A Minecraft server rivalry got seriously out of hand yesterday, when 24,000 bomb threats were sent to UK schools.
According to Sky News, the emails were sent to look like they came from Minecraft server site VeltPvP. According to one of the hoaxers, who spoke to Sky News, the emails were an attempt to get VeltPvP’s site domain suspended, in retaliation for DDoS attacks the site has allegedly carried out against other Minecraft servers.
VeltPvP took to Twitter to clarify they had not between behind the hoax:
We have nothing to do with the bomb threats that were sent out to the 400+ UK schools.
We’ve been being harassed by a group of cyber criminals that are trying to harass us in anyway possible.
We’re extremely sorry for anyone who had to deal with this, but just know it’s fake.
— VeltPvP (@VeltPvP) March 19, 2018
VeltPvP is a server where Minecraft players can set up PvP matches against one another. Carson Kallen, the site’s CEO, told BBC News this isn’t the first time VeltPvP has been attacked, but previous assaults have never been this extreme.
The threats came in the form of an email, which claimed a student had been sent into the schools with a bomb strapped to them, which was due to detonate in three hours time. The email, partly written in Arabic, then demanded $5,000 be sent to [email protected].
Over 400 UK schools, and colleges were affected by the hoax. Many institutions evacuated pupils after receiving the threat, though many police departments issues statements saying the threat was “not viable.”