Torbay – TOR Scam Report (2)
Onion Link: http://torbayau3saewzjuz2uimlwfbgm6q5r5upadgtoeoi7q6yvg7knxfuyd.onion
Scam Report Date: 2023/08/11
Client Scam Report Breakdown
Original Report Summary:
The reported scam originates from a transaction on the TorBay marketplace, specifically involving a vendor named Alpha Transfer, who offers money transfer services. According to the original report from the user, they paid $90 to Alpha Transfer for an unspecified service. The vendor initially confirmed that the payment was received, stating that the order was in processing. However, after one day of no communication, the user repeatedly attempted to contact the vendor through the marketplace but received no response. Despite TorBay’s escrow protection system, which is designed to safeguard buyers by holding payments until the transaction is successfully completed, the user was unable to secure a refund. The site administration also failed to address the issue, leading the user to conclude they had been scammed.
Defining Key Terms and Escrow Breakdown
The term escrow refers to a third-party service used to hold funds temporarily during a transaction to ensure that both the buyer and seller meet the terms of the agreement. In this case, the buyer placed the funds in escrow via TorBay, expecting Alpha Transfer to complete the transaction. Once the buyer receives the purchased item or service, the escrow service releases the funds to the seller. If the item is not delivered or the transaction does not proceed as expected, the buyer can request a refund through the platform’s escrow system. Here, the scam occurred when the vendor took the payment under false pretenses, stalled communication, and neither fulfilled the order nor released the funds back to the buyer. The escrow protection system, which the user relied upon to safeguard the transaction, failed to act as intended when the buyer reported the issue, resulting in a financial loss.
Analyzing Vendor and Marketplace Accountability
This case highlights issues both with the vendor and the marketplace. Alpha Transfer, the vendor involved, appears to have committed fraud by acknowledging receipt of payment and then failing to deliver the service. In a legitimate marketplace, especially one boasting robust escrow and customer protection, this behavior should trigger a swift investigation by the platform’s administration. According to the information provided on TorBay’s website, the marketplace emphasizes customer protection and promises to be “on the client side” if a purchased product or service is defective. The user’s experience, however, suggests that the site’s customer support was either inefficient or unresponsive, allowing the scam to proceed unaddressed. This discrepancy between advertised protections and real-world application undermines user trust and raises concerns about TorBay’s ability to enforce its rules and maintain a safe environment for transactions. The vendor’s ability to disappear after the transaction, combined with the marketplace’s failure to intervene, paints a clear picture of systemic failure.
