Family of TikToker, 31, found dead in car in the woods claim fraudsters are pretending to hold late star hostage

Family and friends of Jiare Schneider found his body and the car he was last seen driving in a wooded area off on Tuesday November 26, almost two weeks afteer he went missing, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.

Now, his grieving family have said they are facing harassment as they mourn his death as they say fraudsters are claiming they are holding Schneider hostage and are demanding money for his safe return - despite his recent passing.

The TikToker's sister, Jasnique Woods, told American publication TMZ that the messages first started coming before her brother was found dead but have also carried on coming now his death has been confirmed. She said his family have received a number of threats from scammers, who claim they're holding the star captive but will release him if a ransom is paid.

Schneider was missing for 10 days before he was found dead last week after an extensive search. While they were searching for him, his family posted missing-person flyers as they tried to find him, which is how Woods believed the fraudsters got hold of her number.

Woods said that several fraudsters have called her and claimed to be holding her late brother captive. She said one caller even made a $5,000 (around £4,000) demand for his release. She claimed that the fraudster texted her a link and instructed her to pay a ransom in Bitcoin. She filed a police report for aggravated harassment.

TMZ state they have spoken to the police and no arrests have been made in the case.

Woods also told the publication that there was another instance in which a scammer had an actor speak to her pretend to be Schneider asking for help. It is reported that the actor even said “mummy, help." Threats have continued even after Schneider's body was found in a vehicle in a wooded area in Georgia onTuesday November 26.

Schneider added that she even received a threat on Thanksgiving day (Thursday November 28), when a scammer claimed to "have Jiare" and again said they'd release him if money was paid. Another call came a day later, with Woods saying on this ocassion a woman said ‘I have your son’, before abruptly hanging up.

In response to the ongoing harassment, Woods says she has no choice but to change her phone number. She told TMZ she has chosen not to file a police report for every call, as she's focusing on her grief after her family's loss.

A cause of death has yet to be determined for Schneider. His body was found in a wooded area off of Brown Road in Jonesboro, a city in the U.S. State of Arkansas just after 1pm on November 26, Clayton County police confirmed

He was found inside a car matching the description of the silver Toyota 4Runner family members said he had borrowed from a friend for a night out on Friday November 15. He never returned. The social media star leaves behind a young son who was diagnosed with a chromosomal disorder known as DiGeorge Syndrome. The NHS states that DiGeorge syndrome is a condition present from birth that can cause a range of lifelong problems, including heart defects and learning difficulties.

The family fears Schneider could have been a victim of foul play. FOX 5 reached out to Clayton County police to ask if investigators believe that’s a possibility. They said the case has been turned over to detectives with the criminal investigations division, and they are "investigating the death altogether."