VICTORIA -- The Victoria Police Department is warning local businesses of a suspected Canada-wide bomb threat scam that targets local businesses.

Police say that businesses may receive an email that threatens that a store will “be attacked with a bomb” if they fail to transfer funds to a bitcoin account within 80 hours.

VicPD says that businesses across the country have been targeted with this email message.

However, police say that no evidence of explosives have appeared at businesses so far, “leading officers to believe that these threats are a suspected hoax designed to use fear to extort money.”

Anyone who receives an email that makes similar threats is advised not to send funds or bitcoins to the emailer. Instead, call the Victoria police non-emergency line at 250-995-7654.

Further information on how to recognize fraud can be found on VicPd’s website here.