Ransom text mistaken for spam

Two men in Henan province were convicted in a botched kidnapping attempt after the child's father dismissed their ransom text message as spam, media reported Wednesday.

A Minquan county court sentenced the mastermind behind the kidnapping to six years in prison and 5,000 yuan ($800) in compensation, while his accomplice was handed a three-year sentence and made to pay 3,000 yuan on May 9.

The men abducted Zhang Bing on his way to school on September 30 last year.

Believing the father Zhang to be the owner of a lucrative renovation business in Beijing, the pair sent him a ransom note via text message demanding 20,000 yuan.

However, Zhang ignored the note, believing it a junk text message.

Zhang Bing's grandmother eventually called the police after the boy failed to return home from school.

The men gave up after finding no money in the account the following day.

Police apprehended the men as they attempted to return Zhang Bing to school.