Lorraine and Des O'Keefe are dealing with the disappearance of their son, now the Geelong parents have become the targets of a callous computer scam demanding ransom of $100,000.

The emails, received via a website dedicated to finding their son Daniel, claim the 24 year old is not only alive but being held hostage, and if they don't pay a $100,000 ransom they have threatened to kill him.

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The emails, received via a website dedicated to finding their son Daniel, claim the 24-year-old is not only alive but being held hostage, and if they don't pay a $100,000 ransom they have threatened to kill him.

The author signing off as The Keeper.

"My heart just took a leap and I thought it was someone giving us some information through his website, that Daniel was alive and well and giving us information to find where he was. I was very excited to open the email", Lorraine said.

Even though a part of her wants to believe the email - because it would mean Daniel is alive - Lorraine knows it's a fake.

Even then she emailed back to check.

Unable to produce any proof, the family now know that it's a heartless scam of the highest order, preying on a family already hurting.

"It is very heartless. I feel disappointed because we had such great success and wonderful support from the internet and Facebook, but this is one strange, one disappointed person - it is not going to change our view of how Facebook can be used for good", Lorraine said.

The sad fact is the O'Keefe's are not alone. Overseas crime gangs are targeting Australians like never before, with scams more elaborate than ever.