An email threatening to blow up an airport unless Bitcoin worth around Rs 16 lakh was deposited within 24 hours in an account sparked a security scurry at the Calcutta airport on Sunday.
Bitcoin is the most popular digital currency in the world. It is unregulated by government authorities and is used across the world.
The email, which did not specify which airport would be blown up, was sent to the inbox of the Calcutta airport's duty manager early on Sunday.
Police officers investigating the threat said it was apparently a prank but failed to track down the sender till late on Sunday.
The mail was sent from the id [email protected]. Sigaint is an email service that can be operated with the help of specialised software and settings, and is used to mask a user's identity and location.
When officers of the Bidhannagar commissionerate's cyber crime division tried to reply to the sender's ID, the mail bounced back.
"The mail, which was sent to the duty manager's official ID and was read around 6am, asked for more than 60 Bitcoins to be deposited in an account within 24 hours, failing which an airport would be blown up," an officer said.
The exchange value on Sunday evening of 60 Bitcoins was a little more than Rs 16 lakh.
Bitcoin was created in 2009. Encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of units of Bitcoins and verify their transfer.
Bitcoin, not tied to any country, does not have any central authority or middlemen. From a user's perspective, it is nothing more than a mobile app or computer programme that provides a personal Bitcoin wallet and allows a user to send and receive Bitcoins.
Bitcoins are often used in illegal transactions like arms deals among terrorists.
Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160307/jsp/calcutta/story_73193.jsp
