No one under any circumstances should send their ID to sublime5447 (aka Chris and Amber North) or any of the other Bitcoin Friends (JP Howlett/Jack Straw).  They are confirmed scammers on #bitcoin-otc and tried to extort money from me.

You can read more about them here, https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=261449.0.

Just the fact that sublime5447 posted an advertisement here should be a red flag but in case it isn't I want to make everyone aware that sublime5447 and his Bitcoin Friends group are a bunch of scammers.  They use multiple aliases and will complete a transaction and then come back later and try to extort you for money to "clear your good name" while refusing to provide proof that there was ever a problem in the first place.

See https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=261449.0 for more details.

The amount wasn't $170.

If JP Howlett is above board why was he using the alias Jack Straw when I talked to him on the phone and provided the MoneyPak?  JP and Jack are obviously the same person but still deny this.

Money is always a motivation and what you and your group did was try to extort me to send $300 to "clear my name" when I wasn't at fault.

As to the reversibility of MoneyPaks all I can find is:


It seems that using a third party Greendot card when that third party is not someone you know well could be the issue.  It could also have been an issue if the card holder told Greendot that they did not purchase the MoneyPak that was loaded.  Neither of these should fall back on me.

This was what happened and my response to sublime5447 (aka Chris and Amber North) on the Bitcoins Friends page:

I sold one of the "Bitcoin Friends" two MoneyPaks back on July 13th. One of these MoneyPaks was loaded onto the buyers Paypal account and there was no problem. The other was loaded onto a third-party "friends" Greendot card and a week later the card was locked.

On July 20th at 1:23am I was contacted by the buyer Jack Straw (https://www.facebook.com/jack.straw.568847?fref=ts) who stated that there had been a problem with one of the MoneyPaks he purchased from me on July 13th and he asked "did you dispute or overturn a MoneyPak transaction for one of the cards you gave me on 7/13?"

To which I replied an hour later, "No I didn't reverse charges or claim ownership or anything else with the MoneyPak card I gave you. I have never heard of that being done or even that it was possible. Not sure what we can do to make the situation right?" It was 2:22am so after replying to his message I went to bed.

When I woke up I had multiple messages from Jack Straw asking various questions but also stating, "I'll be honest that I can't entirely rule out some scheme by "my friend" (we're using the term loosely)." Bitcoin Friends (https://www.facebook.com/bitcoinfriends) had also posted that I was a "Suspected Scammer" on their Facebook page. In response I told the Bitcoin Friends that their post was premature and that Jack Straw and I had not been able to identify who was at fault as of yet. Their response was that I needed to send Jack Straw $300 in Bitcoins and they would remove the post. I told them wouldn't be bullied and I refused to move forward in finding a resolution under the circumstances.

Then another member of the Bitcoin Friends group, JP Howlett (https://www.facebook.com/jp.howlett?fref=ts) made the following post on the Bitcoin Friends page:

" I'm not entirely sure who all of those remarks are directed at, but let me
try to clear things up.

I don't feel that I accused you - I stated the facts and asked for
your input - obviously there's sort of an accusation behind that or between
the lines, but I outright told you that I would give you the benefit of the doubt. You expressed a willingness to work things out or at least discuss,
but then didn't answer my questions.

In parallel, I reported the matter to Chris and Amber, advising them that
you seemed stand up and expressed desire for amiciable solution. When hours
had gone by without an answer, I first messaged you, Paul, and then after
some more time asked Amber and Chris if they could help me get some answers.

I have since verified that it was an issue with a reload pack that you gave
me. However, I still don't n ecessarily think you are a scammer - you might simply be an intermediate victim so to speak. The fact that you gave me 2 paks that day and only one had issues suggests that. My guess is that you
got the paks from someone else, but id like to hear what you have to say to
my questions."

So it seems that JP Howlett and Jack Straw are the same person. Even though JP states that I gave him 2 paks, when in fact I sold to Jack Straw via a phone conversation, he is still trying to claim that he and Jack are different people and that "I am getting out of the bitcoin trade and Jack is taking my book."

Morale of the story stay away from the Bitcoin Friends (https://www.facebook.com/bitcoinfriends), sublime5447 https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=79546 (aka Chris and Amber North https://www.facebook.com/AmberNicoleNorth), JP Howlett/Jack Straw https://www.facebook.com/jp.howlett?fref=ts and https://www.facebook.com/jack.straw.568847?fref=ts).

Their and my responses to my statement (trying to keep them in order):

Bitcoin Friends - Me and all my sellers work together to keep coins and funds flowing. We can all see each others orders. It does get confusing and is hard to remember who filled what orders. I know JP and Jack and yes jack is not a real account but is a real person. I load money pak to friends accounts all the time. I have asked several members to take codes from me. We each have limits to the amount we can take. It is not a problem unless someone provides a bad code.

Paul - That would make sense except I was on the phone with Jack/JP when I sold the MoneyPaks to him so the person I sold to was Jack but now it is obvious that is also JP.

There was nothing bad about the code you bought from me. in fact it was checked and loaded by your seller prior to me being paid. If you are trading codes and using third-party cards of "my friend (and we are using that term loosely)" then that is a risk on your end.

You have yet to provide proof as to any of your claims.

Bitcoin Friends - I am not making the claim one of my trusted seller is. I know and trust him. I dont know or turst you

Paul - Your trusted Seller has been caught using two names within your group, JP Howlett and Jack Straw. They have also admitted to using a third-parties Greendot Card to load MoneyPaks onto who they describe as ""my friend" (we're using the term loosely)." In addition they have provided no proof of their claims. You made posts regarding this without stating any of the facts regarding the situation nor did you check the facts yourself, which is very irresponsible on your part.

Bitcoin Friends - I don't want to argue with you.

Paul - Provide proof of your sellers claims.

Bitcoin Friends - Look, you got your coins, you said your side, I took the post down. What more do you want? I'm tired of going back and fourth with you. At this point your just harassing me and I'm going to ban you from the page if you don't stop.

So in the end I asked for proof to be provided and they threatened that if I didn't stop "harassing" them they would ban me from their Facebook page.  They then go on to make accusations here that I am a possible scammer.  Make your own judgement on who was scamming who.

This was what actually happened and my response to sublime5447 (aka Chris and Amber North) on the Bitcoins Friends page:

I sold one of the "Bitcoin Friends" two MoneyPaks back on July 13th. One of these MoneyPaks was loaded onto the buyers Paypal account and there was no problem. The other was loaded onto a third-party "friends" Greendot card and a week later the card was locked.

On July 20th at 1:23am I was contacted by the buyer Jack Straw (https://www.facebook.com/jack.straw.568847?fref=ts) who stated that there had been a problem with one of the MoneyPaks he purchased from me on July 13th and he asked "did you dispute or overturn a MoneyPak transaction for one of the cards you gave me on 7/13?"

To which I replied an hour later, "No I didn't reverse charges or claim ownership or anything else with the MoneyPak card I gave you. I have never heard of that being done or even that it was possible. Not sure what we can do to make the situation right?" It was 2:22am so after replying to his message I went to bed.

When I woke up I had multiple messages from Jack Straw asking various questions but also stating, "I'll be honest that I can't entirely rule out some scheme by "my friend" (we're using the term loosely)." Bitcoin Friends (https://www.facebook.com/bitcoinfriends) had also posted that I was a "Suspected Scammer" on their Facebook page. In response I told the Bitcoin Friends that their post was premature and that Jack Straw and I had not been able to identify who was at fault as of yet. Their response was that I needed to send Jack Straw $300 in Bitcoins and they would remove the post. I told them wouldn't be bullied and I refused to move forward in finding a resolution under the circumstances.

Then another member of the Bitcoin Friends group, JP Howlett (https://www.facebook.com/jp.howlett?fref=ts) made the following post on the Bitcoin Friends page:

" I'm not entirely sure who all of those remarks are directed at, but let me
try to clear things up.

I don't feel that I accused you - I stated the facts and asked for
your input - obviously there's sort of an accusation behind that or between
the lines, but I outright told you that I would give you the benefit of the doubt. You expressed a willingness to work things out or at least discuss,
but then didn't answer my questions.

In parallel, I reported the matter to Chris and Amber, advising them that
you seemed stand up and expressed desire for amiciable solution. When hours
had gone by without an answer, I first messaged you, Paul, and then after
some more time asked Amber and Chris if they could help me get some answers.

I have since verified that it was an issue with a reload pack that you gave
me. However, I still don't n ecessarily think you are a scammer - you might simply be an intermediate victim so to speak. The fact that you gave me 2 paks that day and only one had issues suggests that. My guess is that you
got the paks from someone else, but id like to hear what you have to say to
my questions."

So it seems that JP Howlett and Jack Straw are the same person. Even though JP states that I gave him 2 paks, when in fact I sold to Jack Straw via a phone conversation, he is still trying to claim that he and Jack are different people and that "I am getting out of the bitcoin trade and Jack is taking my book."

Morale of the story stay away from the Bitcoin Friends (https://www.facebook.com/bitcoinfriends), sublime5447 https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=79546 (aka Chris and Amber North https://www.facebook.com/AmberNicoleNorth), JP Howlett/Jack Straw https://www.facebook.com/jp.howlett?fref=ts and https://www.facebook.com/jack.straw.568847?fref=ts).

Their and my responses to my statement (trying to keep them in order):

Bitcoin Friends - Me and all my sellers work together to keep coins and funds flowing. We can all see each others orders. It does get confusing and is hard to remember who filled what orders. I know JP and Jack and yes jack is not a real account but is a real person. I load money pak to friends accounts all the time. I have asked several members to take codes from me. We each have limits to the amount we can take. It is not a problem unless someone provides a bad code.

Paul - That would make sense except I was on the phone with Jack/JP when I sold the MoneyPaks to him so the person I sold to was Jack but now it is obvious that is also JP.

There was nothing bad about the code you bought from me. in fact it was checked and loaded by your seller prior to me being paid. If you are trading codes and using third-party cards of "my friend (and we are using that term loosely)" then that is a risk on your end.

You have yet to provide proof as to any of your claims.

Bitcoin Friends - I am not making the claim one of my trusted seller is. I know and trust him. I dont know or turst you

Paul - Your trusted Seller has been caught using two names within your group, JP Howlett and Jack Straw. They have also admitted to using a third-parties Greendot Card to load MoneyPaks onto who they describe as ""my friend" (we're using the term loosely)." In addition they have provided no proof of their claims. You made posts regarding this without stating any of the facts regarding the situation nor did you check the facts yourself, which is very irresponsible on your part.

Bitcoin Friends - I don't want to argue with you.

Paul - Provide proof of your sellers claims.

Bitcoin Friends - Look, you got your coins, you said your side, I took the post down. What more do you want? I'm tired of going back and fourth with you. At this point your just harassing me and I'm going to ban you from the page if you don't stop.

So in the end I asked for proof to be provided and they threatened that if I didn't stop "harassing" them they would ban me from their Facebook page.  Make your own judgement on who was scamming who.

Bitcoin will almost certainly hit $1000 within 2 years, a lot sooner if the Winklevoss ETF is approved.

Although there are 11.43 million bitcoins in existence the pool of available bitcoins is much much smaller.  This creates a situation where additional capital invested will increase the market cap of bitcoins to the magnitude of total bitcoins in existence / bitcoins available for purchase.  I think people would be surprised at what a $1mil injection of cash would do to the price of bitcoins.