DeepMarket – TOR Scam Report (1)
Onion Link: http://deepm3ujzs3tjiencf5d74psc6xvhcsh27b6hn5bznzee2w7tult3jad.onion
Scam Report Date: 2023/11/01
Client Scam Report Breakdown
Original Report Summary:
In this case, the client placed an order on DeepMarket, an anonymous marketplace that operates with a Multisig Escrow System, offering illegal products like counterfeit money, prepaid cards, hacking services, and more. The order was never received, despite the use of an escrow service. According to the scam report, the buyer had been in contact with Escrow Support, but after several exchanges, the support team failed to respond further, leaving the buyer without the product or any resolution. The customer had initially opted for one of the vendors offering products from categories such as Carding, Money Transfers, or Counterfeits. Despite the marketplace’s claim of “Buyer Protection” and “Safe Payment,” this incident exposes a gap in their so-called secure shopping experience.
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The Multisig Escrow System on DeepMarket is designed to hold the buyer’s payment until the product is delivered and confirmed. In theory, this reduces the likelihood of fraud by ensuring that neither the vendor nor the buyer can access the funds without the other’s approval. However, in this instance, the protection mechanism failed due to Escrow Support not responding to repeated inquiries after an initial exchange. Buyer Protection, as advertised, failed to cover the customer’s issue, highlighting the marketplace’s inefficiencies in resolving conflicts involving non-delivery of goods.
Issues with Escrow and Vendor Support
Escrow systems in marketplaces like DeepMarket are meant to act as a safeguard, particularly when dealing with illegal or unregulated products. The Multisig Escrow System usually requires multiple parties (e.g., the buyer, the seller, and the platform) to agree before funds are released. The user in this scam report relied on this safeguard, believing it would protect their transaction. However, after several attempts to contact Escrow Support regarding the missing product, the responses ceased altogether, leaving the buyer in limbo.
This breakdown in communication is particularly concerning, as it reveals a key flaw in how DeepMarket handles disputes. The failure of Escrow Support to engage consistently undermines the platform’s credibility, especially when offering services advertised as being “secure” and “safe.” When a buyer does not receive a response from support after a product is undelivered, they are left vulnerable to scammers. In this case, not only did the vendor not fulfill the order, but DeepMarket’s support structure also failed to intervene in the buyer’s favor, even though their Buyer Protection guarantees “coverage from click to delivery.”
Definition of Key Terms and Conclusion
Multisig Escrow System: This is a type of escrow service where multiple signatures are required to release funds. In online marketplaces, it is often used to ensure that transactions are only finalized once both the buyer and seller are satisfied with the outcome, or when a third party (the marketplace) mediates the transaction. The breakdown of this system in the buyer’s case is a significant issue because it removes the primary layer of protection against fraud.
Buyer Protection: In online marketplaces, this typically refers to policies that guarantee a refund or assistance if the buyer does not receive the goods they paid for, or if the goods are significantly different from the description. However, in this instance, despite DeepMarket’s claims of comprehensive Buyer Protection, the system failed, as the marketplace did not intervene when the escrow failed.
In conclusion, this scam report sheds light on DeepMarket’s vulnerabilities, where the Multisig Escrow system and Buyer Protection protocols failed to protect the buyer. After several exchanges with Escrow Support, the platform’s support team stopped responding, leaving the buyer without their purchase or a refund. This incident serves as a cautionary tale for users of similar anonymous marketplaces, especially where illegal goods are concerned, as even advertised protections like Escrow and Buyer Protection can fall short.
