The Manhattan Beach Police Department wants you to be aware of a new nationwide scam involving the digital currency known as Bitcoin.
Potential victims receive a letter in the mail. The scammer threatens to release embarrassing information for public humiliation if the victim does not pay up using Bitcoin. The blackmailer also includes instructions on how to buy bitcoin, as well a unique bitcoin wallet to send the money to, which makes it harder to trace.
If you receive this kind of letter in the mail, be advised THIS IS A SCAM. DO NOT SEND MONEY, DO NOT RESPOND TO IT and share this warning with friends and family.
The Manhattan Beach Police Department has no known cases at this time.
Crimes involving mail is the jurisdiction of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. If you receive a blackmail letter, contact the Postal Inspection Service at (877) 876-2455.
You can also file a complaint online by visiting https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ or the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.
