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British Authorities Nail Online Blackmailers

Posted by timothy on from the whack-a-mole dept.

Iphtashu Fitz writes "CNet's News.com is reporting that 3 men have been arrested for allegedly blackmailing websites by threatening DDoS attacks if they didn't pay between $10,000 and $55,000. Britians National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) worked with the targeted websites to combat the DDoS attacks and to track their origin. With the help of Russian police they identified and arrested three Russians and expect more arrests in the near future."

3 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. In other news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...Slashdot is rumoured to be investigating a new method of securing additional "revenue"...

  2. DDoS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    And now Slashdot will DDoS them.

  3. Re:This is extortion not blackmail by rking · · Score: 5, Informative
    Blackmail is a specific crime in the UK, defined by section 21 of the Theft Act 1968 :

    21 (1) A person is guilty of blackmail if, with a view to gain for himself or another or with intent to cause loss to another, he makes any unwarranted demand with menaces; and for this purpose a demand with menaces is unwarranted unless the person making it does so in the belief:
    (a) that he has reasonable grounds for making the demand; and
    (b) that the sue of the menaces is a proper means of reinforcing the demand

    (2) The nature of the act or omission is immaterial , and it is also immaterial whether the menaces relate to action to be taken by the person making the demand.

    (3) A person guilty of blakmail shall on conviction non indictment be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.


    These people are being accused of blackmail.