Emails demanding a bitcoin ransom and warning of an ‘explosive device’ were sent to a variety of businesses and organizations

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Bomb threats were reported across the US and Canada on Thursday, forcing widespread evacuations and police response, various agencies say, but all the threats appeared to be hoax ransom ploys for bitcoin payment.

CTV Toronto (@CTVToronto) Toronto police say that King Station on Line 1 has been evacuated due to a bomb threat.

Employees at businesses, subway stations, hospitals, universities, schools, religious community centers, and news organizations throughout Toronto, California, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Mississippi, Utah, Michigan, Georgia and North Carolina received emails threatening detonation of an “explosive device” placed somewhere in the building unless they pay $20,000 in bitcoin.

Ryanocerous Grant (@TheeRyanGrant) So I actually just got a bomb threat in my work email today ordering me to send the person $20,000 via bitcoin or they will blow up my place of work.... 2018 is wild pic.twitter.com/sn0vVLwe6v

The Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora, Illinois, posted on Twitter that the bomb threat received by employees earlier was not deemed credible and did not compromise patient care.

Police at Michigan State University said they were working with federal authorities regarding the threats and “does not advise persons to pay the bitcoin ransom”.

Employees at the News and Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the Valdosta Daily Times in Georgia tweeted about evacuating because of the bomb threats.

The News & Observer (@newsobserver) Employees at the News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina, were evacuated on Thursday afternoon after a report of a bomb threat.https://t.co/lJGag9zAaF

Police in Calgary and Toronto posted on Twitter that they, too, were investigating threats, but, like their US law enforcement counterparts, did not have “any reason to believe they are credible”.

“However, out of an abundance of caution we are treating each as if it is real,” Calgary police said.

Meanwhile, several employees who received the emails posted the messages on social media.

Lance King (@analogfusion) Well, that's a new one. I just got a random bomb threat via email, demanding bitcoin payment. Since I'm at the coffee shop now, I suppose I'm safe. #ransomemail pic.twitter.com/MTj6X56mjm

It is unclear who is behind the the messages, or what agency will be investigating such a wide-scale and international incident.