South Africa Kidnappers demands Ransom in Bitcoin to free teenager

[audaciousbeing]

A criminal gang in South Africa who kidnapped a teenage boy on Sunday are demanding a ransom in bitcoin crytocurrency of nearly $120,000, police said.

http://www.africanews.com/2018/05/23/south-africa-kidnappers-demand-ransom-in-bitcoin-to-free-teenager
How will such news affect critics view of bitcoins?

These are calibre of people that we should collectively castigate and ensure they are not getting any support despite our love for crypto currency. People like this are continuing in destroying the already fragile relationship between government and their grouse against bitcoin. Even though government have their own blame for not ensuring that security of life and property is adequate, they would then use this as an excuse to further launch their attacks against bitcoin forgetting with less emphasis on their own inefficiencies.

We can only hope that the young lad is return back to his family unhurt because I can imagine the trauma that he would have been through with the hope of those people getting caught dimmer than if other form of payment have been requested.

[jpnl0005]

New innovation lol with kidnappers maybe they might have been told the value of it so they want to explore to know it feels to own it ,But honestly speaking this a whole new negative point on bitcoin God help us.

[Ivonjoshua]

I sympathize with the aggrieved family. But asking for bitcoin as ransome is a bit awkward.

[bridgeport]

A criminal gang in South Africa who kidnapped a teenage boy on Sunday are demanding a ransom in bitcoin crytocurrency of nearly $120,000, police said.

http://www.africanews.com/2018/05/23/south-africa-kidnappers-demand-ransom-in-bitcoin-to-free-teenager
How will such news affect critics view of bitcoins?

 Another FUD in the social media stream, it'is not a new one, it's been a strategy that big whales and other manipulators being orchestrated for a long time but still there are weak people are victimized with this kind of strategy, but if this news is really true then it could be creating another negative effect as it is one reason with why regulation being impose.

[st tiger]

I wish that teenager become free soon from the kidnapper. This news is a sighn that what kind of things bad people do for bitcoin. The demand of bitcoin is rising so its price. But whenever we do something we also think about our future. It is also a good sign for us that we can invest in bitcoin trading.

[The cure]

I don't think so,but maybe you just read a fake news! There's no bad elements who will plan to kidnap their subject just for ransom of bitcoin instead of hard cash.

[Mr.Dick]

A criminal gang in South Africa who kidnapped a teenage boy on Sunday are demanding a ransom in bitcoin crytocurrency of nearly $120,000, police said.

http://www.africanews.com/2018/05/23/south-africa-kidnappers-demand-ransom-in-bitcoin-to-free-teenager
How will such news affect critics view of bitcoins?

hmm every news is good news? for sure this will affect the view of btc to some. but on the other hand side btc becomes popular..

[Ais08]

Surely this would be difficult if we see that most people out there use all the means to extradite Bitcoin extensively, whether it's for the needs of terrorists whether a gang of segrombols that seeks to take advantage of the moment, at least it can be followed up by the local authorities how to unveil the victims of the kidnappers who notabennya request ransom Bitcoin which is calculated very much ...

[stompix]

How will such news affect critics view of bitcoins?

It's not the first, and it's not going to be the last, so nobody cares about this anymore.
Just two months ago:

Kidnappers demand ransom in bitcoin
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/kidnappers-demand-ransom-in-bitcoin/

And that's nothing compared to this one:
Taiwanese Kidnappers Receive $1.68M Bitcoin Ransom from Billionaire Yuk-Kwan
https://cointelegraph.com/news/taiwanese-kidnappers-receive-168m-bitcoin-ransom-from-billionaire-yuk-kwan

Do a google search and I'm willing to be you;re going to find at least 10 cases in less than 5 minutes..

So, if you're expecting something big, you're going to be disappointed

[Jpja]

Of course, this story about the abduction of a teenager is just terrible! But this does not affect the use of bitcoin - the bandits could demand a ransom in fiat money. It's strange that they know anything about bitcoins at all...

[freakdust123]

Thats aweful since then, when the criminals are still free, when they going to free the kidnap victim, Bitcoin transaction is hiding someones identity!

[Pamadar]

It's not new anymore, a lots of previous incidents happened before and didn't change any critics points of view, bitcoin is a currency and if those kidnappers are well informed how to use this system to avoid physical contacts with the family of their victims then we cant deny the fact that they will use it for their benefits, nothing was change and nothing is new with this news, better to research more about bitcoin history and learn from those previous information.

[badakjawa]

the criminal rate there is very high., I think this is a stupid act, but on the other side, crypto has become a trend in the world. so crypto will be more popular.

does the kidnapper have not a better way to get crypto?

and this is the lesson for us, to be more careful, we better not talk much about the amount of crypto we have. and do not spread to others.

[Jossy111]

well am so sorry for the family affected though, lots of haters of bitcoin will start to carry this bad news around now knowing fully well that it will tag bitcoin with negative comments from the public. but i want us all to know that there is nothing that cannot be abused, so the terrorist groups also know that the best way to obtain ransom fee without getting compromised with their identity by their prey or police is through BTC since it can be anonymously transfer without a trace.

[Free1bitco.in]

My advice is not to give information about bad bitcoin, kidnappers are bad activities that undermine the popularity of bitcoin.
this news will only add to bitcoin suffering for longer because with bad news about bitcoin indirectly will lower the price of bitcoin back down. and that often happens

[Kprawn]

Well, I was following this news and I just saw that they found the boy. It also looks like they paid the ransom, so this is just

going to become a trend now. I am not saying that the ransom should not have been paid, but someone must find a way to

stop these f#$%ers!. Here is the Bitcoin address :

https://blockchain.info/address/3GEBeMBU9oMu9dunS8ArmvHDpyn327DipH

I got this from here --> https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/8li7bn/bitcoin_for_ransom_south_africas_first_case/

...and here is the article : https://www.enca.com/south-africa/Boy-in-bitcoin-kidnapping-case-found

Just glad that they found him and that he is safe. Some of the coins was moved, so I guess people are following this.  

If anyone know how to trace these guys, please send the information to the South African authorities, so that we as a

community can stop this, before it becomes a trend.  

[walemil]

The kidnappers request is in bitcoin because bitcoin is the most valuable of all cryptocurrencies and because it can help them prevent their identities from being tracked by the law enforcement agencies. This type of development can hasten the position of government towards regulating cryptocurrencies.

[Nurul_]

they may know that being redeemed using bitcoins will make them more profitable and gain huge profits for the future.
or a second possibility. if redeemed with bitcoin transactions they will become more difficult to be investigated by the police (police)

[Kotone]

A criminal gang in South Africa who kidnapped a teenage boy on Sunday are demanding a ransom in bitcoin crytocurrency of nearly $120,000, police said.

http://www.africanews.com/2018/05/23/south-africa-kidnappers-demand-ransom-in-bitcoin-to-free-teenager
How will such news affect critics view of bitcoins?

This is one of the issues or kinks that I think most of the countries are worried about if bitcoin or the cryptocurrency would be adopted by the whole of the world. ITs greatest asset which is anonymity would also be the one thing that would be considered its greatest weakness. The governments of some of the world have called put that bitcoin though it has its potential also can open doors otherwise unheard of due to the features it has built on

[bedulook]

Criminals are going to make a case of out of this news and use it to make money from kidnappers. This is one disadvantages of bitcoins.