VICTORIA Police investigators are warning the public after four reports of a Canada-wide suspected bomb threat hoax targeting local businesses.

In this bomb threat suspected to be a hoax, businesses are targeted by an email threatening that their business will be attacked with a bomb if they do not transfer funds to a bitcoin account within 80 hours. Businesses across Canada have received these threats. Investigations have not turned up any evidence of explosives, leading officers to believe that these threats are a suspected hoax designed to use fear to extort money.

If you receive an email making these threats, do not send bitcoin to the scammers. Call Victoria Police’s non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654 and select extension 1 for the report desk to report the incident. For more information on how to avoid falling victim to fraud, visit vipd.ca/fraud.