Silk Road forums

Discussion => Newbie discussion => Topic started by: lukeuser on April 26, 2013, 12:45 am

Title: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: lukeuser on April 26, 2013, 12:45 am
The seller 'MR Money' has 94 feedback rating and many successful transactions, but he has asked me to finalize before he dispatches. Most of his feedback is drugs, but now he is only selling hardware.

Since I'm new here, I presume FE stands for finalize early, am I right? I thought it meant 'full escrow'.

Anyway, much of his recent feedback has been for preorders of Butterfly Labs hardware, and all these people have finalized early and given good feedback. These devices are rather pricey, so the buyers seem to be taking quite a risk. He has also sold older BFL devices which have been delivered and have good feedback. Also, for the laptop I ordered, the image doesn't match with the model the listing says (and he only sells this laptop model, so it isn't a simple mix up).

Actually, the last feedback from someone who has received their order was 12 days ago, with 16 feedbacks of early finalisers since that one (including the aforementioned preorders which he probably wouldn't have received yet, but also including recent orders of the 'BFL singles' which he already possesses). I genuinely suspect he has either bought this account (or hacked it), or decided to wind up his operation and give himself a golden handshake as it were.

http://silkroadvb5piz3r.onion/silkroad/user/06b4755b22

Does anyone have opinions? I sent him a message explaining my concerns, and I hope he will reconsider his demand for early finalizing.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: smuggles on April 26, 2013, 01:01 am
Don't ever FE. You wouldn't on EBAY, why would you among a bunch of drug addicts and pushers.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: Jack N Hoff on April 26, 2013, 01:03 am
Oh man.  Damn I guess say he's banking on a nice scam!  Fe for pre-orders of BFL ASICs LOL

I mean what incentive does he have to send those like 6 months or however long from now?  NONE
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: Jack N Hoff on April 26, 2013, 01:05 am
Don't ever FE. You wouldn't on EBAY, why would you among a bunch of drug addicts and pushers.
:o :o :o You always pay before you receive an item on eBay :o :o :o
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: phave on April 26, 2013, 01:09 am
I wouldn't FE ever.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: lukeuser on April 26, 2013, 01:25 am
Don't ever FE. You wouldn't on EBAY, why would you among a bunch of drug addicts and pushers.

Thank's for the clarification everyone. I just checked now and he's read my message (objecting to FE) and it now says that it is in transit, so I just guess I'll have to wait and see.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: RodgerTheDodger on April 26, 2013, 01:31 am
not been on forums long but been kicking around silkroad for a bit. To answer you question yes it means finalize early. most people would say never finalize early but i'v had to take the gamble a few times but that's me iv always took risks and most of the time it pays off but iv also been scammed a few times. it all comes down to you and how you fell if he seems legit and all his feedback is good why not give him a mail for some to see he could put your mind at rest. and if not walk away.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: Rodge on April 26, 2013, 01:37 am
not been on forums long but been kicking around silkroad for a bit. To answer you question yes it means finalize early. most people would say never finalize early but i'v had to take the gamble a few times but that's me iv always took risks and most of the time it pays off but iv also been scammed a few times. it all comes down to you and how you fell if he seems legit and all his feedback is good why not give him a mail for some to see he could put your mind at rest. and if not walk away.
Well hello Rodge. There ain't enough room around here for the both of us...
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: k1llin on April 26, 2013, 01:41 am
Don't ever FE. You wouldn't on EBAY, why would you among a bunch of drug addicts and pushers.

^^^^
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: acidhead on April 26, 2013, 01:53 am
Never finalise early.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: lukeuser on April 26, 2013, 03:19 am
Thank-you folks. You have really saved me from myself. It's clearly a scammer. I owe you all about 400 great british pounds :D
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: Jack N Hoff on April 26, 2013, 03:33 am
Don't ever FE. You wouldn't on EBAY, why would you among a bunch of drug addicts and pushers.

^^^^
Anyone care to show me this eBay with escrow that you speak of?  www.eBay.com does not have an escrow system.  I would love to receive my eBay items before releasing funds like you guys...
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: lukeuser on April 26, 2013, 03:40 am
I just reported him. I believe he has made fake feedback reporting delivery of BFL singles, when in fact only 1 (actually, not sure about that one) out of about 20 feedback of the listing report delivery. The rest are still waiting after up to 14 days. And that's not even getting to the preorders, which no doubt no-one will see.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: lukeuser on April 26, 2013, 03:44 am
I love it when a plan comes together 8)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/80/Liam_Neeson_as_Hannibal_Smith_2010.jpg
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: SilkRoadGraphics on April 26, 2013, 04:05 am
You know, some vendors have policies like, FE for newbs or FE for outside USA or EU. You'll see it all the time and here's how it works.

The vendor is taking the majority of the risks in this transaction. You can deny a package sent to you—you could also send anyone anything, right?

So much of this is built on trust and respect. This is the BM remember. That's how it is. Like "Street 'cred" or whatever. It's all the same.

FYI: you can always CHANGE your feedback. For example, you are told to FE for an order before it's sent 'cause you're a newbie. You do and are told to leave a 5/5. If your package never arrives, message the vendor. If you hear nothing, you can change your feedback and their rating falls and falls. Eventually, vendors that aren't credible do get dropped you know…

Just so you know! I've FEd a couple times now. And now there's also a mutual trust between vendor and buyer. Dig?

SRG
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: SilkRoadGraphics on April 26, 2013, 04:08 am
One more thing:

Being the basis of the whole being of the Silk Road, the SR wants your confidence also. You can message DPR or the SR staff. The will often FORCE a vendor to transfer you some sort of refund. I've even heard of SR covering the refund themselves. I love the road…

SRG

—lookin' good
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: Digger on April 26, 2013, 04:11 am
Just so you know! I've FEd a couple times now. And now there's also a mutual trust between vendor and buyer. Dig?
Yeah, I dig.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: SilkRoadGraphics on April 26, 2013, 04:17 am
…hah, I'm a digger too.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: Razorspyne on April 26, 2013, 04:35 am
Since I'm new here, I presume FE stands for finalize early, am I right? I thought it meant 'full escrow'.

Yes. FE = Finalise Early.

http://silkroadvb5piz3r.onion/silkroad/user/06b4755b22

Does anyone have opinions?

Nope, I had a question actually and that is, is the link you provided their vendor's page? I think it is. You know when you go to the supermarket to pick up some milk and you go to the fridge and you see a banana? That's what I thought when I followed your link. I'm not saying anything except, you kind of notice a banana in the fridge, sticks out like a meteor. What, lol? What did I say? ::) I never said anything! ::)

+K SilkRoadGraphics, nice job on a vendor's avatar, and your own doesn't look too bad either.

Piece, Love, and Fuck Haters.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: Razorspyne on April 26, 2013, 04:48 am
I wouldn't FE ever.

Less than 5 transactions on your acc./ ? Difficult not too. :-\

Piece, Love, and Fuck Haters.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: lukeuser on April 26, 2013, 08:40 pm
The laptop he was selling he has now admitted wasn't the model he said it was, rather than the X230, it was a E535 (worth much less). I've told him I don't want it.

Anyway, regarding the FE, it wasn't just me , in fact he told me "it isn't personal". All his items have a policy of FE, including the preorders I was talking about. I his feedback definately has people saying they got their 'singles', but when you look at the singles listing, all the feedback there is people still waiting for them after FEing. Right back to 15 days ago, many of these people saying they will update when the item arrives (none have done so yet). For example

"I FE'd, but seller has refused to provide tracking after making 3 promises even before DDOS attacks started. It's been 10 days and no tracking and no product."

My judgement is that he is a scammer. Where are all his drugs listing gone? He doesn't even mention them in this profile page, even though most of his feedback has been build from those sales. I've seen Silkroad profiles with good feedback on sale.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: lukeuser on April 26, 2013, 08:47 pm
You know, some vendors have policies like, FE for newbs or FE for outside USA or EU. You'll see it all the time and here's how it works.

The vendor is taking the majority of the risks in this transaction. You can deny a package sent to you—you could also send anyone anything, right?

So much of this is built on trust and respect. This is the BM remember. That's how it is. Like "Street 'cred" or whatever. It's all the same.

FYI: you can always CHANGE your feedback. For example, you are told to FE for an order before it's sent 'cause you're a newbie. You do and are told to leave a 5/5. If your package never arrives, message the vendor. If you hear nothing, you can change your feedback and their rating falls and falls. Eventually, vendors that aren't credible do get dropped you know…

Just so you know! I've FEd a couple times now. And now there's also a mutual trust between vendor and buyer. Dig?

SRG

Read my previous post. Also, I know he will *eventually* be found out, I'm just trying to speed up this process, to prevent others spending hundreds of pounds on items which will never arrive. You obviously don't care about these future victims, and I respect that, but I do.

About people updating there feedback, that is the thing about this seller- all the preorders means that no-one will suspect anything for ages, because they will assume the preorders simply haven't been sent to the seller yet, and hence the feedback won't be updated.
Title: Re: Anyone know about this seller?
Post by: lukeuser on April 27, 2013, 02:50 pm
It seems to be that this seller has finally been rumbled with help from my reporting http://silkroadvb5piz3r.onion/silkroad/user/06b4755b22/

What did I say about a plan coming together?  ;D

Anyway, I'm still devastated that he was able to scam so much before this happened. From my quick calculations based on numbers of legitimate feedback and current prices when I looked a few hours ago, it totals around 48BTC, that's over $6000. I think they were all charmed by his 'good communication', though mainly his huge positive feedback which was clearly from the previous account owner.