Orion businesses among those targeted in bogus bomb threats demanding payment

At least two Orion Township businesses were part of the bomb threat scams sent by email nationwide and across the world on Thursday.

The emails directed the recipients to deposit $20,000 in Bitcoin into a designated account or a bomb would be detonated in their facilities.

HealthQuest Physical Therapy, 3009 S. Baldwin Rd., and Patriot Wholesale Direct, 260 Englewood Drive, both received the email on Dec. 13 stating that there was a bomb in their buildings, according to incident reports from Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe’s office.

The emails stated that if the recipient of the email did not transfer the funds, an individual at the building would detonate a bomb.

Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies responded to HealthQuest at 1:20 p.m. after the manager reported the threat.

Deputies conducted a search of the building and surrounding area but did not find an explosive device.

Patriot Wholesale Direct received an identical email threat at 3:21 p.m. Neither business had any other threats in the past, according to the report.

Deputies received information that several other jurisdictions in the southeastern region of Michigan, including Walled Lake, Farmington, Ann Arbor, Franklin, Southfield, Roseville and Saint Clair Shores, had received similar threats.

The threats were determined “not credible” and the investigation revealed the emails had originated from overseas, according to the report.

 

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