Bitcoin Scamming Scheme variation of the blackmail attempts in which strangers threaten you in exchange for bitcoin as a means of extortion. Not quite the same as last decade’s Nigerian email scamming scheme, this message from Borysko, landed in our email box today, using our contact page:

From: Borysko borysk111@gmail.com
Message:hello sir/ma,

I am desperate to get my family out of eastern Ukraine town of Stanytsia Luhanska. There is sporadic but heavy artillery gun shelling, and my kid’s kindergarten was hit.

Please, send me any amount you can to help me bribe the authorities to smuggle us out. I cannot watch my wife and kids go through this agony any more.

Whatever you can, send as bitcoin. They say that is the only currency they will accept.

Here is the wallet address:
1ff7maSdBYLuRKADQVEDLgz23LV7yEXMa

Please pray for our safety. Hurry, hurry, hurry,please the above is not my email address, do not reply.

God bless you.

Borysko

(translated with google translate)

You decide: Is this a genuine cry for help, or a Bitcoin variation of last decade’s Nigerian email scamming scheme. It seems that as bitcoin gains popularity, more nefarious people with sleezy motives have sought to acquire it using all sorts creative methods.

We choose not reply to emails or inbound communications from strangers making such requests.

There’s many ways to ask for help.

Look at how much the Canadian Truckies raised on a crowd-sourcing website, until TPTB decided to step in and dictate what causes are “State-Friendly” for your donations.