The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) El Paso Field Office issued a statement of caution earlier this month after noticing an uptick in kidnapping extortion crimes. 

El Paso authorities said in a Feb. 4 press release that extortion crime activity has increased in the Borderland region since last year, specifically instances of undocumented immigrants being extorted by the smugglers hired to bring them across the border.

"It's not the amount of money involved," Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey said in the release. "It's the fact innocent victims are tricked into believing their loved ones are in danger and the horror and helplessness they feel as they scramble to secure what they think is their release."

Kidnapping extortion occurs when legal action, arrest, physical or emotional harm or other threats are made upon a victim in an attempt to force payment to the offender. The crime can be aimed at the victim personally, their property and assets or their family and friends. In the lattermost cases, the kidnappings are often virtual, meaning they haven't occurred. 

The FBI said these specific cases can often go unreported as the undocumented immigrants and their families fear deportation and further action due to their citizenship status. 

The FBI is treating this crime with all seriousness and seeks to increase community awareness.