They're selling used 1Th/s Bitfury miners that they obviously got with our pre-order money. Their data centre got upgraded to Minions in May that's why they've got a pile of used ones.
Rent-a-Minion customers in all likelihood won't even be hashing on their farm and will get some fraction of the money they paid sent back as BTC based on calculations not actual mining.
These thieves and liars have robbed us of money out of our pockets, of hardware capital, of a considerable amount of revenue and of a lot of time.
Topic: Re: Black Arrow 28nm 100Ghash Bitcoin ASIC from $0.49/GH/s - page 33. (Read 96808 times)
September 18, 2014, 04:09:30 PM
September 18, 2014, 12:58:41 PM
As a lucky rent-a-minion customer, I also received this today (I did mess with the spacing):
Dear Customer,
We received an update from the Hosting Team:
Please be advised that currently we are finishing the last
preparations in our data center, such as setting up power
lines and testing the hashing hardware.
Once this are complete we will be able to launch this
services.
Please take note that will not have 100% coverage of orders for
hashing; Crrently have around 100 TH/S but we will keep adding
devices to cover all of the orders, which is around 300 TH/S.
Of course we will starting with the queue on Early orders
1st. Further announcements will be made soon.
If you were not yet able to share your BTC payment address,
and/or should you have questions, kindly do so using
our ticketing system and contact our support.
Sincerely,
Black Arrow Team
Dear Customer,
We received an update from the Hosting Team:
Please be advised that currently we are finishing the last
preparations in our data center, such as setting up power
lines and testing the hashing hardware.
Once this are complete we will be able to launch this
services.
Please take note that will not have 100% coverage of orders for
hashing; Crrently have around 100 TH/S but we will keep adding
devices to cover all of the orders, which is around 300 TH/S.
Of course we will starting with the queue on Early orders
1st. Further announcements will be made soon.
If you were not yet able to share your BTC payment address,
and/or should you have questions, kindly do so using
our ticketing system and contact our support.
Sincerely,
Black Arrow Team
Well gee, wasn't that done in May? That's what they said, I seem to remember.
This is total crap, the Rent-a-Minion service was sold under the specification that the user could connect it to public pools of their chosing, which included a Black Arrow pool (and even alt SHA256 coin pools). Simply sending them a payment address is not the service that customers paid for.
nope. it does, however, allow them to pay BTC as if they were mining. it's not as if anyone is ever going to ROI on those payments, so trickle it on out. allowing users to independently control their miners, as sold, would circumvent that option, most likely. Plug yourself into eligius and now you know you have hashing what you paid for. them saying so proves nothing.
maybe they've got a data center and maybe they don't. who knows. they've told so many versions of every aspect of this debacle that I'd be surprised if even they could keep track of it all.
September 18, 2014, 12:35:37 PM
As a lucky rent-a-minion customer, I also received this today (I did mess with the spacing):
Dear Customer,
We received an update from the Hosting Team:
Please be advised that currently we are finishing the last
preparations in our data center, such as setting up power
lines and testing the hashing hardware.
Once this are complete we will be able to launch this
services.
Please take note that will not have 100% coverage of orders for
hashing; Crrently have around 100 TH/S but we will keep adding
devices to cover all of the orders, which is around 300 TH/S.
Of course we will starting with the queue on Early orders
1st. Further announcements will be made soon.
If you were not yet able to share your BTC payment address,
and/or should you have questions, kindly do so using
our ticketing system and contact our support.
Sincerely,
Black Arrow Team
Dear Customer,
We received an update from the Hosting Team:
Please be advised that currently we are finishing the last
preparations in our data center, such as setting up power
lines and testing the hashing hardware.
Once this are complete we will be able to launch this
services.
Please take note that will not have 100% coverage of orders for
hashing; Crrently have around 100 TH/S but we will keep adding
devices to cover all of the orders, which is around 300 TH/S.
Of course we will starting with the queue on Early orders
1st. Further announcements will be made soon.
If you were not yet able to share your BTC payment address,
and/or should you have questions, kindly do so using
our ticketing system and contact our support.
Sincerely,
Black Arrow Team
Well gee, wasn't that done in May? That's what they said, I seem to remember.
This is total crap, the Rent-a-Minion service was sold under the specification that the user could connect it to public pools of their chosing, which included a Black Arrow pool (and even alt SHA256 coin pools). Simply sending them a payment address is not the service that customers paid for.
September 18, 2014, 11:24:37 AM
As a lucky rent-a-minion customer, I also received this today (I did mess with the spacing):
Dear Customer,
We received an update from the Hosting Team:
Please be advised that currently we are finishing the last
preparations in our data center, such as setting up power
lines and testing the hashing hardware.
Once this are complete we will be able to launch this
services.
Please take note that will not have 100% coverage of orders for
hashing; Crrently have around 100 TH/S but we will keep adding
devices to cover all of the orders, which is around 300 TH/S.
Of course we will starting with the queue on Early orders
1st. Further announcements will be made soon.
If you were not yet able to share your BTC payment address,
and/or should you have questions, kindly do so using
our ticketing system and contact our support.
Sincerely,
Black Arrow Team
Dear Customer,
We received an update from the Hosting Team:
Please be advised that currently we are finishing the last
preparations in our data center, such as setting up power
lines and testing the hashing hardware.
Once this are complete we will be able to launch this
services.
Please take note that will not have 100% coverage of orders for
hashing; Crrently have around 100 TH/S but we will keep adding
devices to cover all of the orders, which is around 300 TH/S.
Of course we will starting with the queue on Early orders
1st. Further announcements will be made soon.
If you were not yet able to share your BTC payment address,
and/or should you have questions, kindly do so using
our ticketing system and contact our support.
Sincerely,
Black Arrow Team
Well gee, wasn't that done in May? That's what they said, I seem to remember.
September 18, 2014, 10:51:43 AM
As a lucky rent-a-minion customer, I also received this today (I did mess with the spacing):
Dear Customer,
We received an update from the Hosting Team:
Please be advised that currently we are finishing the last
preparations in our data center, such as setting up power
lines and testing the hashing hardware.
Once this are complete we will be able to launch this
services.
Please take note that will not have 100% coverage of orders for
hashing; Crrently have around 100 TH/S but we will keep adding
devices to cover all of the orders, which is around 300 TH/S.
Of course we will starting with the queue on Early orders
1st. Further announcements will be made soon.
If you were not yet able to share your BTC payment address,
and/or should you have questions, kindly do so using
our ticketing system and contact our support.
Sincerely,
Black Arrow Team
Dear Customer,
We received an update from the Hosting Team:
Please be advised that currently we are finishing the last
preparations in our data center, such as setting up power
lines and testing the hashing hardware.
Once this are complete we will be able to launch this
services.
Please take note that will not have 100% coverage of orders for
hashing; Crrently have around 100 TH/S but we will keep adding
devices to cover all of the orders, which is around 300 TH/S.
Of course we will starting with the queue on Early orders
1st. Further announcements will be made soon.
If you were not yet able to share your BTC payment address,
and/or should you have questions, kindly do so using
our ticketing system and contact our support.
Sincerely,
Black Arrow Team
September 18, 2014, 10:42:35 AM
It was BA direct ("end of queue"). The cost is $172.50 for 3 X-3s. Sharing cost because maybe it will help someone else prepare.
September 18, 2014, 10:30:53 AM
Did anybody else have to pay import duties (I'm US based) for the shipment? I have received a postcard asking me to go dhlmypayment.us
I saw the website but did not enter my information. More scam concerned than anything; never received a tracking number and my store account still says "processed".
Who did you order from? If you ordered directly from China or from the UK, you have to expect to pay customs duties. I saw the website but did not enter my information. More scam concerned than anything; never received a tracking number and my store account still says "processed".
All the same, in your place, I would neither pay nor accept the shipment, because it's tacit acceptance of their delivery. Their miners are already obsolete before you even plug them in. No sense in throwing good money after bad.
September 18, 2014, 10:00:22 AM
Did anybody else have to pay import duties (I'm US based) for the shipment? I have received a postcard asking me to go dhlmypayment.us
I saw the website but did not enter my information. More scam concerned than anything; never received a tracking number and my store account still says "processed".
Edit: Checked with DHL this is my Black Arrow shipment.
I saw the website but did not enter my information. More scam concerned than anything; never received a tracking number and my store account still says "processed".
Edit: Checked with DHL this is my Black Arrow shipment.
September 14, 2014, 03:00:35 PM
Black Arrow left me negative feedback. It's almost a badge of honor to be left negative feedback by the biggest scammers in the world! 
I know. The same exact thought went through my head when I saw mine.
So, thank you BlackArrow, you're several months late, your products are all but obsolete and starting on fire, but at least you remembered me.
It's touching. ::sniffle::
September 14, 2014, 10:48:53 AM
Black Arrow left me negative feedback. It's almost a badge of honor to be left negative feedback by the biggest scammers in the world!
September 14, 2014, 07:24:24 AM
The X3 makes $11.27/day after $4.80/day power cost since the last difficulty jump. The last of the BTC vapours are being siphoned off. It's not even going to smell like Bitcoins when BA's done with it.
September 14, 2014, 04:54:01 AM
This company's rating has been updated in the Manufacturer Trustworthiness thread.
[This message won't be monitored, discuss your concerns in the thread.]
Still crappy?[This message won't be monitored, discuss your concerns in the thread.]
*checks*
Yep, still crappy.
September 13, 2014, 11:59:06 PM
This company's rating has been updated in the Manufacturer Trustworthiness thread.
[This message won't be monitored, discuss your concerns in the thread.]
[This message won't be monitored, discuss your concerns in the thread.]
September 13, 2014, 08:37:42 PM
... i've never had to do this before, but Ethos is a UK LTD company so poor stuart is liable to cop it big time if you go that route.. i know it's not his fault directly, but he's in it just as much as us really, he took a gamble, it didn't pay off..
I think he is quite involved with them... He wrote a good piece of the software, AFAIK...
September 12, 2014, 03:46:15 PM
Awesome job staying firm with BA over the pm's. It was déjà vu reading it because this guy said a lot of the exact same things to me. The whole thing reeks of desperation from their side.
September 12, 2014, 12:58:45 PM
All
IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO ALREADY AND WANT TO JOIN THIS ACTION BEING ORGANIZED BY BITCZ FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE CONSUMER COUNCIL IMMEDIATELY. THE LEGAL TEAM IS REQUESTING IT AND THAT JIBES WITH WHAT THE PEOPLE I TALKED TO TOLD ME ALSO.
The Consumer Council will request some documents and need to establish that this is a Hong Kong registered company before they will agree to pick it up, therefore:
Send the annual report http://www.kiwi.nz/blackarrow/PS300015776549_01.pdf
along with the documents they have requested. Those documents are:
1. The invoice showing you paid
2 your bank or payment records showing the payment
3. any e-mail or support discussions you've had
4. The annual report referenced above.
Here's the link to file a complaint if you decide you want to do that.
https://www.consumer.org.hk/cc-complaint/index.php?lang=en
Also indicate that their TOS indicates Hong Kong law and paste that in to your message.
http://www.blackarrowsoftware.com/store/terms-and-conditions-en.html#purchase
15.2 Applicable law and dispute resolution
16.2 1 This Agreement shall be interpreted and applied in accordance with the law of Hong Kong S.A.R. of PRC.
This is all the information they will need to pick this up. They have been very helpful and responsive.
Any ?'s let me know. I'll help if I can although I'm not a lawyer, just a customer trying to get my money back from these people.
IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO ALREADY AND WANT TO JOIN THIS ACTION BEING ORGANIZED BY BITCZ FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE CONSUMER COUNCIL IMMEDIATELY. THE LEGAL TEAM IS REQUESTING IT AND THAT JIBES WITH WHAT THE PEOPLE I TALKED TO TOLD ME ALSO.
The Consumer Council will request some documents and need to establish that this is a Hong Kong registered company before they will agree to pick it up, therefore:
Send the annual report http://www.kiwi.nz/blackarrow/PS300015776549_01.pdf
along with the documents they have requested. Those documents are:
1. The invoice showing you paid
2 your bank or payment records showing the payment
3. any e-mail or support discussions you've had
4. The annual report referenced above.
Here's the link to file a complaint if you decide you want to do that.
https://www.consumer.org.hk/cc-complaint/index.php?lang=en
Also indicate that their TOS indicates Hong Kong law and paste that in to your message.
http://www.blackarrowsoftware.com/store/terms-and-conditions-en.html#purchase
15.2 Applicable law and dispute resolution
16.2 1 This Agreement shall be interpreted and applied in accordance with the law of Hong Kong S.A.R. of PRC.
This is all the information they will need to pick this up. They have been very helpful and responsive.
Any ?'s let me know. I'll help if I can although I'm not a lawyer, just a customer trying to get my money back from these people.
September 12, 2014, 12:57:47 PM
@Bitcz - I sent you an email with my details a while back.
Please note, based on blackarrow's post today in the ecointalk forums:
"We are currently waiting for CE commission to check the issues with the PSUs. Once we have their approval we will ship your order."
They are still investigating the power supplies.
I received an email within the last 3 days stating that my product (a Black Arrow Prospero X-3) had shipped despite a refund request. This would also imply that they are shipping untested power supplies; more broadly, they are knowingly shipping a defective and unsafe product.
Please note, based on blackarrow's post today in the ecointalk forums:
"We are currently waiting for CE commission to check the issues with the PSUs. Once we have their approval we will ship your order."
They are still investigating the power supplies.
I received an email within the last 3 days stating that my product (a Black Arrow Prospero X-3) had shipped despite a refund request. This would also imply that they are shipping untested power supplies; more broadly, they are knowingly shipping a defective and unsafe product.
yeah i saw.
for the PSU with a CE mark two things are very important to note here
1. BA should have demanded the certification from the supplier confirming they meet spec
2. Chinese law has some very stiff penalties for falsifying certification on products especially if they are found to be root cause in accidents, damages, loss of life or injury.
The fact they didn't and still are trying to get this sorted screams to me they missed this as well as chips popping out and other odds and sods. No Quality control, no proper testing, i paid for 5 days hosting, but i doubt i will get that as well as the miners... i've caused them a fair bit of aggro.. so im sure if i wasn't at the back of the que i sure as rain falls down am now
But i look at it this way... if im gonna spend shed load to get something back.. at leas i get something back and i have the warm fuzzy feeling that they as BA won't do it again under the branding they have right now
September 12, 2014, 12:56:13 PM
Also, I am not a lawyer, but the latest updates to the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (Chapter 362) are quite plainly stated, albeit a bit poorly formatted. I trust your lawyer is competent, but in order to save him/her time, I would point them here:
http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_pdf.nsf/4f0db701c6c25d4a4825755c00352e35/620C44C5887E4501482575EE0071B7D7/$FILE/CAP_362_e_b5.pdf
Relevant sections:
Section 12 (relevant to the scenario of them continuing to ship the Prospero X-3's):
Section 13H (relevant to them not delivering within a reasonable time):
Section 13I (relevant to them not delivering as well as the fact that the specs for the X-3's have changed since they were advertised):
From my perspective, this is a slam dunk case for many reasons so long as it makes it to a courtroom.
http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_pdf.nsf/4f0db701c6c25d4a4825755c00352e35/620C44C5887E4501482575EE0071B7D7/$FILE/CAP_362_e_b5.pdf
Relevant sections:
Section 12 (relevant to the scenario of them continuing to ship the Prospero X-3's):
Quote
(1) A person must not import or export any goods to which a false trade description or forged trade mark is applied. (Amended 35 of 2000 s. 98; 25 of 2012 s. 10)
Section 13H (relevant to them not delivering within a reasonable time):
Quote
(1) A trader who engages in relation to a consumer in a commercial practice that constitutes a bait and switch commits an offence.
(2) The making by a trader of an invitation to purchase a product at a specified price is a bait and switch if, having made the invitation, the trader then, with the intention of promoting a different product
-(a) refuses to show or demonstrate the product to consumers;
-(b) refuses to take orders for the product or deliver it within a reasonable time; or
-(c) shows or demonstrates a defective sample of the product.
(2) The making by a trader of an invitation to purchase a product at a specified price is a bait and switch if, having made the invitation, the trader then, with the intention of promoting a different product
-(a) refuses to show or demonstrate the product to consumers;
-(b) refuses to take orders for the product or deliver it within a reasonable time; or
-(c) shows or demonstrates a defective sample of the product.
Section 13I (relevant to them not delivering as well as the fact that the specs for the X-3's have changed since they were advertised):
Quote
(1) A trader who engages in relation to a consumer in a commercial practice that constitutes wrongly accepting payment for a product commits an offence.
(2) A trader wrongly accepts payment for a product if the trader accepts payment or other consideration for the product and at the time of that acceptance
-(a) the trader intends not to supply the product;
-(b) the trader intends to supply a product that is materially different from the product in respect of which the payment or other consideration is accepted; or
-(c) there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product
--(i) within the period specified by the trader at or before the time at which the payment or other consideration is accepted; or
--(ii) if no period is specified at or before that time, within a reasonable period.
(2) A trader wrongly accepts payment for a product if the trader accepts payment or other consideration for the product and at the time of that acceptance
-(a) the trader intends not to supply the product;
-(b) the trader intends to supply a product that is materially different from the product in respect of which the payment or other consideration is accepted; or
-(c) there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product
--(i) within the period specified by the trader at or before the time at which the payment or other consideration is accepted; or
--(ii) if no period is specified at or before that time, within a reasonable period.
From my perspective, this is a slam dunk case for many reasons so long as it makes it to a courtroom.
September 12, 2014, 12:42:32 PM
@Bitcz - I sent you an email with my details a while back.
Please note, based on blackarrow's post today in the ecointalk forums:
"We are currently waiting for CE commission to check the issues with the PSUs. Once we have their approval we will ship your order."
They are still investigating the power supplies.
I received an email within the last 3 days stating that my product (a Black Arrow Prospero X-3) had shipped despite a refund request. This would also imply that they are shipping untested power supplies; more broadly, they are knowingly shipping a defective and unsafe product.
Please note, based on blackarrow's post today in the ecointalk forums:
"We are currently waiting for CE commission to check the issues with the PSUs. Once we have their approval we will ship your order."
They are still investigating the power supplies.
I received an email within the last 3 days stating that my product (a Black Arrow Prospero X-3) had shipped despite a refund request. This would also imply that they are shipping untested power supplies; more broadly, they are knowingly shipping a defective and unsafe product.
September 12, 2014, 12:42:11 PM
well.. in 11 minutes i submit data to the lawyers....
i've been having a nice conversation with BA on PM on the other forum and they've wriggled and tried to get out of it....
i've been counting down the time till i submit.. must be driving them bonkers... trying to get a resolution.. but they refuse.. as i expected.
The data i have now... will go to the lawyers who will take god knows how long to go over it.... then they will either email listee's individually or maybe if they are smart, put up a web page that you can visit to submit your final data by or they speak to you directly and ask for telephone numbers copies of invoices etc....i just don't know at this stage... it's not like i've been putting a battle plan together
i've been having a nice conversation with BA on PM on the other forum and they've wriggled and tried to get out of it....
i've been counting down the time till i submit.. must be driving them bonkers... trying to get a resolution.. but they refuse.. as i expected.
The data i have now... will go to the lawyers who will take god knows how long to go over it.... then they will either email listee's individually or maybe if they are smart, put up a web page that you can visit to submit your final data by or they speak to you directly and ask for telephone numbers copies of invoices etc....i just don't know at this stage... it's not like i've been putting a battle plan together
Did you mention Minersource their reseller, a lot of people who purchased a Blackarrow X1 or X3 are waiting for a refund from Minersource for months including me.
No, i haven't mentioned MS or Ethos or anyone else except BA directly. The trouble with a law suit is actually pinning in on someone. BA are the root of all with this, so if MS and Ethos have issues with BA they need to deal with that on their own.
In the US, you need to take it up with the local against MS
In the UK i know about and the distance selling regulations protect consumers here against online orders... but i've never had to do this before, but Ethos is a UK LTD company so poor stuart is liable to cop it big time if you go that route.. i know it's not his fault directly, but he's in it just as much as us really, he took a gamble, it didn't pay off.. so his customer either wait with him, or take action against him. My beef isn't with him or MS i see them as victims also.
Im only concerned at this stage with Direct order customer....
1. direct orders should have received before resellers
2. direct orders should be treated better than resellers
3. direct orders took a larger risk as we ordered directly from China
Thanks for the info, good luck. It's terrible how much money people are losing because of blackarrow. Hope you get you're $12000 back and more. I'm still waiting for $800 from MS.
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