SAN JOSE, Calif. _ A bomb threat email sent far and wide, threatening massive destruction unless the sender was paid in bitcoin, has prompted building evacuations across the country even as several authorities declared it is likely a hoax.
San Francisco police were among the agencies responding to several threats received via email Thursday, often containing identical language about an explosive device in the recipients' building and demanding $20,000 in the cryptocurrency by the end of the day.
Hundreds of similar threats have been reported at schools and businesses, according to news reports and social media. The threat originated outside the United States, multiple authorities determined.
The New York City Police Department was among the large law enforcement agencies in the country to doubt the viability of the threat, which appears to have been designed to cause exactly the nationwide disruption experienced Thursday.
The FBI San Francisco division also said that the threats do not appear credible, issuing a statement reading, "We are aware of the recent bomb threats made in cities around the country, and we remain in touch with our law enforcement partners to provide assistance. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety."
