A bitcoin buyer is robbed, the latest game to pay in digital currency, and new initiatives for fighting ransomware are set forth. Want to catch up on your latest digital currency news? Take a look below.
Also read: Industry Report: Bitcoin Fraud Never Works
BITCOIN ROBBERY
A bitcoin buyer has undergone quite a scare after being robbed at knifepoint. 32-year-old Steve Manos of Lake Worth, Florida set out to take part in what he thought was a routine bitcoin sale last Sunday in a nearby parking lot. The thieves, whom Manos had done business with before, held him at knifepoint in the street before making off with the $28,000 USD he had brought for the respective purchase.
While unable to chase the thieves down, Manos later provided the phone number he used to contact the men before to the local sheriff’s office, which was able to arrest one of the burglars. 34-year-old Andre Allen now faces charges of armed robbery, burglary, and battery, and is being held in a Palm Beach County Jail.
TAKARA
Bitcoin-collection game Takara is giving Pokemon Go a “run for its money.” The new game is earning attention from bitcoin enthusiasts everywhere, who have the opportunity to collect cryptocurrency, as well as “tokens representing coupons, tickets, loyalty points, company stocks.”
Players follow a GPS map, which shows various locations where tokens have been “dropped.” Users can pick up these tokens only if they answer very specific questions, usually regarding the locations housing the tokens. The game has recently added support for Counterparty assets, which means players can pick up an essentially unlimited variety of tokens during their travels.
RANSOMWARE
Private and public party members such as Kaspersky Lab, Intel Security, and the Dutch National Police are joining forces to combat ransomware attacks.
Known as “No More Ransom,” the initiative is a means to bring groups together to battle ransomware and make it hard for cyber-criminals to prey on Internet users and finance magnates by “outsmarting them.” Criminal investigation director Wilber Paulisson of the Netherlands explains:
“We, the Dutch police, cannot fight against cybercrime and ransomware alone… This is a joint responsibility of the police, the justice department, Europol, and ICT companies, and requires a joint effort.”
The initiative is providing four decryption platforms that can allegedly stop up to two dozen forms of different ransomware. Nearly 30,000 attempts have been halted worldwide thanks to their combined strength.
Know of any stories that should be included in our regular industry reports? Post your thoughts and comments below!
Image courtesy of makikomi.jp.