Topic: Hunting Notorious "Group Buy" Scammer [Avalon-Shenzhen, VX-Miners, USB Erupters] - page 2. (Read 2873 times)
May 12, 2014, 04:35:55 AM
Its absolutely superb! All those fuqin scamms and poor victims like the army vet and other guys really seeing bitcoin as a possible investment oportunity and for good reason to. YOU keep grindin man :-)
May 12, 2014, 04:15:19 AM
Thanks for posting this, very useful information.
May 11, 2014, 07:45:09 PM
Reserved for information post
Hello i just wanted too show my appreciation....i was the other thread starter for the "investegation" off the AvalonShenzhen scam..i must really say im happy too see you allready got som clues! ive been waiting a long time for that guys name lol. And i am a scam victim, and we allready agreed om 20-25bitcoins as a finders fee. i mean fuck it lets just say here and now its 30BTC alot off the people have given up the search annyhow so im just goin too up the bounty too 30. feel free to maybee use the other 10 too get yourself some outside help in I O U - BTC
lets catch this guy KORVA May 11, 2014, 05:58:52 PM
Scammer Facts & Info
Updated 5.13.2014
This is a compilation of the basic fact and information we know about the scams and the scammer(s). It will be updated as often as possible when new informations discovered and confirmed. The following three scam (and possibly more) are believed to all be committed by same person. They all share similar style, attention to detail, linguistic patterns and money laundering techniques. This also may be the handiwork of same person responsible for phishing scam outbreak on forums.
Basic Info on the Scams
---------------------------------------------------
Avalon-Shenzhen Scam:
---------------------------------------------------
Thread URLs:
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/mod-please-delete-424621
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/avalonshenzhen-batch4-25-avalon-215ghs-btc110-scam-467404
Scammer Username:
AvalonShenzhen
Scam Payment Address:
1Mzyo7PYfsxNLyNWhnznUYfiX1Kf6LFqkh
---------------------------------------------------
VX-Miners Scam:
---------------------------------------------------
Thread URLs:
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/closed-vx-1-miner-group-buy-free-1-ths-miner-giveaway-452850
Scammer Username:
The Observer
Scam Payment Address:
---------------------------------------------------
"USB Erupters" Scam
---------------------------------------------------
Thread URLs:
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/group-buy-please-read-1000-pcs-usb-erupters-euint-price-089btc-252180
Scammer Username:
vdragon
Scam Payment Address:
1NoW8WSMkkCPb1xRAN3oLQXo5QmC8Lvw7w
Updated 5.13.2014
This is a compilation of the basic fact and information we know about the scams and the scammer(s). It will be updated as often as possible when new informations discovered and confirmed. The following three scam (and possibly more) are believed to all be committed by same person. They all share similar style, attention to detail, linguistic patterns and money laundering techniques. This also may be the handiwork of same person responsible for phishing scam outbreak on forums.
Basic Info on the Scams
---------------------------------------------------
Avalon-Shenzhen Scam:
---------------------------------------------------
Thread URLs:
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/mod-please-delete-424621
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/avalonshenzhen-batch4-25-avalon-215ghs-btc110-scam-467404
Scammer Username:
AvalonShenzhen
Scam Payment Address:
1Mzyo7PYfsxNLyNWhnznUYfiX1Kf6LFqkh
---------------------------------------------------
VX-Miners Scam:
---------------------------------------------------
Thread URLs:
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/closed-vx-1-miner-group-buy-free-1-ths-miner-giveaway-452850
Scammer Username:
The Observer
Scam Payment Address:
---------------------------------------------------
"USB Erupters" Scam
---------------------------------------------------
Thread URLs:
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/group-buy-please-read-1000-pcs-usb-erupters-euint-price-089btc-252180
Scammer Username:
vdragon
Scam Payment Address:
1NoW8WSMkkCPb1xRAN3oLQXo5QmC8Lvw7w
May 11, 2014, 05:43:24 PM
Only last night I became aware of a "group buy scammer" behind the notorious "Avalon-Shenzhen Scam". He is probably also perpetrator of numerous other "group buy" and other type scams, including VX-Miners, the "1000 pcs USB Erupters Scam" and many other. May also be involved in or related to outbreak of pm phishing scams, such as this scam in which a scammer pose as "Vod" and "austin" to steal a bounty for finding another scammer! 
I become interested in taking up hunt of scammer upon discovery of 20,00 BTC bounty on his head from victim of Avalon-Shenzhen and possible bounty from other victims. So I start my hunt looking at forum threads and basic information...
Avalon-Shenzhen, VX-Miners, USB Erupters and many other group buy scam all share similar characteristic. My English personally is bad, but after consulted friend of mine in USA who speak English, German and Finnish he says scammer is probably not native English speaker but probably speaker of Central European language. This can be faked, said he, so it is only educated guess. But it get more interesting...
I begin analyzing network forensic data and peeling through proxy and Tor exit node used by scammer. I happen upon particular IP address used by scammer to access forum. IP address come back as locate in state of Wisconsin. But what interesting about it is that after do back-trace of network activity with help of South Korean service, I find that this IP address been used from country of Poland... central European nation...
What more interesting is that there is particular Polish person who in past used IP address months before scams take place, and he make a lot of spam posts on Polish and Central European blogs. Many of these posts has mention "Bitcoin" and "Bitcoin mining", and also possible connected to other non-Bitcoin scam, phishing, frauds and other thing! Also find possibly related activity on PirateBay and other file-share websites asking for Bitcoin donation.
Now I summarize what currently leads I have...
Current Leads & Suspicion:
It is not much, and none of this truly confirm yet. But it is great start for less than one day hunting. I feel like I have solid foundation under foots now to try begin a case against the scammer build. To all victim of this scammer I want you to know someone really do care and is hunting the bastard. And it already appear he overestimate anonymity of Tor, Bitcoin and proxy he use and make critical error in covering track. A name, dox and maybe even arrest could eventually be result of this investigation. Recovering of stolen fund may be too much to hope for, but anything is possible. It too early to make any promise, but I trying really hard.
I do this for two reason. Most obvious reason, I want to catch scammer and claim bounty. His head on spike worth quite a bit coin. But also I hate scammers with burning passion. I have been victim of scam before like many of you. I feel very bad for victims. I very touched by story of user "kenmor666" particular, a disable military veteran who scammer stole from him over $5.000,00 USD of bitcoin and financial devastate him. All victim of scammer real people with real story and real lives, and this hurt them very seriously. There are few wealthy victims who probably not hurt as badly, but they still deserve also justice.
I must be careful what discovery and informations I share publicly. Most important, we don't want to give scammer ability to hide his footprints by revealing too much detail. Second, I don't allow trickster to claim credit for my labors and try to snatch bounty out my fingern. However I willing to cooperate and share information with other hunter best as possible without compromise investigation or loss my own compensation for much hard labor that will come.
I will update thread with news and update of hunt when possible. I canot be hunter all hour of the day and the night because I regular working person with job and must eat and pays the bills like all of you. If I find scammer and uncover name and personal detail I would like to use trusted escrow agent for exchange of information and bounty. I will not beg for donation but donation would help me spends more time on investigation. Then I need not work so much overtime and other job to sustain myself. I will let just thr community decide if my work worthy of donation and how to handle fairly and transparent.
Currently I compiling arsenal of information about scams and scammer. Bitcoin address, transaction, IP address, Tor exit node, network activity and all sort of information. I will be releasing some of these informations periodically so others may aid investigation.
If you like to help me and investigation, give tip or info or have any question please send to me a pm. I doing my best and will work on investigation all time I have my time free!
Thanks
I become interested in taking up hunt of scammer upon discovery of 20,00 BTC bounty on his head from victim of Avalon-Shenzhen and possible bounty from other victims. So I start my hunt looking at forum threads and basic information...
Avalon-Shenzhen, VX-Miners, USB Erupters and many other group buy scam all share similar characteristic. My English personally is bad, but after consulted friend of mine in USA who speak English, German and Finnish he says scammer is probably not native English speaker but probably speaker of Central European language. This can be faked, said he, so it is only educated guess. But it get more interesting...
I begin analyzing network forensic data and peeling through proxy and Tor exit node used by scammer. I happen upon particular IP address used by scammer to access forum. IP address come back as locate in state of Wisconsin. But what interesting about it is that after do back-trace of network activity with help of South Korean service, I find that this IP address been used from country of Poland... central European nation...
What more interesting is that there is particular Polish person who in past used IP address months before scams take place, and he make a lot of spam posts on Polish and Central European blogs. Many of these posts has mention "Bitcoin" and "Bitcoin mining", and also possible connected to other non-Bitcoin scam, phishing, frauds and other thing! Also find possibly related activity on PirateBay and other file-share websites asking for Bitcoin donation.
Now I summarize what currently leads I have...
Current Leads & Suspicion:
- Scammer behind Avalon-Shenzhen, VX-Miners, USB Erupters and numerous other same person
- ... is native of Poland and probably live in there today
- ... may be fan of "Miklos Rozsa" and active on PirateBay May find leads here
- ... make money from blackhat SEO activity
- ... possible linked to phishing and other scam/fraud inside and outside bitcoin community
- ... scammer probably friend with other Central European scammer; notice related activity and spam for payday loan, mortgage and credit scam/fraud
It is not much, and none of this truly confirm yet. But it is great start for less than one day hunting. I feel like I have solid foundation under foots now to try begin a case against the scammer build. To all victim of this scammer I want you to know someone really do care and is hunting the bastard. And it already appear he overestimate anonymity of Tor, Bitcoin and proxy he use and make critical error in covering track. A name, dox and maybe even arrest could eventually be result of this investigation. Recovering of stolen fund may be too much to hope for, but anything is possible. It too early to make any promise, but I trying really hard.
I do this for two reason. Most obvious reason, I want to catch scammer and claim bounty. His head on spike worth quite a bit coin. But also I hate scammers with burning passion. I have been victim of scam before like many of you. I feel very bad for victims. I very touched by story of user "kenmor666" particular, a disable military veteran who scammer stole from him over $5.000,00 USD of bitcoin and financial devastate him. All victim of scammer real people with real story and real lives, and this hurt them very seriously. There are few wealthy victims who probably not hurt as badly, but they still deserve also justice.
I must be careful what discovery and informations I share publicly. Most important, we don't want to give scammer ability to hide his footprints by revealing too much detail. Second, I don't allow trickster to claim credit for my labors and try to snatch bounty out my fingern. However I willing to cooperate and share information with other hunter best as possible without compromise investigation or loss my own compensation for much hard labor that will come.
I will update thread with news and update of hunt when possible. I canot be hunter all hour of the day and the night because I regular working person with job and must eat and pays the bills like all of you. If I find scammer and uncover name and personal detail I would like to use trusted escrow agent for exchange of information and bounty. I will not beg for donation but donation would help me spends more time on investigation. Then I need not work so much overtime and other job to sustain myself. I will let just thr community decide if my work worthy of donation and how to handle fairly and transparent.
Currently I compiling arsenal of information about scams and scammer. Bitcoin address, transaction, IP address, Tor exit node, network activity and all sort of information. I will be releasing some of these informations periodically so others may aid investigation.
If you like to help me and investigation, give tip or info or have any question please send to me a pm. I doing my best and will work on investigation all time I have my time free!
Thanks
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