How a News 4 Reporter Fell For a Virtual Kidnapping Scam | NBC New York

The most terrifying day in Adam Harding's life began with a phone call from his mother's number -- but the caller was a stranger who said the News 4 reporter's mom was being held hostage.

Alone in his apartment, Harding heard chilling screams coming from his phone as the stranger demanded ransom money in exchange for his mother's safe return. Convinced that his mother was in danger, Harding used his other phone to record the conversation and yielded to the caller's instructions.

"Whatever you do, please don't hurt my Mom. I'll do anything you want. All my money. I'll give you anything you want. I don't care what it takes," he told the caller.

What Harding didn't know at the time was that his mother was perfectly safe and that the phone call wasn't actually coming from his mother's number. It had been spoofed. The caller told Harding that he was high on meth and told him not to call the cops. Harding's mother called while he was on the phone with the scammer, who ordered him not to answer. Ten minutes later, the scammer was done with him.

By that point, he had already sent thousands of dollars on several apps and even bank wire-transferred money. He reported the case to the NYPD and has since recovered some of the money.