Ann Arbor police warns residents of fake Bitcoin blackmail scams

ANN ARBOR, MI – Ann Arbor police have received multiple reports of scammers threatening to release personal information unless paid through Bitcoin, according to a release.

The Federal Trade Commission advised the police to let residents know to ignore these emails, not to provide any financial information and to update passwords, said the Ann Arbor Police Department.

The scam involves an email stating that the scammers have hacked into your computer and recorded you visiting pornographic websites, the FTC said. The email will state that the video will be distributed to friends and family within hours unless you pay into their Bitcoin account, the FTC said.

“Stop. Don’t pay anything. Delete the message. It’s a scam,” said Bridget Small, a consumer education specialist with the FTC in the release.

Other threats to ignore include the scammers claiming they have access to your computer or webcam, Small said. One real threat may be that the scammers have found access to old or…