How to Transform Chat Logs Into True Evidence: An Outline for How to Give Scam Victims Better Options

I know, this is a looong goddamn piece, so if you want the TLDR it's posted at the bottom.

The rule changes being implemented as part of the management shake-up on DarkNetMarkets has stirred up an absurd level of drama and turmoil throughout this subreddit, and part of that drama relates to rules that force posters claiming "I'VE BEEN SCAMMED!!! VENDOR XYZ STOLE MY MONEY!!!" to use a higher standard of proof (on a personal note, I strongly support this update to the subreddit rules.) Practically ANY evidence will help to backup the claim of the putative victim. Message logs, screenshots, tracking #'s, etc. Even if the quality of the evidence is suspect, it's better than a long angry rant directed at the vendor.

As many of you have pointed out in the comments, much of the evidence being asked for is easily falsified. Chat logs in particular are incredibly easy to fabricate. It takes about 3 minutes to generate a bunch of bullshit text, then submit it as "evidence." What I'm proposing is a hypothetical solution for this longstanding problem. In essence, it boils down to this: using cryptographic signatures to validate the text being submitted as evidence.

Though this is a relatively straightforward concept, the use of PGP signatures would have to be carefully structured, otherwise there will be no point in using them. Here are a few examples of how PGP signatures will fail:

The solution to this issue is twofold: First, get market admins to use the market's own key to cryptographically sign a chat log, then the victim uses their key to sign the logs that were previously signed by the market. This double-signature method would ensure the following:

If the signatures of both the market and the victim are successfully validated, the end result is credible documentation of communication between vendor and customer. Each double-signed log would contain the following information:

There are some significant hurdles that would need to be cleared in order for this to work. I'm sure there are more, but here are a few that have occured to me.

If anyone sees weak points or faulty logic in my proposal, feel free to comment. If you like this idea, comment away. I'd be especially interested if anyone with a background in software engineering or web design could provide insight into how this could be implemented.

TLDR: Using the DNM key and the victim's PGP key to create solid, verifiable chat logs.

EDIT 1 Thanks everyone for the comments and input. Just to clarify: the idea that I'm putting forward in this post would primarily apply to orders that are going through dispute resolution channels on the market. Sure, most transactions simply involve a PGP encrypted address being sent to the vendor, the vendor shipping the product, and a few days later the customer gets an ounce of Jack Herrer in the mail. HOWEVER.....if 13 days have passed, nothing has arrived, the customer has sent 5 messages to the vendor and received silence in return.....then the customer being able to prove that they have been proactively seeking a status update on their order goes a long way toward supporting their scam accusation.


Comments


[3 Points] None:

Tons of people buy without messaging the vendor first what do you do then


[1 Points] Vendor_BBMC:

Reddit doesnt have the power to compensate customers, and users here often have usernames different from darknet market accounts.

There is no NEED to prove you paid for drugs to reddit. In fact, that is the last thing you want


[1 Points] psilocybin-mushrooms:

I think this is a great idea. Not sure it should be implemented, but that will be figured out if there is enough discussion.

But I think your emphasis on chatlogs is misplaced. What is much more valuable is the potential for automated proof of purchase, and proof of the details of that purchase. If the community came to require proof of purchase before hearing out a complaint, a troll could not harm a vendor's reputation by creating tons of negative reviews, as reviews would not matter without a purchase. It would become economically infeasible for the troll very quickly.


[0 Points] Trappy_Pandora:

I like this.