Families and business owners in Abbotsford, B.C., are being shaken by a rise in extortion-related threats, which police say are becoming more frequent and violent.
One victim told CBC News they've been facing extortion threats for months, often being woken up at night with dozens of phone calls with no caller ID, random text messages and ongoing threats to shoot them.
"They're saying give us money or watch out," said the victim. "I'm just so scared."
CBC News has verified the threats with Abbotsford police and is not identifying the victim due to their safety concerns.
Police in Abbotsford, which is located about 65 kilometres east of Vancouver, say they've received 38 reports of extortion-related incidents between November 2023 and September 2025. The majority of those cases involved non-violent methods, including threatening letters, phone calls or text messages demanding money from victims.
But in September, police say the threats appeared to be getting worse, with violence escalating to incl
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