Since July 2020, Bitcoin extortionists have sent emails threatening bombs to at least 18 prefectures in Japan. The targets of the extortion were schools and rural-area administrations, according to Japan Today.
The rural focus may have worked against the attackers. Experts say one reason no one has yet transferred cryptocurrency is the locals’ low technical literacy.
In one case the extortionists demanded 40 BTC from the authorities of the city of Yamagata (more than $450,000 at the time of writing). The threats were directed at the administrations of the city of Asahi, Saga Prefecture, Tokushima Prefecture, Sanda and others.
One of the interviewees said that in his area they threatened to carry out an explosion last week.
«As far as I know, they demanded Bitcoin, but no one paid, and nothing happened», he noted.
Bomb-threat extortion is popular among Bitcoin criminals. In 2019, due to bombing threats, several district courts and other public facilities in Saint Petersburg were evacuated several times. In August 2020, to the Saratov Oblast administration received a demand to transfer 1.990364 BTC.
In July in Kyiv, were arrested the extortionists who carried out two explosions — near the Shuliavska metro station and in a residential building.
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