Threats, extortion at the centre of growing bitcoin scam in Waterloo Region

Cases of a new online scam have begun to grow across Waterloo Region as police try to get the word out on what people should lookout for.

Since Sept. 14, reports have been brought forward from 16 different individuals saying they have been impacted by the ongoing scam, Waterloo Regional Police said.

“In this scam, a fraudster emails a victim and tells them there is malware on the victim’s computer that has captured their browsing history and web camera footage,” officials said in a statement. “The fraudster then threatens to release the history and/or footage unless a bitcoin payment is made.”

Along with the messages themselves, the scammers also send over screenshots from Google Maps to their victim’s residences. They’ll also include personal information, including phone numbers and more.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says they have also received reports of the scams, saying the fraudsters give the victims one day to transfer the funds through a BTC address or a QR code.

Ontario Provincial Police put out a similar plea to residents in eastern Ontario due to the same scam.

Officers are now reaching out to the public, encouraging everyone in the region to protect their personal information. This includes securing account passwords, being mindful of what people post on social media, as well as, avoiding interacting with suspicious emails.

Anyone who has been impacted or has further information on the scam cases is asked to contact police.