blender - Ran off with user's funds after shutting down

[DarkStar_]

I have created a flag against blender, the owner of BitBlender.io on the forum.
Flag: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=trust;flag=72
They announced that they were shutting down on May 27, 2019:

Bitcoin Blender is shutting down. Please withdraw.

They ran the service for a few more days, and then took down the Tor site which is where the mixing service was located. Clearnet bitblender.io is still up, but it is only a static page. Looking at the last two pages of the ANN thread, there are many users complaining that they were unable to recover funds. Some examples:

Hi please help me get back my last coins, was not expecting this and just missed the notice! Please get the site back online with notice ahead in your thread or help me sending my coins back! I will be more than happy to give you 15% of all my coins! I have 3000 USD in there!

PLESE PM ME OR WRITE IN THIS THREAD IF YOU CAN HELP ME!

I didn't have time to withdraw my btc   it was much too short notice
Is there any way you could switch it back on for a short time with only withdrawals enabled? Or anything else that could be done?

I did not have time to see the notice of closure. How do I contact Bitblender for a refund?

Is there any way to get a message to Blender? The notice was way too short and I still have Bitcoin with the service.

I don't think they'll be back. But for a site that has scammed someone, their trust score is positive, which is definitely not right.

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[BitcoinGirl.Club]

There was something that did not make sense to me. They gave their users very short time (few days only) and the announcement was in their ANN topic (if I am not mistaken). How many people actually read updated in ANN topic. They had clients from around the world not just from the forum.

Was there any warning quote/text in their website? I can not remember if I have seen any. It was simple to add a warning text on their website for few days or a week before they shut down completely their service.

Anyway, I left support for the flag. I hope those who lost their money, somehow get them back.

[LFC_Bitcoin]

Another day another shady as fuck business shuts down & runs with users money. Some people are real cunts, thanks for highlighting this. I’ve showed Support to the flag any way, hope users can somehow recoup funds.

[TheNewAnon135246]

Have you contacted any of the victims to have them create a scammer flag?

[The Sceptical Chymist]

Supported.  I'm not sure what's going on with the coin mixers, but I assume this one was being aggressively hounded by the authorities and just figured they ought to high-tail it out of wherever they were located--without returning their customers' funds, and that's the lousy part.  I swear, looking for an honest business in the crypto space is like searching for an honest mechanic.

A tad bit off-topic, but how many mixer services are left?  I think I'm advertising for one of the last ones here.

[Lucius]

BitBlender is in any case left little time to its users to withdraw their coins, completely nonprofessional from them. We can not say with confidence that the end of their business is actually a scam exit strategy, but it is possible that they use Bestmixer case to carry out something like this. It is also possible that there was a danger of ending as Bestmixer, so that they were forced to react quickly.

A tad bit off-topic, but how many mixer services are left?  I think I'm advertising for one of the last ones here.

According to the list maintained by LeGaulois, there are currently 14 active mixers.

[Hhampuz]

I've been very sad about receiving several PM's from users that had funds at blender and now have no way of contacting them or getting it back... I will support the flag and I will of course remove my positive trust.

I doubt we'll ever see them back, no matter what happens, but yeah. I'm not happy.

[ICOEthics]

Hello OP, maybe you should consider moving this thread to the scam section.

[TheNewAnon135246]

Someone who actually lost funds already made a topic: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5153859.0

I have requested him to create a scammer flag instead of the current one. Hopefully it's not too confusing for him 

[stillhavecoin]

Someone who actually lost funds already made a topic: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5153859.0

I have requested him to create a scammer flag instead of the current one. Hopefully it's not too confusing for him 

I supported the flag. These are the two addresses my coin was moved to today:

bc1q4xghsyec6a75e00w3fc5tkdhy97mche4fqsym7

bc1qny6dwae6m8p2ezhcph3h8e60wt86telrwg4wtd

[TheNewAnon135246]

Scammer flag has been created: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=trust;u=229601;page=iflags https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=trust;flag=78

[TryNinja]

Scammer flag has been created: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=trust;u=229601;page=iflags

Use the direct link instead of the inactive flags page url: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=trust;flag=78

[The Sceptical Chymist]

According to the list maintained by LeGaulois, there are currently 14 active mixers.

Thank you for that.  I've never used any mixing services and don't know if they're spread out across the world or not, but I assume this shuttering of several(?) of them is a jurisdictional thing.  I thought I recalled reading that one was from Russia or Switzerland--I can't remember for the life of me. 

I know this isn't a discussion of mixers, but I do think they have a place in the crypto world and I'd hate to see a service like that eliminated entirely.

I doubt we'll ever see them back, no matter what happens, but yeah. I'm not happy.

Yeah, not likely at all.  If people were going to get their funds back, this service (Blender, I guess) would not have treated their customers this way.  It's just too damn easy for disreputable businesses to run away with money when SHTF and an irreversible currency with no built-in protection is involved.

[The Cryptovator]

Supported both flags, newbie flags and red flags created by other user. Thanks OP for highlighte that case. Really I were not expected they would run out with users fund. Seems positive feedback's has been removed and red warning visible to their profile.


Feel sorry for them who have lost fund with bitblender.

[Hhampuz]

I doubt we'll ever see them back, no matter what happens, but yeah. I'm not happy.

Yeah, not likely at all.  If people were going to get their funds back, this service (Blender, I guess) would not have treated their customers this way.  It's just too damn easy for disreputable businesses to run away with money when SHTF and an irreversible currency with no built-in protection is involved.

I just find it odd considering for how long blender were operating with, I assume, decent OPSEC. They could have at least given it a couple of weeks for users to withdraw..

[TheNewAnon135246]

I doubt we'll ever see them back, no matter what happens, but yeah. I'm not happy.

Yeah, not likely at all.  If people were going to get their funds back, this service (Blender, I guess) would not have treated their customers this way.  It's just too damn easy for disreputable businesses to run away with money when SHTF and an irreversible currency with no built-in protection is involved.

I just find it odd considering for how long blender were operating with, I assume, decent OPSEC. They could have at least given it a couple of weeks for users to withdraw..

Perhaps they are currently suffering the same faith as Bestmixer.

[Quickseller]

I doubt we'll ever see them back, no matter what happens, but yeah. I'm not happy.

Yeah, not likely at all.  If people were going to get their funds back, this service (Blender, I guess) would not have treated their customers this way.  It's just too damn easy for disreputable businesses to run away with money when SHTF and an irreversible currency with no built-in protection is involved.

I just find it odd considering for how long blender were operating with, I assume, decent OPSEC. They could have at least given it a couple of weeks for users to withdraw..

Perhaps they are currently suffering the same faith as Bestmixer.

No, they posted that Hhampuz returned excess signature campaign money.

[akamit]

Supported. Thanks for flagging blender.

When they gave a few hours to withdraw, I had raised my concern at that time, saying they have given a very short time and we'll probably see a lot of accusations against them in future.

I know they were frightened after bestmixer seize but they should have given at least a week to users to withdraw. A week instead of a few hours imo, some users maybe were in sleepland at that "few hours" time.

[Chris!]

...I'm not sure what's going on with the coin mixers...

I figured this would start happening soon. Don't use any mixers anymore. They're all using the same basic algorithms and they've all been pwned. https://www.dropbox.com/s/3yapwyfz72tvswh/BA_mixing_services.pdf?dl=0

[Lucius]

Thank you for that.  I've never used any mixing services and don't know if they're spread out across the world or not, but I assume this shuttering of several(?) of them is a jurisdictional thing.  I thought I recalled reading that one was from Russia or Switzerland--I can't remember for the life of me.  

I know this isn't a discussion of mixers, but I do think they have a place in the crypto world and I'd hate to see a service like that eliminated entirely.

You're welcome

Although number of mixers is pretty decent for today's needs, I must admit that I only knew about those who were promoted here on forum, and others were completely unknown for me until I saw this list. Given that ChipMixer has the very best visibility and reputation, I think the others have a very small share in this business.

If you mean on Bestmixer, it is probably from Netherlands or Luxembourg, although other countries are not excluded. As the main reason for investigation and closure at the end, is report from McAfee security company.
 

I figured this would start happening soon. Don't use any mixers anymore. They're all using the same basic algorithms and they've all been pwned.

I think you're wrong, ChipMixer is still safe from such attacks, at least for the time being. Breaking Mixing Services