Expresss Market – TOR Scam Report (1)
Onion Link: http://expresswifsgvan66kx4mx6ibty2a2lw43qfiqktpylragcffgzosqqd.onion
Scam Report Date: 2024/09/29
Client Scam Report Breakdown
Original Report Summary:
In the original report, the client describes their experience on a deep web marketplace that initially appeared legitimate. They deposited $140 USD into their account to expedite payments and placed an order, trusting the seller’s promise in the FAQ section that orders would be shipped within 24 hours of payment. After five days with no shipping confirmation, the client attempted to contact the seller, only to find out that the email provided was non-existent. Shortly afterward, their order was removed from the system, effectively blocking them from filing an escrow claim for a refund. This led the client to conclude that the platform itself might be complicit in the scam, especially given the irony of the platform’s claim that they “do not tolerate scammers” displayed prominently at the top of the page.
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Escrow refers to a third-party service that temporarily holds funds during a transaction, ensuring that the buyer and seller meet their obligations before payment is finalized. The platform’s removal of the order not only prevented the client from receiving the product but also blocked their ability to use the escrow system, which in legitimate transactions serves as a safeguard. This suggests deliberate manipulation by the marketplace itself to avoid accountability. The fact that the marketplace falsely advertised a commitment to preventing fraud while facilitating it highlights a recurring tactic in deep web scams: creating a veneer of trustworthiness to lure unsuspecting buyers.
Further Investigation and Red Flags
After this initial incident, the client conducted further investigation into the marketplace. Noticing that there was no feedback or comments on the page raised additional concerns, as genuine platforms often have a robust user review system where buyers can leave comments on their transactions. The absence of any user feedback is a significant red flag, suggesting that the site might have been recently established, or it was purposefully designed to avoid scrutiny. In an effort to gather more information, the client created a new account, only to find that the account ID (#1230) and the number of registered users (7581) remained unchanged. This lack of variability in user data between account creations suggests that the platform was using fake or static data, a common practice in scam websites to create the illusion of a larger and more active user base.
In this context, feedback refers to user reviews and ratings that indicate the reliability of sellers, while comments provide a more detailed account of user experiences. Legitimate platforms encourage open communication between buyers and sellers to build trust, whereas fraudulent sites often disable or manipulate these features to avoid negative feedback from victims. The fact that no user numbers or account details changed between the client’s multiple account creations reveals the site’s artificial construction, likely designed to deceive new users into believing they are joining a thriving marketplace.
Conclusion and Lessons Learned
The client’s experience illustrates several classic signs of a scam on deep web marketplaces: promises of quick shipping that go unfulfilled, the inability to contact sellers, removal of orders to prevent refunds, and the use of static data to create the illusion of legitimacy. The site’s claim that they do not tolerate scammers adds to the deception, as this false sense of security encourages users to make deposits and place orders without conducting further research. Additionally, the lack of any feedback system further isolates users, preventing them from gauging the site’s authenticity based on other customers’ experiences.
In conclusion, this report highlights the importance of verifying the legitimacy of any online platform before making transactions, especially in environments like the deep web where accountability is limited. Key red flags, such as the absence of feedback, unresponsive sellers, and unchanged account data, can serve as indicators of fraud. Users should also be cautious of any platform that promotes itself as scam-free but lacks transparency in its operations.
