An extortionist has sent e-mails to several schools in Calgary, Canada, threatening to detonate explosives if they do not send bitcoin payments to a certain address.
Police have determined that the threats are not legitimate and classes will continue as normal. However, parents and students have been notified and police have increased their presence at the schools.
Police have not disclosed the names of the schools to the public.
A police spokesman said that similar threats have been made to other Canadian and American schools in the past. While the cases are not necessarily connected, Calgary police will be collaborating with their counterparts both north and south of the border.
Bitcoin has become a go-to tool for extortionists looking to reap their rewards without fear of getting hunted down by authorities. Threats can be made anonymously, and payments cannot be reversed or frozen by authorities.
Attackers have targeted a wide range of victims, including individuals, schools, municipalities and even police departments with varying degrees of success.
Be First to Comment