Email Death Threats

PORTAGE (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Someone's sending death threats in an effort to extort thousands of dollars from frightened people.

The sender says he's a killer contracted by one of your friends to take your life by whatever means necessary. Your only hope, to send $15,000. The e-mail also warns you not to contact police or tell anyone else. Or your family could also be targeted.

Portage police contacted the FBI, who says this is a scheme. They believe the sender is overseas possibly somewhere in Pakistan.

They point out, the message seems generic like a template, randomly sent out. The warning do not reply to the sender.

“There are people who have answered things like this and what happens is they'll tell you to send something overseas and then to meet at a location. There have been individuals known to go overseas to try and meet with an individual. All the time, they're sending money and sending money to these strange locations and strange P.O. Boxes somewhere." said Sgt. John Blue of the Portage Police Department.

If you receive one of these messages, police say you should read it over. If it seems non-specific meaning it doesn't include your name, or details about your daily routine, detectives suggest it's likely a scheme to get your money.

Report it to the Federal Government. You can do that at www.Ic3.Gov. If you believe the threat is specific, targeting you and seems real. Then, you should contact your local police right away.