Instawallet on Tor network a scam?

[shushka420]

Hey guys,

Just tried my hand at my first bitcoin purchase and transfer. I had set up an instawallet from a link in the hidden wiki since it seemed that according to the site verifications everything was up and running. I transferred the .526 btc to the wallet from MTGox about 4 hours ago... I've looked at the wallet multiple times, checked, rechecked, and tripple checked I put in all the right addresses, and even checked the blockchain to see what was going on.
https://blockchain.info/address/1Dg4LGwMdLrKix6yzQ9n9YwYu2jbbCUcwr
At the time of this posting, we're looking at 35 confirmations of my transaction and yet my wallet still shows as empty. Upon further research, I discovered instawallet.org and noticed the site had been shut down. My big concern is that I have just sent my coins to a company that no longer operates, but for some reason still leaves their tor network site up and running to create new wallets. Did I just blow my first bitcoin experience by basically giving someone free money that I'll never see again? If I'll never see the funds because of Instawallet closing on the main web, is there a way to recover them through some kind of fraud claim through MTGox? Can Instawallet help?

I feel like a dolt because I had read that last month IW was hacked, but from everything I looked at on tor it seemed that they had restored service and were operating normally now. I had planned to only have the funds in there for a matter of seconds, but yet it seems from my end they never even got in the wallet for that.


Can anyone help me out here?

[shushka420]

Anyone? I know this is the n00b section but I'm really bummed out about basically wasting 80 bucks for no good reason on this. Could someone maybe mirror this for me in a support forum? I'm just at a loss for what I should do about this - it doesn't seem the tor network version of instawallet is connected to the surface web version, so I'm worried I just walked right into a scam or something. I know I should've done more research but everything on the tor network is such a small community it's hard to find any good information aside from mainstream media articles about SR and stuff

[nristovski]

Maybe you should wait little more. Maybe needs more time to confirm the transaction.

[DannyHamilton]

Did I just blow my first bitcoin experience by basically giving someone free money that I'll never see again?

Unfortunately, most likely yes.

is there a way to recover them through some kind of fraud claim through MTGox?

No.

Can Instawallet help?

Most likely not.

I'm just at a loss for what I should do about this

I'd think of it as an expensive education in the importance of making sure you know exactly who you are giving your money to, or understanding the risks if you don't.

- it doesn't seem the tor network version of instawallet is connected to the surface web version, so I'm worried I just walked right into a scam or something.

I think this is most likely what happened.

[phrackage]

Don't let this colour your experience - you'll never forget the cash-like nature of BTC again!

[shushka420]

Ya, i guess so. I'm just shocked that there is absolutely no literature online either praising or deriding instawallet on tor, not to mention hidden wiki is usually very good about posting which ones are scams and which are real, and this one was at the top of the "real" list

Bummer I suppose, I doubt any more time will help the issue

[FocusMedia]

It's no doubt gone for good buddy, don't let this put you off Bitcoin.

[Birdy]

Also if possible update the wiki, please. So that the next person won't fall into this trap.
It sucks that so many people are scammed :/

[shushka420]

I notified hidden wiki, but was't able to update yet since they have main page protected. Once in the discussion section to report it, I noticed one other person had reported it as well but they main page had not been updated to reflect it (damn hidden wiki, way to drop the ball on that one). I submitted the info in two sections on the discussion page, so hopefully it gets updated finally