Bitcoin Forum

Other => Beginners & Help => Topic started by: loglow on June 29, 2011, 08:44:21 PM



Title: [POSSIBLE SCAM] Bitcoin Mining Accelerator / Coin Miner
Post by: loglow on June 29, 2011, 08:44:21 PM
Hello, I'm newly registered on these forums, but I've been active with Bitcoin for some time now.

Today I received an unsolicited email from contact@bitcoin-mining-accelerator.com regarding a supposed "Bitcoin Mining Accelerator" program called "Coin Miner" including a link to http://bitcoin-mining-accelerator.com/ and an invitation to beta test it for free. I don't know how my email address was obtained, but I can only assume it was via the Mt. Gox database leak.

The download is an EXE installer. The install seems to include GUIMiner, as well as who knows what else. I find the whole thing very sketchy to say the least. Fortunately I don't keep my wallet on my mining rig, but I've taken security precautions nonetheless, and will be wiping my mining machine ASAP. I know it was stupid to open an unknown EXE. However, since my wallet wasn't on the machine was less concerned about potential malware.

Did anyone else receive this email? Does anyone have any information about this email, website, product, or company?

Please feel free to move this topic to the appropriate location. Since I'm a brand new user, this is the only place I can post.

See also: http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=24437.0


Title: Re: [POSSIBLE SCAM] Bitcoin Mining Accelerator / Coin Miner
Post by: Maged on June 29, 2011, 08:47:43 PM
"We are currently achieving around a 23% increase in Mhash/s mining speed."

Yeah... It's a scam. And I got this too at my MtGox email.

And I'd love to move this, but I don't know where since it applies to a lot of sections.


Title: Re: [POSSIBLE SCAM] Bitcoin Mining Accelerator / Coin Miner
Post by: Distribution on June 29, 2011, 08:57:39 PM
Yeah, my scam sense is tingling on this one. Especially with those stupid badges on the website. Most downloaded in May/June? The first comment about it doesn't appear about it until yesterday. Plus it has proprietary code and comments that quell concerns about it's legitimacy by saying, "just download it."


Title: Re: [POSSIBLE SCAM] Bitcoin Mining Accelerator / Coin Miner
Post by: BitcoinPorn on June 29, 2011, 09:01:50 PM
I'd say keep this thread here.

Put this link in the original post http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=24437.0

And everyone.. change your passwords and move wallets lol


Title: Re: [POSSIBLE SCAM] Bitcoin Mining Accelerator / Coin Miner
Post by: Parja on June 29, 2011, 09:16:25 PM
I don't know how my email address was obtained, but I can only assume it was via the Mt. Gox database leak.

I'm sure it was.  I'm actually kind of surprised we haven't been seeing more BitSpam out of this whole ordeal.


Title: Re: [POSSIBLE SCAM] Bitcoin Mining Accelerator / Coin Miner
Post by: Bitsky on June 29, 2011, 09:32:21 PM
The download is an EXE installer. The install seems to include GUIMiner, as well as who knows what else. I find the whole thing very sketchy to say the least. Fortunately I don't keep my wallet on my mining rig, but I've taken security precautions nonetheless, and will be wiping my mining machine ASAP. I know it was stupid to open an unknown EXE. However, since my wallet wasn't on the machine was less concerned about potential malware.
I've gotten used to run _any_ software inside a virtual machine first that discards any changes after it's shut down. No matter if the source is legitimate or shady. That way I can test the application in every detail without having a single bit of it on my main system. I've had enough times when a program suddenly acts up, eats 100% CPU, goes crazy or simply doesn't do what's advertised. Instead of trying to get it under control, I just turn off the VM. If I need a program on a regular basis, I take a close look at what it's doing before moving it to my main system. That saved me from lots of headaches and reinstalls.


Title: Re: [POSSIBLE SCAM] Bitcoin Mining Accelerator / Coin Miner
Post by: ex0420 on June 29, 2011, 10:46:09 PM
I've seen the list of leaked emails and passes. I logged into a few email accounts of the idiots who use the same password for everything (there were too many.) The amount of dodgy looking MAKE LOADS OF BITCOIN email was unreal.


Title: Re: [POSSIBLE SCAM] Bitcoin Mining Accelerator / Coin Miner
Post by: EnzoMatrix on June 29, 2011, 10:54:47 PM
yea I just got one of these emails today, No way would I even think about opening it .. specially since it came to me via spam mail


Title: Re: [POSSIBLE SCAM] Bitcoin Mining Accelerator / Coin Miner
Post by: ex0420 on June 29, 2011, 11:00:03 PM
yea I just got one of these emails today, No way would I even think about opening it .. specially since it came to me via spam mail
Basicly spammers got a free list of non opt-in emails. Goddamn x(