Topic: [INFO] Breached or Scam coin makers list - page 2. (Read 88709 times)

Coldkey Scam Reference



NOTE: THIS IS MY ATTEMPT TO BRING SOME STRUCTURE INTO THE CHAOS CAUSED BY YOGG AND HIS SWEEP-SCAM.
THIS POST IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION but mostly done for now


Approximate Timeline
- prior to the sweep: unfunded cards, loans from various folks, website down, massive delay in delivering cards, attempt to give away responsibility by giving CEO position to cygan: in retro looks like a clear forshadowing of the sweep-scam*¹
- Jan 12, 2023, 11:22:00 AM (UTC/ New York Time +5): First Sweeps Appear on the Blockchain - Link (Transaction)
- Jan 12, 2023, 02:59:50 PM (UTC/ New York Time +5): First shoutout by YodasRedRocket <3 about sweeps on some of the halving coldkey cards detected. - Link (Forum)
- Jan 13, 2023, 01:03:49 AM (UTC/ New York Time +5): Background info of what "happened" coming from a phone call with yogg by owlcatz. Link (Forum)
- Jan 13, 2023, 09:07:31 AM (UTC/ New York Time +5): More background info directly from yogg, posted by Mopar. - Link (Forum)
- Jan 15, 2023, 00:20:20 AM (UTC/ New York Time +5): Even more info on conversations with yogg after the theft occured (by Owl). - Link (Forum)
- Jan 17, 2023, 05:06:10 AM (UTC/ New York Time +5): More info from owl (direct + indirect contact with yogg). - Link (Forum)
- April 3rd, 2023: Scumboy sweeps Playtoshis, phone calls Xprim prior to his latest crime. More info here: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/yogg-sweeping-again-playtoshi-edition-5447391

- GENERAL: More info on the timeline of swept funds by LoyceV

*¹: Please note, all this data was never in one place. People giving loans were not aware that other loans were already given but not paid back to Yogg.
The unfunded cards were never noticed. Yogg time and time again made excuses for deliver-delays. The website shutdown was supposed to only last a short time.
Only after the sweeping of funds happend on Jan 12, people started bringing the pieces together, slowly uncovering the full extend of the situation.



Confirmed Losses
a) List of affected addresses:
- Silver Halving Coldkeys swept: https://blockchair.com/bitcoin/transaction/c073634c862353b7a90303d52806defba55cac63a86762213fcb949b74a5573b
- Raffle Funds Stolen: https://blockchair.com/bitcoin/address/bc1qr88xt0jurmpvv93l66zquk5srkqntpva9ug5m4
- Some (?) Gold Halving Coldkeys swept: Reference 1 & Reference 2

b) List of Unfunded Coldkey Cards*²:
- some historic RYR cards
- History 2021-03 #15
- 1x History 3 card set: 2021.2
- History 2020-2 #31
- CK history Oct 2019 #8
- 4 cards [?] (more info needed to confirm)
- more tba ?

*²: some cards' funding had to be triggered via the website - which is now unavailable. - I believe that some cards were never funded BEFORE this new web-funding-mechanism was implemented.
However, since the webpage coldkey.eu is now unavailable, this part is at least on the same level of a SCAM as Titan mint (no access for 2FA coins).

c) Other Losses:
- loans that should have been returned long time ago (to Mopar, Polymerbit, Agrawas, DarkStar, Becassine and possibly others) - Ref 1, Ref 2, Ref 3: loan address
- 1 year+ uncompleted orders of coldkeys
- almost complete loss for all PREMIUMS paid for coldkeys / collectible value is in the bin now
- more tba ?

List of *never delivered* keys (note - this is just a tiny excerpt from *one* person)

List of *never funded* keys (note - this is just a tiny excerpt from *one* person)


Community efforts To Compensate People Affected by The Scam
- Offer by former CEO cygan to refund victims of the scam (see also this post)
- Polymerbit Offering Voucher OR Replacement For 10 Year Note
- A4 Print for DAEMON historic cold key owners
- Smoothie organizing a Charity Auction with the support of the Community <3
- raritycheck offering 25 of his silver coins to victims


Misc Discussions
- Check your Cryptobonds cards with help from Krogoth
- Stop Creating Maker-Funded Collectibles? by DaveF
- Krogoth's Personal Losses
- Total Value of *just the history coldkeys* (full set) by jcga
- multi-sig as possible solution to prevent scams in the future?
- Community Opportunity by Est
- Technical Guide to Multi-Sig for Collectible Makers


Helpful Resources
- Samurai Sentinel: Public Address Tracker (Android)
- Satpile: Public Address Tracker (iOS)
- How to Import/Sweep Private-Keys with Coinomi wallet
- How to Import/Sweep Private-Keys with Ballet wallet
- Broadcast Cryptobond Transaction (from the mega-big QR)
- Check your Firstbits
- When you choose a wallet (for example to sweep a private key) check its integrity here: https://walletscrutiny.com/


Publicly Known Address-Lists For Coldkeys
- First Loaded Coldkeys


Important Info
- all coldkeys' private keys are potentially compromised -> It is strongly recommended that you sweep your coins into a secure wallet that only you can access
-> To do so you can use a veriety of wallets, for example: Mycelium, Coinomi (for smartphones), Electrum (desktop), Balletwallet and more


Personal observations
Despite the monetary losses including loans, raffle-funds, sweeped cards, never-funded-cards and the huge amount of premiums that coldkey-collectors suffered from, this event has left some scars.
Yogg was once regarded as a highly trusted, friendly, tech-savy, innovative maker and innovator in the collectible space. His exit scam came as shock to many in the collectible community and especially those once close to him.


tldr: Overview of all info known so far regarding the exit-scam performed by Yogg on his Coldkey project.




Moved from here

Thanks for updating this. Important for everyone who has funded cold keys to know to PEEL THEM RIGHT NOW.

Just my 2, but I think it’s time Titan Mint be added to the front page. IMO there’s likely many people who own titan 2FA coins that don’t know about things yet.  Why I think it’s important it’s on page one and not buried in these other pages that most will likely not dig through.

Thx Krogs

  Lets add COLDKEY to this  list!  Please read

https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/--5434506

You sure you and arent one and the same? sounds like it.

Edited my comment:

Just making sure this stays fresh so people get alerted.

Tim is on the run and the website is shut down. (It has been said that he is sweeping the coins there is no verifiable proof of this just rumors). Be careful everyone. Might want to claim your coins if you have not already. I did claim my PK successfully yesterday, the 2FA coins are unfortunately unclaimable at this current point in time.

https://www.titanmint.com/ is still online

https://www.titanbtc.com/ has been down, thats where you check and claim your 2fa coins.

As others have mentioned, Titan Bitcoin should be on the wall of shame. They stole one BTC from me and it looks like they got 15 from another victim.

 https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/titan-mint-coins-serious-issue-new-updates-5369583

I’d like to add BCmint.com to the list. Ordered 2x DIY physical bitcoin from them. Paid in bitcoin as that’s the only option on site. Got “confirmation of order” email and never heard a single word from them. After multiple unanswered emails and messages I’ve come to terms with the fact that they’ve scammed me / taken my money with no intention of sending my coins. DO NOT BUY FROM BCMINT.COM

  Interesting...never knew that! Thanks

  

I used a first bits lookup using krog's suggestion of trying both with the "5"... which turns out to be an "S"

Wow ok, so it may be legit after all… if you don’t mind me asking, how did you figure out the last 2 digits of the address?  I didn’t realize they were missing

The coin IS funded.
Not sure if this is well known but these coins only list 32 of the 34 characters of the public address.

https://blockchair.com/bitcoin/address/1LSkLbXZjGynCmaPL47LqDEKEhGiFCJmZX

  If I wrote it down correctly  1L5kLbXZjGynCmaPL47LqDEKEhGiFCJm


  Your right no transactions ever reached this addy https://blockchair.com/bitcoin/address/1L5kLbXZjGynCmaPL47LqDEKEhGiFCJm

  I even ran it as if that 5 that almost looks like an S 1LSkLbXZjGynCmaPL47LqDEKEhGiFCJm

  https://blockchair.com/bitcoin/address/1LSkLbXZjGynCmaPL47LqDEKEhGiFCJm


  Still nothing.

   Scary indeed...thanks for sharing

that's exactly it.  I can search the address, but it is either invalid, or has never received a transaction.

here are a few pictures... have at it.  as far as I can tell, the top right corner looks maybe a bit wrinkled, but other than that, it doesn't look tampered.  still sealed. 

https://imgur.com/xhnewKQ
https://imgur.com/6fa9nKv

What do you mean exactly...You're saying when searching the public key on the outside of the hologram nothing is showing up?  Can you tell if it's been peeled perhaps?  A fingerprint may not be that big of a deal, but if the holo is still intact, that's a big issue.  Could you provide photos of the coin?  This would be doing us all a favor.

Darn that sucks!  so many scammers... and to think that I own those 2 sol noctis....  

I always suspected the eagle to be fraudulent as even the public key did not give me any information.  The fact that I could clearly see a fingerprint on the holo was a good hint too.

The Bull still looks legit, but by seen pictures of pulled holo, i'm thinking of just keeping him "as is" and considering those lost bitcoin.

At least I still got a cool piece of history, with a pretty decent backstory to it. 
 

 Eclipse....Thanks for adding your information on Scammer activity and prevention...I am sure it will help people who come across it!

Due to a recent uptick in scammer activity I have decided to create a thread based around the tips and tricks that you can use to keep your account safe.

1. Always check the URL of the website you are visiting to make sure it isn't spoofed



Scammers will build elaborate websites that look identical to legitimate websites. All designed to con the target into entering their credentials. Always double check the URL of the website you are visiting in order to make sure it isn't a spoofed website.

In this case scam sites could pose as Bittcointalk.org or Bitcointtalk.org, something like this.

2. Dont click on links from people you dont know/ newbies

Links sent by people you don't know could contain malicious software that could compromise your account or send you to a fake bitcointalk website. As a rule of thumb always verify the link is safe before you click on it. One false move and thieves could compromise your account.

A few examples of links that when clicked will give away your password





3. Encrypt sensitive information  

Your real name, your home address, your phone number if applicable, anything that is important during a transaction. Use privnote.com, PGP keys or zerobin.net. The safest and most secure method Is going to be the use of PGP keys. websites may keep logs even though they say they don't.

4. Use escrow when possible

An escrow agent acts as a independent intermediary during a transaction. This escrow agent keeps both parties safe when exchanging physical goods for crypto. Crypto cant be charged back if you are scammed. Those coins are gone forever. Use trusted and reliable third parties such as Minerjones, Krogoth, Ognasty.

Highest rated escrow agents can be found here: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/list-bitcointalks-escrow-providers-ranking-blacklist-avoid-scam-276897

5. Dont send coins to people you dont know/ haven't verified who they are.

If you are sending coins directly to someone without using an escrow agent you are putting yourself in a position to be scammed. Always verify this user is trustworthy and has some degree of history trading on the forum before you send coins directly to them. If they dont have a history use an escrow agent.

6. Never type private keys into a computer for any reason whatsoever

The private key is the backdoor to your crypto stored in that account. If you have shared that for any reason whatsoever you should assume that crypto is already compromised and it's just a matter of time before it disappears.

7. Use 2FA whenever possible


2FA stands for two factor authentication. 2FA can save your account if your password becomes compromised. 2FA acts as a physical barrier between the thief and your account. Yubikey, Google authenticator are the tools I recommend you to use. This simple implementation of 2FA could be the last wall of security that saves your account from potential thieves.

8. Dont communicate with scammers/ thieves asking for ransom

If you slipped up, made a mistake and had a security breach, and a scammer is asking for ransom to give you back your information, your crypto or whatever. Don't communicate at all with the scammer and especially don't pay them any money. If someone threatens you in exchange for crypto don't even respond to them. They have no power over you until you respond and they know they have a real person on the other end of the line. Once they know you are alive and breathing they can ramp up their threats.

9. We all make mistakes, it's ok if you do too

If you slip-up and lose access to your account or send crypto to a scammer. Take a deep breath and move on, take it as a learning lesson. We all make mistakes and scammers prey upon the naive among us. If you have a breach in security perhaps it was meant to happen so that you could see the holes in your own security and improve them for next-time.

10. Let other members know if your account was compromised

The thief may quickly try to sell items they don't have and rip off members of the forum. Don't let others fall victim to your lapse in security. Let users know that your account was taken over and that you are working on getting it back. The worst thing you can do is go silent and allow the thief to post on your behalf.

Summery -----

We can beat these thieves but we will have to work in coordination. One slip in any of our collective security measures could mean all of us get compromised or doxxed. I think as a whole we should be paying more attention to our security practices so we can all continue to remain safe.

I hope this guide has helped you keep your accounts and personal information safe from thieves and scammers. If you have any-other tips and tricks feel free to add to the discussion. If this guide has helped you in any way make sure to send some love my way with a merit.

I gave one of my nephews a coldstoragecoins loaded with a little bit of ETH as a gift.  After reading of potential trouble (on this thread), I decided it should be swept.  So I traded with my nephew, got the coin back, and swept it using MetaMask. All went well.  Peeling the hologram left a bit of adhesive on the copper, but that came off with a bit of rubbing alcohol and the etched private key was no problem to read, even with my aging eyes.  The instructions packed with the coin apply to Bitcoin, not Ethereum, and the website they recommend didn't seem functional, stay away from that.  But the quality of the coin itself is good and the etching of the keys is well done.  It's too bad the company behind it has so tarnished a reputation.

Just wanted to share my experience, in case it could be of use to anyone.
 

The most entertaining physical crypto scam to date  .  Escobar Cash- " Worlds first physical cryptocurrency" (not to be confused with their first try at a crypto coin, Bitcoin Diet). Claim to have all rights to Pablo Escobar's branding.  The founder is Pablos brother/accountant (one of) who balanced the books for the biggest drug dealer/cartel that ever will be, Roberto Escobar. If you want a good laugh, check out the links below.  The short- they claim to have patented the worlds first physical cryptocurrency.  They forked Ripple (maybe), and created paper notes.  The notes display a serial number and a scratch off sticker hiding ...3 seed words lol.  They have an app (App reviews say it does not work) on apple and I believe on android where you are supposed to be able to then redeem using serial # and 3 words of who knows how many worded seed ( likely no actual seed or addresses of any kind exist ).  They aren't listed on any exchanges. This type of set up is obviously designed solely to scam and has seen several times already in this space  This is just one of many scams they've tried puling (along w/hilarious lawsuits they list on the site), the others can be seen in video link below.

Edit : deleting my comments on their YouTube video exposing them.





Site: https://escobarinc.com/
Intro video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxKI3COZdS0
white paper /comic book- https://pabloescobar.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/whitepaper.pdf
YouTuber exposes them- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5skXHWcDrk