The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is searching for information abroad to nab the serial extortionists who phoned bomb threats to more than 26 grocery stores, banks and discount stores in 17 U.S. states. The scam demanded store workers to wire money into a specified account or otherwise a bomb would be exploded. Not all the employees fell for the hoax, but in at least five or six locations many thousands of dollars were sent abroad.

It appears that a Wal-Mart in Newport, RI has the lead with a total wired sum of $10,000 to the caller. The FBI is investigating the wire transfers with the help of European authorities, as the account was from a Portugal bank. The government agency is optimistic about catching the thieves:

"We've got some pretty good leads," FBI spokesman Rich Kolko said. "Up to this point these are hoaxes. . . . I think folks are catching on and not sending the money."

The usual pattern was that a man called the store and talked as if he was watching and knew the movements of everybody inside. Then he made some demands to the employees, such as to take off their clothes or sit on the floor, mentioning the imminent bomb threat or that he would shoot them. After building some pressure on the workers, the caller demanded the wire transfer. In one case, he also ordered a bank employee to put drawer and vault money in bags and go to the parking lot, which he would have done if it wasn't for the incoming deputies who stopped him.

Copycat calls have also been placed and it's still unclear which ones were they. "At this point, there's enough similarities that we think it's potentially one person or one group," FBI spokesman Rich Kolko said to the AP. No one has been hurt and no bombs have been found, but the threats have disrupted the activity of the stores and banks and of the law enforcement agencies. The FBI did not want to recommend what should be done if such a threatening call is made, and left the decision up to each company's internal policies.