Lauda: It's not about what actually works.
Assume you're a script kiddie or just a random jerk. You have just enough wits to know telling your victims to pay you via PayPal is a bad idea, but are too lazy, dumb and unconnected to what.other options are available. Until, presto, Bitcoin! You hear it's anonymous and exactly what you need, so you're in business now!
Sure, it's not actually anonymous, but you and people like you won't figure that out until enough of you inevitably get busted.
That's why cryptolocker is such a failure, script kiddies only managed to get
US$27 million before not getting busted.
Of course, the
script kiddies that h4xx0rd Hollywood hospital only got $17,000 in bitcoin before getting not busted, but that's a different story...