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The department was contacted by a local resident who received a letter threatening “Blackmail.”
The letter stated, "I know about the secret you are keeping from your wife. More importantly, I have evidence of what you are hiding." The letter then demanded that the resident "payoff" the sender with Bitcoin, an online digital currency system, in order to keep the secret.
The sender gives the recipient two options: Pay the $3,500 or ignore the letter and be exposed. Ignoring the letter will result in the "evidence" being sent to the recipient's wife and her family and friends. The recipient's name appears in several places in the letter giving the appearance that the threat is authentic.
"Please be advised that this is a scam," the department said in a statement Thursday. "If you have received one of these letters in the mail, do not send money. If funds are transferred in this format, they cannot be traced or recovered."
The Darien Police Department is advising residents to ignore letters of this type if they are mailed to you.
An investigation has determined that these letters are being sent from out of state and are not hand-delivered. Residents of other towns in Connecticut and in Massachusetts have received letters of this type. If you have received one of these letters, it is not necessary to contact the Police Department.
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