Kidnap scams are a type of scam where scammers make a phone call to a victim and tell them a loved one has been taken. Threats of violence soon follow, unless a ransom—typically in the form of a wire transfer—is paid. The most disturbing aspect of these calls is that scammers play recordings of screams in the background. In Singapore, the offence of kidnapping is provided for under the Kidnapping Act and the Penal Code. It will also cover staged kidnapping, how to identify a staged kidnap, as well as what to do if you receive a call or text claiming kidnap. The police have warned members of the public against such messages.