Bitcoin Forum

Update:

Read next post - user has PMed me claiming to have sent it. If this turns out well, I will remove this thread, my negative Trust, and offer an apology.

What happened::

User created a Loan Request thread here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=440213.0 (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=440213.0). Due to the user having collateral, I decided I would back a portion of the loan. I corresponded with the user regularly, and we agreed on the user sending an iPod and a laptop as collateral on the portion of the loan I would back. The user talked me out of sending the iPod, which was fine with me (I would just reduce the loan amount to compensate).

The user then gave me a story about how he needed money for shipping. At first I refused, and pointed out that BTC wouldn't pay for his shipping, then the user sent screenshots of PMs between himself and escrow.ms regarding a trade he was setting up - 0.06 BTC for however much in Rupees.

I sent the coins to the user, he sent the coins to escrow.ms, then responded back that he was awaiting his payment. The next day, the user messaged me back with a story about oversleeping. He then messaged me later saying he would provide the shipping info (tracking number I'd imagine) soon.

That's the last I heard from him. I've sent him numerous PMs over the past two days, with no effect. The user has been online (although making no more posts, which leads me to believe he is using PMs to attempt to scam more coins) and hasn't responded to me. I'm making this thread after the user was online for about 3 hours, then logged off without responding to me.

Scammers Profile Link:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=209050 (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=209050)

Reference Link:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=440213.0 (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=440213.0)

Amount Scammed:

0.06 BTC - not a large loss, but annoying nonetheless.

Payment Method:

None - sent coins. He received a bank transfer from escrow.ms for the coins.

Proof of Payment:

https://blockchain.info/tx/bf27dcf8f1c231bb74f75cf28682e178565e9e9ecb63133ec66eee9bb4df2178 (https://blockchain.info/tx/bf27dcf8f1c231bb74f75cf28682e178565e9e9ecb63133ec66eee9bb4df2178)

Then his transfer to escrow.ms

https://blockchain.info/tx/25b60e27cb0c3b748141af2aa0109f5f3e942a16541b9faa3c11152af634f473 (https://blockchain.info/tx/25b60e27cb0c3b748141af2aa0109f5f3e942a16541b9faa3c11152af634f473)

PM/Chat Logs:

http://imgur.com/Ox6fxAF,PpO7rSy,gbPxMuh,w9H8QS8,xpec9oM,p09RNxa (http://imgur.com/Ox6fxAF,PpO7rSy,gbPxMuh,w9H8QS8,xpec9oM,p09RNxa)

Screen caps of the various PMs he sent. I can provide full caps of both sides if there's any doubt about the scam.

Additional Notes:

I'd just like to point out that I only mention escrow.ms for transparency on what happened. I didn't get him involved in any of this because it's frankly not his problem or any of my business who he is doing business with. He received some BTC and sent payment. The fact that the payment was supposed to go towards shipping has nothing to do with him or his transaction.

Obviously, this is my fault. I even explained the situation of "You're flat broke, you admit you're flat broke, you want a loan, and now you're asking for BTC for shipping". I was hooked in by the legitimate nature of his pending trade with escrow.ms, and that "put me on the spot". Just another lesson learned - don't send BTC to loanees under any circumstances without collateral.

I'm making this thread simply so that this user can be exposed as a small-time scammer (he was eager to send "collateral", as I believe the scam was just the shipping money story - a scammer doesn't care how much they make, as a payday is a payday.).

Hopefully, escrow.ms will dump the user's personal information (from the bank transfer) so that other users can be on the lookout for any sale requests from this person. Freezing him out of being able to sell his (probably stolen) BTC via bank transfers would be a plus. I'd expect this person to be back with another username hitting people in about a month.

Update - user suddenly messaged me after creating this thread and claims to have sent the collateral, but the tracking ID isn't working properly. I will remove this thread and my negative Trust if this user turns out to be legit.

After not hearing a word for two days, I didn't know what else to do but assume I got hit for 0.06 BTC. We'll see how it plays out.

What was the name of the escrow company?

There's a few scams where someone claims to sell something of value but you have to pay the escrow company to ship it. It's a common Craigslist scam.

This was more of the person literally not having enough fiat to pay for shipping. They asked me to send coins so they could liquidate them for hard currency to pay for the shipping of the item.

Like I said in the update, the user claims to have sent it and that the tracking number isn't working. I'll make prompt updates to this thread if the situation changes.

Dude you just got scammed and you don't even know it. If suggest not lending til you get a bit more experience under your belt :)

Holy hell. Well he asked me to do exchange for 4 +  BTC.
If he tries to scam you, I wouldn't mind posting his personal information here or do a police complaint (For the funds I have sent to him), even if it's a small amount.
http://gyazo.com/8b5269d12fdfabd7797f999dfa87491d.png

Ps: He asked me to give 2 btc loan to him some days ago, which i refused to provide.
http://gyazo.com/8b14da9959aeb42cf83d4fb469120a11.png
http://gyazo.com/e467a13a42e3541a36627b2f74d150ab.png

Aaaand, it's a confirmed scam.

I stayed in contact with this user in the small hope that they were genuine. He kept sending me PMs about his rent being due, etc. I stuck to my guns that I wasn't going to send anything without verifying the collateral is what he claims it is, and that it works properly.

http://imgur.com/EKvxoRc,AdHneT8,DFbXqEV,5zJJgnF,korJ5pW (http://imgur.com/EKvxoRc,AdHneT8,DFbXqEV,5zJJgnF,korJ5pW)

I like the last PM I received - basically accusing me of "cheating" him.

Here's what I received in the mail today:

http://imgur.com/lsj6EBq (http://imgur.com/lsj6EBq)

I don't know how things work in India, but typically a few papers labelled "2013 DIT/BOLTON TRUST STUDENT ENTERPRISE COMPETITION" isn't valid collateral for a loan. I'm glad I didn't give in to his begging about "rent money".

Link to his Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Amratesh/about (https://www.facebook.com/Amratesh/about) - Received from escrow.ms

Name on the envelope containing the bogus collateral: Gauray Shah (Could be Gauroy Shah)

So that's basically the end of this little drama. In the end, I got hit for 0.06 BTC for "shipping", and received a few papers in the mail. No wonder he was in such a rush for me to send the BTC.

Yeah that's like going to a bank to ask for a loan and they say "we need the title to your car for collateral" and you say "sure, just give me $60 for gas so I can go get that for you".

Well no shit

Im not a scammer

Why would you come back after 2 years when you didn't even address it at the time? Totally baffling.

Im not coming back after 2 years. I have been around and read posts from time to time. I couldn't man up to this in sorry.

And how are you not a scammer?   And can you sign a message from the address you used in this... scam?

I don't have access to my blockchain wallet now. I will try to get it back and see if I can sign a message with that address. Please I'm not a scammer, how can i get rid of the scammer tag and the -1. Please help. I don't want to make a new account here.

Yes that is my Facebook. But I'm not a scammer. I stopped going on my Facebook after they posted it here. I got bullied. I forgot my password now. But my profile is still online and I think my last post is some time after my profile was linked here. I'm sorry.