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<\/div>Bomb Threats<\/h2>
Ransomware that demands cryptocurrency payments in exchange for releasing infected computers is an old phenomenon<\/a>.<\/p> Now that practice has a dark new twist. This week, scammers have started emailing bomb threats<\/a> to hundreds of schools, hospitals, businesses and other public and private institutions in multiple countries, demanding bitcoin payments in exchange for not setting off seemingly made-up explosives. The threats caused mayhem. Entire blocks<\/a> were shut down in several cities — a dark testament to the power of online anonymity.<\/p> Emergency responders were dispatched in multiple cities<\/a> across North America to investigate the threats — including a dozen threats<\/a> in DC alone. Not a single bomb has been found at press time, leading authorities to believe the threats were an elaborate bluff.<\/p> The advice from the U.S. government: tell the FBI<\/a>, and do not pay the ransom of $20,000 U.S. in Bitcoin.<\/p> The cryptic emails<\/a> demanded that victims send the payment to a bitcoin address.<\/p> “If you are late with the transaction,” the email says, “the bomb will explode.”<\/p> The value of Bitcoin took a substantial hit<\/a> in the wake of the bomb threats. That’s bad news, since Bitcoin was already slouching<\/a>. Bitcoin Cash also fell 13 percent<\/a>, and many other major cryptocurrencies followed.<\/p> The takeaway: advocates have long predicted that blockchain technology is about to go mainstream, but to date the technology hasn’t strayed far from its early roots in crime and drug sales<\/a>. Only time will tell whether the tech will eventually shed that identity.<\/p> READ MORE:<\/strong> Bitcoin scammers send bomb threats worldwide, causing evacuations<\/a> [The Verge<\/em>]<\/p> More on bitcoin: Here’s The Conspiracy Tearing Bitcoin Crypto Communities Apart<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p> The post Scammers Sent Hoax Bomb Threats Worldwide Demanding Bitcoin<\/a> appeared first on Futurism<\/a>.<\/p> More: Bomb Threats Ransomware that demands cryptocurrency payments in exchange for releasing infected computers is an old phenomenon . Now that practice has a dark new twist. This week,\u00a0scammers have\u00a0started\u00a0 emailing\u00a0bomb threats \u00a0to\u00a0hundreds of\u00a0schools, hospitals, businesses and other public and private institutions in multiple countries,\u00a0demanding bitcoin payments in exchange for not setting off seemingly made-up explosives.\u00a0The threats caused mayhem.\u00a0 Entire blocks were shut down in several cities\u00a0\u2014\u00a0a dark testament to the power of online anonymity. Continue reading No Terrorism Here<\/h2>
Hitting Bitcoin While It’s Down<\/h2>
Scammers Sent Hoax Bomb Threats Worldwide Demanding Bitcoin<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"