SALEM, Ore. – The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oregon branch is sounding the alarm about bomb threat scams.
The FBI said it has received several complaints through its Internet Complaint Center about a new threat that businesses and agencies across the state are receiving. The threats, which all feature similar language, are targeting internet service providers, education institutions, and healthcare providers.
According to the FBI, the person making the threat says they’ve planted bombs in the organization and if anyone contacts police, the bombs will be detonated remotely. There’s a demand for payment between $5,000 and $20,000 to be made through email or via cryptocurrency.
The messages also include death threats to the recipients and their families.
The FBI said, “If you receive such a threat, the FBI recommends that you do NOT pay the ransom and that you notify us at www.ic3.gov.”
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