Several RCMP detachments across Metro Vancouver are warning about a Bitcoin extortion scam.
Police say scammers are claiming to have compromising photos of victims and threatening to share them with loved ones unless they receive a payment.
Surrey RCMP said in a Friday press release that there have been 29 reports made in a three-day span.
“The wording of the emails is very similar and the demands that are being made are very similar,” said Cpl. Sarbjit Sangha, media relations officer for Surrey RCMP.
Their advisory followed warnings issued by Ridge Meadows and North Vancouver police earlier this week about the extortion scheme.
Police say the scam begins when the perpetrators email the victim, claiming malware has captured compromising photos of them looking at adult content online. They also provide a photo of the victim’s house along with their name and date of birth as proof they know where the victim lives, though Sangha pointed out that this type of data is often public.
“If you are an active person on social media and you put a lot of photos, that information is readily available for anybody,” she said.
The suspect then demands a $2,000 payment be made to a Bitcoin wallet or they will release the photos to the victim’s friends and family, according to police.
At this stage, Sangha said victims should stop all communications and contact the police so they can investigate, adding that it’s best not to open such emails in the first place.
“Do not respond, do not give in to any threats, do not give any money,” she said.