Topic: Criminals in South Africa wants bitcoins (Read 271 times)

You made the whole crime look as if is all about Bitcoin,  knippers collect tons of their ransom in different currencies as it is convenient for their ransom collection,  the most used is the US dollar so should we now say the dollar support crimes or all crimes committed using the dollar have been exposed?
-The answer remains, that it will only suit the criminal to demand any currency for payment and not only bitcoin.
-Another thing to note is that criminals work with information,  and once their gain such information that the parent of the kidnapped kid has some bitcoin stashed their may work with that formation and demand for bitcoin instead of other currencies.

I believe we all can agree that the duty of any government on earth is to guarantee safety and do their best to provide prosperity.
Even though cases like these one has stigmatized the Bitcoin community in the past, the fact is that Bitcoin is a tool and has nothing to do with the consequences of a country's management on crime.

Even if those criminals did not know about Bitcoin, they would have left behind a note asking for cash or gold for ransom.

In time, this sort of ransomeware would become common with criminals and give the government another hedge to hinge on as to why, they should look the other way with bitcoin.

The crime rate in South African and gun killings is significantly high such that, some serious proactive measures needs to be put in place to pit this to a final stop.

I was watching a CCTV footage of the AKA killings and it was just intent and swift. I feel pity for the victim and the country. Its just so much over there.

It's possible that these criminals don't understand that bitcoin transaction can be traced especially if they person choose to use centralized platforms that demands KYC requirement. They might think that it would be impossible to track them which is very wrong. Sometimes these criminals don't think properly. In my country one armed robber gave out his account number for the victim to transfer funds. After the robbery, he was cheaply arrested because of his bank details.
The news is no big deal because bitcoin just like fiat is a legal tender which can be used to carryout both legal and illegal transactions. But it is clear that bitcoin can easily be traced than cash.

How devastating digital crime can get.indeed,hopefully a software program will come up soon to curb crimes of these sought,not only kidnapping but BTC scams too.perhaps these criminals use multiple wallets for their various nefarious activities just so they remain anonymous.kidnapping is not something anyone would wish for,my heart goes out to that young victim.

The biggest criminals in the world are in the governments, or behind them. They already have all the crypto they need, and they are getting more. They are also trying to drag everyone into their own crypto (that they are making), so they can control everything.

Yes in our country SA anything is possible. The criminals think they are educated.

jeah if they would have been smart they would have demanded monero...

At least that bitcoin payment may be traced to some extent but later there will be hijackers who will demand to exchange the bitcoins for anonymous cryptocoins that can not be tracked. Possessing cryptocoins has its dangerous side because of these kinds of things that will increase in the future.

There was another kidnapping in Nigeria where the kidnappers also demanded that the ransom should be paid in bitcoins as well, they do really understand the the anonymity of the bitcoins.

wow this is I first discovered the crime of ransom with bitcoin, this could have a negative impact on crypto for some people, but I dont think we can blame it on bitcoin or  any  crypto assets that need to be corrected or blamed is the user, but I am grateful the victim has been saved... 

Blame whites for everything, because in South Africa its always the white people who is doing thing wrong. Read the thread of KIANA and if you understand it you will know  if White farmers was involved or another party.

Here I thought the white farmers were the criminals. Or is that who you were talking about?

It is harder to trace cash than Bitcoin. I assume criminals still prefer cash, if they are smart.
I guess the benefit of Bitcoin for criminals is that they don't need to physically show up to pick up money.
Although it is harder to cash in those bitcoins later without compromising your identity,

To be honest, there are smarter ways to do this.
I would assume professional criminals will always prefer cash, since they can send somebody to pick up money for them, but it is hard to say.

There are benefits both for cash and for Bitcoin, when it comes to privacy. It is hard to say what is a preferable way for criminals in general.

Typical people who really don't know what is going on in some countries. Who must be proud now?  And why must the person be proud. Its uneducated people who comment like this. To kidnapped a child is not a joke. Go to the circuses to laugh about this. Grow up!!!!!!! The kidnapers demanded to be paid in Bitcoin. But obviously you will not know. Negative TRUST is a BAD thing.

I hope you are proud now

There you got it.In South Africa the criminals demanded bitcoins for a child who they kidnap.I don't think they know really what bitcoin is all about.You will read more and more story's about this type behavior of criminals.Criminals  will do this all over the world .I think one of these day's there  will be a program that can track your movements of your bitcoin in the way criminals  behave  nowadays.

Here is the full story 

"  Mpumalanga boy whose kidnappers demanded Bitcoin found
  46 minutes ago   Jan Bornman and Iavan Pijoos
Mpumalanga police have confirmed that Katlego Marite, the 12-year-old boy who was abducted outside his home in eMalahleni this past weekend, has been found.

Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said he was found in eMalahleni on Thursday afternoon.

"We found him around Witbank. He was found alone," Hlathi said.

"I am on my way there and I will get more information. The investigators are with him, so they can’t speak to me," he said.


ALSO READ: Kidnappers demand bitcoin ransom, valued at R1.5m, for abducted teen

Marite was kidnapped outside his parents’ home on Sunday afternoon. Hlathi said Marite was taken by a man dressed in black with a green jacket, before jumping into a gold-coloured Toyota Corolla.

"Katlego’s friends ran to his mom and told her about the ordeal, she in turn reported the incident to the police," he said.

A ransom note was allegedly left behind demanding a ransom of 15 Bitcoin for his release. The value of 15 Bitcoin – the decentralised, digital, cryptocurrency – is roughly around R1.5m."