San Francisco, Jan 2 (IANS): A missing teen was found safe inside a tent on a Utah mountainside in the US who was the victim of a so-called "cyber-kidnapping".

Kai Zhuang, a 17-year-old Chinese exchange student, was discovered in a tent in the freezing Utah weather after his high school reported him missing, reports Cybernews.

The teen was initially considered to have been kidnapped, but it was later found that he and his family were victims of cyber-kidnapping.

During cyber-kidnappings, adversaries demand that victims isolate themselves, making it appear as if they're being held captive.

Then cyber criminals use this to extort the victim's family. According to a press release, the family received "continuous threats from the kidnappers".

Zhaung's parents contacted the school after receiving a ransom photo of their son, after which they sent $80,000 to a bank account in China.

Zhuang had purchased camping equipment and tried a camping trip, according to Riverdale Police.

Fearing for his safety, local authorities returned the teen to his host family on December 20.

Zhuang did not tell the police or his host family about his position at the time, and the mystery cyber-kidnappers continued to control him, the report mentioned. Under the direction of the adversaries, the victim hid himself in a tent. On Sunday, Zhuang was discovered in the mountains outside Brigham City at a camping, "alive but very cold and scared", according to the report.

Zhuang followed the orders of cybercriminals who demanded that he remain in isolation. After using his phone and bank records, the teen was discovered at the scene.