm.
To stop them from contacting their relative to check whether they are safe, scammers also demand the victim stays on the phone - often for hours on end.
In some cases, the criminals have scoured social media for names of children and other facts that can make the kidnapping seem legitimate.
The LA Police Department says it has received more than 250 reports of these crimes over the past two years, with victims paying at least $100,000 (£76,820) in ransom money.
