What to do if a family member is kidnapped abroad
Updated: 57 minutes ago
If someone you love has been kidnapped abroad, stay calm, write everything down, and tell the FCDO straight away on +44 (0)20 7008 5000. Do not negotiate, pay or post anything on social media until you have specialist advice.
SJ Group International is a London based kidnap, ransom and extortion consultancy, available 24 hours a day. We guide families and their advisers through every stage until the person is home. If this is happening now, call us on +44 (0)20 8050 2939.
The first hour
1. Write down everything. Note the time of every call or message, the exact words used, and any demands, deadlines or numbers. Save messages, voicemails and screenshots, and do not delete anything.
2. Keep the line open, but do not commit to anything. If the kidnappers make contact, listen, take notes, and tell them you need time to speak to the family. Do not agree to a payment, an amount or a deadline.
3. Tell the FCDO. Call +44 (0)20 7008 5000, or the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate, and ask for consular services for British nationals. The line runs 24 hours a day.
4. Check for insurance. Many private client, travel and corporate policies include kidnap and ransom cover, which often pays for a specialist response consultant. Call your broker or insurer, discreetly.
5. Stay off social media and away from the press. Publicity can raise demands and put the person at greater risk. Ask the family and the person's colleagues to say nothing publicly.
6. Get specialist advice before you reply. A trained negotiator helps you decide what to say, who says it, and what not to promise.
Who does what
The FCDO works with the government of the country where the kidnap happened, which normally leads the response. A 24 hour team keeps the family updated as far as it can, and can help with media handling and getting the person home.
UK police may appoint a family liaison officer in some cases.
The UK government will not make substantive concessions. It will not pay a ransom, change policy or release prisoners.
Hostage International is a charity and FCDO partner that gives families free, confidential practical and emotional support. Its UK helpline is +44 (0)845 608 1360.
A private response consultancy such as SJ Group International works for the family directly. We advise on every call and message, coordinate the family, lawyers, insurers and authorities, and stay with you until the person is home and afterwards.
How SJ Group International helps
SJ Group International was founded by Nick Shah OBE, a former senior National Crime Agency officer and author of the United Nations manual on countering kidnapping and extortion. Our team has handled more than 1,000 cases across 50 countries, drawn from national policing, hostage negotiation and crisis response.
We respond within the hour, day or night.
We work for you. Everything stays confidential.
We coordinate everyone involved, so the family is not left managing lawyers, insurers, employers and authorities on their own.
We work with or without insurance. If you have a kidnap and ransom policy, we work alongside it.
We stay after the release, with recovery support and a confidential review.
Read more about our kidnap, ransom and extortion response.
Common mistakes families make
Paying quickly in the hope it ends things faster. Fast payment often leads to higher or repeated demands.
Letting several family members talk to the kidnappers. One trained voice is safer.
Posting appeals online before taking advice. Publicity can put the person at greater risk.
Assuming it is a scam, or assuming it is not. Virtual kidnaps, where no one has actually been taken, are increasingly common, and the first job is to establish the facts.
Questions families ask
What should I do first if a family member is kidnapped abroad?
Write down every detail of any contact, do not agree to anything, and call the FCDO on +44 (0)20 7008 5000. Then get specialist advice before replying to the kidnappers.
Should we pay a ransom straight away?
No. That decision belongs to the family and should never be made quickly or alone. Fast payment often leads to higher or repeated demands, and paying a group linked to terrorism can be a criminal offence in the UK.
Does the UK government pay ransoms?
No. The UK government will not make substantive concessions to hostage takers, including paying ransoms, but the FCDO will support the family and work with the authorities where the kidnap happened.
Can a private consultancy help alongside the FCDO?
Yes. A private response consultancy works for the family, advising on every call and message and coordinating lawyers, insurers and authorities, while the FCDO works government to government.
What if we do not have kidnap and ransom insurance?
SJ Group International works with families with or without insurance. The first conversation is confidential and there is no obligation.
Speak to us now
If this is happening to your family, call +44 (0)20 8050 2939 now. If you are a lawyer, family office or adviser supporting a client, call the same number. The first conversation is confidential and there is no obligation.
Sources: FCDO, Kidnappings or hostages abroad (updated 20 May 2024). Hostage International, How we can help. General information only, not legal advice.
About the author: Nick Shah OBE, Founder and CEO of SJ Group International, brings over 35 years of experience in law enforcement, crisis response and corporate security.