PETERBOROUGH-The “Death Threat” scam is circulating in the area according to Peterborough Police.
The scam, known as the “Death Threat Email Scam” involves the victim receiving an email stating that the sender has been hired by someone you know to “remove you” and the only way to save your life is to pay thousands of dollars in Bitcoin currency.
Bitcoin, a virtual or crypto-currency, has been called “digital gold.” A Bitcoin is a digital token, with no physical backing, that can be sent electronically from one user to another, anywhere in the world.
The way in which money is sent via Bitcoin is completely anonymous and not traceable. If the victim does send the money the police are not able to investigate beyond taking a report.
In the email, the sender goes on to say that he has done some research on the victim and is having a change of heart. The sender says that this is his final “order” before he retires after eight years of being a hit man. He then states he will give the victim the name of the individual who paid for the hit if the victim sends him $2,000 in Bitcoin currency.
The sender will then give the victim all other evidence needed for police to prosecute the individual who paid for the hit. The sender tells the victim that they have three days to send the money.
Police say they have recieved complaints from local residents who have received this “Death Threat” email and they urge residents to ignore and delete these emails.
How to protect yourself:
- Do not respond to any unsolicited emails.
- Do not send money, virtual currency or otherwise, to someone you don’t know or have never met.
- Never provide your personal information, including your bank account for another’s use.
- Be wary of anyone you did not initiate contact with who asks for payment using virtual currency or prepaid cards.
If you receive a similar email do not reply and report it to the Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122 or via our online crime reporting tool http://www.peterboroughpolice.com/report/a-crime/
Or call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll free 1-888-495-8501 or report it online at http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/reportincident-signalerincident/index-eng.htm
 photo credit: Christoph Scholz Bitcoin vor Laptop – natur via photopin (license)
