Asking for what you want

Ransom:

"a sum of money demanded or paid for the release of a captive."

Ransomware:

"a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until the target pays a sum of money."

Looking at samples of ransomware notes.

Some observations on the note: The instructions are very clear

1. They tell you exactly what they did, so you know what happened
2. They outline how standard troubleshooting methods could permanently damage the data
3. They give step-by-step instructions for contacting them to retrieve the information
4. They inform you of the time-sensitivity of contacting them by a specified period of time.

Here's another example:

An almost identical note. Can you spot where these two ransom notes diverge?

When the stakes are high, you cannot afford the risk of misinterpreted messages. I don't condone the actions, but this is a great example of how clear communication is so important.

Unless the intention is not to get the message across but to misdirect.

When one party wants to give a vague response, here are some ways they could beat around the bush: