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Topic: A strong caution to anyone considering buying Pirate obligations - page 2. (Read 2994 times)

legendary
Activity: 826
Merit: 1001
rippleFanatic
Why not buy someones debt, then bet the same amount you paid against Matthew? Worst case, you get your money back. Best case, Pirate pays. Can't lose.

And you can't win either, because if the hedges are equal then you're neutral. so why bother.
legendary
Activity: 826
Merit: 1001
rippleFanatic
Using what other people are doing as to their debt sales is rather idiotic.  This market has already proven (long before btcst) that it doesn't always act rationally/logically.
I agree. That's why I'm warning people to exercise extreme caution if they do that. There is not just the risk of irrational actors but in this case, there's a risk of rational actors who acquired the asset for free and know that it is worthless.

There's no difference in any of the cases. From the beginning, pirate was a rational actor peddling a 7%/wk generating "asset" that he knew was worthless. All the GLBSE bonds are created for free by the sellers. etc etc
sr. member
Activity: 252
Merit: 250
Why not buy someones debt, then bet the same amount you paid against Matthew? Worst case, you get your money back. Best case, Pirate pays. Can't lose.

if MNW will pay out, yes.

Indeed. He seems a bit... unwell.
legendary
Activity: 2856
Merit: 1520
Bitcoin Legal Tender Countries: 2 of 206
Why not buy someones debt, then bet the same amount you paid against Matthew? Worst case, you get your money back. Best case, Pirate pays. Can't lose.

if MNW will pay out, yes.
hero member
Activity: 778
Merit: 1002
Why not buy someones debt, then bet the same amount you paid against Matthew? Worst case, you get your money back. Best case, Pirate pays. Can't lose.
legendary
Activity: 1596
Merit: 1012
Democracy is vulnerable to a 51% attack.
Using what other people are doing as to their debt sales is rather idiotic.  This market has already proven (long before btcst) that it doesn't always act rationally/logically.
I agree. That's why I'm warning people to exercise extreme caution if they do that. There is not just the risk of irrational actors but in this case, there's a risk of rational actors who acquired the asset for free and know that it is worthless.
vip
Activity: 574
Merit: 500
Don't send me a pm unless you gpg encrypt it.
In that case, you would know that this isn't an issue in that specific transaction. But you might still be basing the going rate on the market's estimation of a Pirate default, an estimation that could be contaminated by bogus transactions.

Using what other people are doing as to their debt sales is rather idiotic.  This market has already proven (long before btcst) that it doesn't always act rationally/logically.
legendary
Activity: 826
Merit: 1001
rippleFanatic
The only thing dumber than this is buying insurance or default bets (other than against MNW, who does not request that you deposit first).

Oh look, we have a winner. Rarity buying BitcoinMax exposure for his/her "spiritual group". I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

I have no special insider information.  I handle all my financial transactions with clarity of mind by performing a non-reactive analytical inspection of all available facts.  I have no doubt these transactions will prove fruitful for me.
legendary
Activity: 1596
Merit: 1012
Democracy is vulnerable to a 51% attack.
Completely ignoring that the counter-party might have a long, well established identity that doesn't match anything to do with pirate.
In that case, you would know that this isn't an issue in that specific transaction. But you might still be basing the going rate on the market's estimation of a Pirate default, an estimation that could be contaminated by bogus transactions.

Quote
Seriously, thanks for the PSA, but let's not spread paranoia.
You're welcome.
newbie
Activity: 42
Merit: 0
there are lots o money making opportunities if you are the man on the switch  of a closing venture...

vip
Activity: 574
Merit: 500
Don't send me a pm unless you gpg encrypt it.
Please take this caution seriously. I don't know for a fact that this is happening, but there's a very serious risk associated with buying Pirate debt that is not obvious. The debt you are buying may not actually exist even if you confirmed it.

1) John Smith comes to you and says, "Pirate owes me 10,000 BTC. Would you like to buy this obligation for 5,400 BTC?"

2) You confirm that this obligation exists with Pirate.

3) You think Pirate might pay back, and it seems like a reasonably good risk, so you buy it.

4) But John Smith may actually *be* Pirate and the 10,000 BTC may never have been deposited at all.

5) Pirate just got 5,400 BTC for an obligation that never actually existed and that he never intends to pay back.

I would strongly urge people *not* to buy any Pirate obligations. It's not just that Pirate might default, it's that selling the obligations may be an engineered part of a default. As I've argued elsewhere, this is one of the best explanations for why Pirate would have bought himself a week or so to make payouts. This is all time he can sell non-existing obligations for real money.


Completely ignoring that the counter-party might have a long, well established identity that doesn't match anything to do with pirate.  Seriously, thanks for the PSA, but let's not spread paranoia.
legendary
Activity: 1596
Merit: 1012
Democracy is vulnerable to a 51% attack.
Please take this caution seriously. I don't know for a fact that this is happening, but there's a very serious risk associated with buying Pirate debt that is not obvious. The debt you are buying may not actually exist even if you confirmed it.

1) John Smith comes to you and says, "Pirate owes me 10,000 BTC. Would you like to buy this obligation for 5,400 BTC?"

2) You confirm that this obligation exists with Pirate.

3) You think Pirate might pay back, and it seems like a reasonably good risk, so you buy it.

4) But John Smith may actually *be* Pirate and the 10,000 BTC may never have been deposited at all.

5) Pirate just got 5,400 BTC for an obligation that never actually existed and that he never intends to pay back.

I would strongly urge people *not* to buy any Pirate obligations. It's not just that Pirate might default, it's that selling the obligations may be an engineered part of a default. As I've argued elsewhere, this is one of the best explanations for why Pirate would have bought himself a week or so to make payouts. This is all time he can sell non-existing obligations for real money.
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