Imperial Market – TOR Scam Report (1)
Onion Link: http://imperialk4trdzxnpogppugbugvtce3yif62zsuyd2ag5y3fztlurwyd.onion
Scam Report Date: 2024/03/10
Client Scam Report Breakdown
Original Report Summary:
In this scam report, the user describes an incident involving a fraudulent transaction on a marketplace using Blockonomics, a clearnet site, for payment. According to the original report: “After the payment (with Blockonomics, clearnet site) they send only a confirmation mail where they say that the product will be sent when the transaction will be confirmed by the bitcoin network.” Blockonomics is a Bitcoin payment processor that enables users to make payments without needing an account, typically used on both legitimate and dubious platforms. In this case, after the user completed their payment, they only received an email confirming the transaction, but no further action was taken to deliver the purchased product. This is a common tactic in scams: the scammer sends a confirmation email to create a false sense of security, implying the transaction is processing as expected. Here, the term “clearnet” refers to websites on the publicly accessible internet, distinct from the dark web, indicating that the scammer might be leveraging mainstream payment tools to appear legitimate.
The user further explains: “They say that the product will be sent when the transaction will be confirmed by the bitcoin network, for and after 14 days they disappeared.” In this context, the confirmation by the “Bitcoin network” refers to the blockchain confirmation process, wherein transactions are verified and added to the blockchain. This can take anywhere from minutes to hours depending on network congestion, but generally not more than a day. Scammers often exploit the lack of understanding around cryptocurrency transaction confirmations to delay their response and create excuses for why the product hasn’t been delivered. In this case, despite 14 days passing, the scammer never fulfilled the transaction. This points to a classic “payment confirmation scam,” where the victim is led to believe that the issue is related to Bitcoin’s transaction validation, while in reality, the scammer has no intention of sending the product.
Finally, the victim mentions, “I sent many emails to them also proving that the transaction was confirmed.” Despite providing proof of the confirmed Bitcoin transaction, the scammer cut off communication entirely, disappearing after 14 days. This reflects a common scam strategy: once the victim has been misled for a sufficient period of time, the scammer simply ceases communication, either through email or other channels. This pattern suggests a deliberate attempt to exploit Bitcoin’s decentralized and irreversible nature, as victims cannot easily dispute transactions or reclaim funds once sent. The absence of a reliable way to resolve disputes in cryptocurrency-based transactions adds to the difficulties faced by victims. In this case, the term “confirmation” in cryptocurrency refers to the validation of the transaction by miners, which, once completed, should trigger the seller’s obligation to deliver the purchased goods. Unfortunately, due to the anonymous nature of Bitcoin and similar digital currencies, it is challenging for victims to trace scammers or hold them accountable after they vanish.
Terminology Breakdown:
Blockonomics: A service used for processing Bitcoin transactions, often integrated into both legitimate and fraudulent websites to receive payments.
Clearnet site: A website on the public, regular internet (as opposed to the dark web), accessible without special tools like Tor.
Bitcoin network confirmation: The process by which a Bitcoin transaction is verified and recorded on the blockchain, typically taking minutes to hours depending on network traffic.
Payment confirmation scam: A tactic where a scammer delays delivering a product or service by falsely claiming that a payment is still being confirmed by the payment network, in this case, the Bitcoin blockchain.
By breaking down the scam report and analyzing its elements, it’s evident that the victim was subject to a well-orchestrated scam designed to take advantage of the complexities and delays associated with cryptocurrency payments. The scammer used Blockonomics as a veil of legitimacy, falsely cited Bitcoin network delays, and ultimately disappeared with the payment, a scam structure commonly seen in cryptocurrency-based fraud.
