[ANN] ChipMixer.com - Bitcoin mixer / Bitcoin tumbler - mixing reinvented

[mk4]

I know it's safe to assume that that the ChipMixer team has been pretty careful with their opsec, I wish you guys the best and please be extra careful.

https://www.theblock.co/post/163206/suspected-tornado-cash-developer-arrested-in-amsterdam
https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2022/08/12/netherlands-arrests-suspected-tornado-cash-developer/

[ChipMixer]

was it some kind of breach. Is our privacy compromised?

It wasn't. Privacy of users was not compromised.

[NotATether]

@ChipMixer

Are you concerned about the sanctions on Tornado Cash (an ethereum mixer) and whether the Feds will come after Bitcoin mixers next - specifically yours?

[Lucius]

@mk4&@NotATether, I think we have been able to conclude so far that CM does not base its business on some kind of half-assed security solutions when it comes to staying out of the reach of those who would like to disable them in what they do. When we talk about mixers that have been caught in various traps over the years, we are talking about a rather amateurish job on the part of their owners - and the last case also belongs to that category.

[BlackHatCoiner]

I'll agree with Lucius here. I presume ChipMixer is very cautious when it comes to protecting their own privacy too. They probably write code, build the site, talk to us in this forum - all via anonymity-focused Internet solutions such as Tor or i2p. If I was running such mixer, I'd be sure I'd sooner or later have authorities stick their nose into my business.

[DireWolfM14]

This isn't the first time mixers have been targeted by authorities, and I'm sure it won't be the last.  This type of government-assault on privacy services seems to happen every two to three years, or so.  ChipMixer has survived at least one other that I recall from 2019, and based on my perception of their opsec, I imagine they'll be here for a significant time to come.

Governments are, of course, going to harass and intimidate anyone in the space that leave themselves open.  If for no other reason than to make an example of them, assuming that will deter others.

[JollyGood]

@ChipMixer

Are you concerned about the sanctions on Tornado Cash (an ethereum mixer) and whether the Feds will come after Bitcoin mixers next - specifically yours?

It is a very interesting point you brought up.

Right now as far as I understand, only American citizens are not allowed to use Tornado Cash which is a strange decision as they are also accusing it of laundering over $7 billion but that sounds ludicrous when it has passed through around $7.6 billion in total.

If there are arrests and prosecutions of those behind mixers then it will send out a message to others out there.

In my opinion it is just a matter of time before law enforcement agencies manage to make a case against almost all mixers. Are they already building up cases against the bigger Bitcoin mixers? If they have, I am expecting them to go after all major mixers soon. If they have not, I expect it is inevitable.

@mk4&@NotATether, I think we have been able to conclude so far that CM does not base its business on some kind of half-assed security solutions when it comes to staying out of the reach of those who would like to disable them in what they do. When we talk about mixers that have been caught in various traps over the years, we are talking about a rather amateurish job on the part of their owners - and the last case also belongs to that category.

Maybe you are right, maybe they are very well as far as their security is concerned but when faced with the full financial might and determination of a law enforcement agency things can easily become tricky not just for Chipmixer but all mixers.

I'll agree with Lucius here. I presume ChipMixer is very cautious when it comes to protecting their own privacy too. They probably write code, build the site, talk to us in this forum - all via anonymity-focused Internet solutions such as Tor or i2p. If I was running such mixer, I'd be sure I'd sooner or later have authorities stick their nose into my business.

The latter part the post stands out for me. Sooner or later authorities will be taking a look at any mixing operation and most probably cite an excuse to try to make arrests such as money laundering or tax evasion etc.

If mixer operators were aware law enforcement agencies would one day make a move on them yet years later have not, they still have time to get their story ready. Imagine any mixer coder or developer standing in front of a judge in a Court of law explaining why they operated mixing websites. Would a judge or jury be able to comprehend the complexities of the matter when the prosecution will be putting forward charges and claims of money laundering?

[agentF]

I always used Chip Mixer since day 1.

Never understood why the hell someone would use Tornado Cash on clearnet and why the Hell is the team is doxxed.

[NotATether]

Right now as far as I understand, only American citizens are not allowed to use Tornado Cash which is a strange decision as they are also accusing it of laundering over $7 billion but that sounds ludicrous when it has passed around $7.6 billion in total.

That's partially because the US government can only pass laws relating to their own citizens - it can't make arbitrary decisions on behalf of other countries.

[JollyGood]

Yes. And if those citizens are living away from US soil (such as in Europe or Asia) they still come under that part of US law which forbids them from doing certain things. If the US agencies were so sure Tornado Cash was laundering money they should put forward evidence to their international partners asking them to do the same but as far as I have been reading they have not.

Some analysts are saying arresting one of the alleged developers of Tornado Cash in Europe is sending out a signal the agencies can come after anybody involved in the creation and upkeep of mixers not just the owners. We are now moving in to new territory with agencies vs mixers and it is only going to escalate.

Right now as far as I understand, only American citizens are not allowed to use Tornado Cash which is a strange decision as they are also accusing it of laundering over $7 billion but that sounds ludicrous when it has passed around $7.6 billion in total.

That's partially because the US government can only pass laws relating to their own citizens - it can't make arbitrary decisions on behalf of other countries.

[DireWolfM14]

I did a little bit searching this morning to evaluate the various search engines and their propensity to elevate the scam sites:

Search text: chipmixer

Google: Two top search results are scams, the .xyz site, and the darknetone which just redirects people to the .pro site.  The third result on the page is the bitcointalk forum profile of the real chipmixer account.  That is an improvement from the past, but still no .com site on the first page.

Bing: The top result is chimixer.com, the real clearnet site, right after all the kitchen gadgets.  There are plenty of scam sites following, but ironically no mention of the scam site that top's google's results. 

Yahoo: Similar to Bing, the top result is the real clearnet site, also followed by scams.

DuckDuckGo: Also, the top result is the real clearnet site followed by scam sites.

The really interesting part about all this is that .xyz site which tops the google results is only in the top results on google.  It doesn't show up on the first page of any of the other search engines.  This really piques my suspicions about the .xyz site and google being in cahoots.  Given google's past behavior and the way they've aligned themselves with federal authorities of the US and China's communist party, I'm starting to think there's something seriously corrupt going on behind the scenes.

[LeGaulois]

you conspiracy nut!

(hey, I'm just joking)

About the .xyz version, that's because the guy literally spammed the web with over 40 000 backlinks from 1500 different domains.
In 2022, it's still possible to fool Google...
Google has no use to spam a website it owns considering they can manipulate the SERP manually if they want

The .com will come back on the top of the SERP but it will take a long time.

Now something interesting...

You guys surely remember about Atobmixer.com
ANN topic: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5207219.msg53267490#msg53267490

I beg you to visit Atobmixer.com

Atobmixer.com = chipmixer.xyz

[DireWolfM14]

you conspiracy nut!

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me. 
I mean, it's not like the FBI or CIA are looking like a partisan gestapo who are exposing their corruption by attacking their political opposition.  If that were true, I'm sure I would have said as much before now, right?

Now something interesting...

You guys surely remember about Atobmixer.com
ANN topic: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5207219.msg53267490#msg53267490

I beg you to visit Atobmixer.com

Atobmixer.com = chipimixer.xyz

That is quit interesting.  I'll have to go through that troll's post history and take a closer look. 

[JollyGood]

I am confused about how Atobmixer with negative trust on the forum equates to Chipmixer?

Rather than the former = the latter is it a more apt alternative to assume the latter purchased the former domain and pointed it to the current Chipmixer destination? Just a guess.

Now something interesting...

You guys surely remember about Atobmixer.com
ANN topic: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5207219.msg53267490#msg53267490

I beg you to visit Atobmixer.com

Atobmixer.com = chipmixer.xyz

[LeGaulois]

@Atobmixer bought chipmixer.xyz about 6 months ago, and redirected atobmixer.com (bought in 2019) to .xyz

During the same time he was operating atobmixer.com he also owned another scam mixer (mixmycrypto.io 's archive.org).
Now mixmycrypto.io redirects to chipmixer.xyz

atobmixer.com=mixmycrypto.io=chipmixer.xyz
@Atobmixer is very familiar with scamming people

[JollyGood]

Thank you for clearing that up... I wonder how many people have actually fallen for the scam and sent funds to them thinking it was Chipmixer? The team behind the scam websites have definitely put effort in, in order to scam gullible people.

@Atobmixer bought chipmixer.xyz about 6 months ago, and redirected atobmixer.com (bought in 2019) to .xyz

During the same time he was operating atobmixer.com he also owned another scam mixer (mixmycrypto.io 's archive.org). (original website MyCryptoMixer.com https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=2734674)
Now mixmycrypto.io redirects to chipmixer.xyz

atobmixer.com=mixmycrypto.io=chipmixer.xyz
@Atobmixer is very familiar with scamming people

[LoyceV]

Rather than the former = the latter is it a more apt alternative to assume the latter purchased the former domain and pointed it to the current Chipmixer destination? Just a guess.

You're missing the point. The Atob-site forwards to the phising/scam domain, not the real ChipMixer.com site.

[JollyGood]

I know it has domain forwarding to the fake .xyz domain: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1935098.msg60790204#msg60790204

Rather than the former = the latter is it a more apt alternative to assume the latter purchased the former domain and pointed it to the current Chipmixer destination? Just a guess.

You're missing the point. The Atob-site forwards to the phising/scam domain, not the real ChipMixer.com site.

[DireWolfM14]

You're missing the point. The Atob-site forwards to the phising/scam domain, not the real ChipMixer.com site.

I think you're missing the point; the trust-system-abuser needs a new cache of accounts to red-tag since he ran out of 1xBit spammers to intimidate.

[NotATether]

A belated response, but as I was totally unaware that this even happened, I'm going to leave my comments about it here:

Am I reading this right, does this mean that Google received a complaint from the .online domain and it got the original .com domain removed from searches because of this?

That would be amazingly dumb! Does this mean Google just follows any BS claim without verifying anything? But when it's about taking down a reported phishing site, they don't seem to care? It doesn't make sense. The word "stupid" doesn't even cover it!
I would expect Google to have more than enough data to determine which site is the original creator of the data. They're a search engine, it's their core business to know these things.

Now on to the obvious question right now, can we simple users do something about this?

I'm starting to think of adding this to /etc/hosts:

Code:

127.0.0.1       google.com

Reporting to google for fake misleading ads is one thing and I did that a lot of times, but here is something that I guess is a bit more complicated, so stick to reporting the xyz domain as a phishing website via the safebrowsing report tool or is there something else we can do about it?

It would be interesting if a scammed user sues Google over this. They're actively promoting a scam, despite being reported to them many times. But I guess victims value their privacy too much for that.

Google is no internet sheriff. They lost their "force for good" title more than a decade ago. Now they only care about keeping their profits up which means that they will turn a blind eye towards malicious stuff unless there is severe public pressure on them to block it.

It's one of the reasons why ChipMixer has the largest signature campaign here, and has near total penetration on Bitcointalk.