Localbitcoins Selling Scam

[soniq]

Just wanted to share how a buyer tried to scam  BTC on Localbitcoins

Buyer contacted me to buy 80 BTC, and mentions to text him at a cell number in message to arrange a meetup for cash or direct bank deposit.

I text them, and then informs me that they are interested in 300 BTC, As they are first time buyers I settle on 10 BTC for first order.

The buyer then ask to escrow the account, and send them a picture to confirm the amount is escrowed.

"Dont Send the Picture"  The page in question contains the release code for SMS, so potentially the buyer could release the escrowed BTC without giving you the cash.

I only sent a picture of part of the page not showing the release code for SMS, immediately after that the buyer went unresponsive.

I then contacted Localbitcoins presented the evidence I had. Localbitcoins agreed with me  and banned the user and immediately released my funds from escrow.

99% of my Localbitcoins transactions have  been excellent, just have to watch out for that small 1% that make it bad for everyone else.

Cheers

Edit: Looks like perp has been identified https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=279648.0

[escrow.ms]

Same thing happened with user Burt
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=278352.0

[BurtW]

Same thing happened with user Burt
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=278352.0

Was it the same user?

[BurtW]

"Dont Send the Picture"  The page in question contains the release code for SMS, so potentially the buyer could release the escrowed BTC without giving you the cash.

Actually I did send him the picture of the page since the page in question no longer shows the code unless you click a link to show it.  I assume this new feature of not showing the release code unless you explicitly click a link was added to avoid this specific scam.

He actually had the balls to ask me to resend the picture after clicking the link to show the code - proving that he is a low life scum scammer.

[soniq]

Same thing happened with user Burt
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=278352.0

Was it the same user?

sucraM

and feliks were the accounts he used

phone # was 913-200-1331

[escrow.ms]

Same thing happened with user Burt
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=278352.0

Was it the same user?

sucraM

and feliks were the accounts he used

phone # was 913-200-1331

Same Phone number, Looks like he's trying to do it with multiple accounts.

[DannyHamilton]

Same thing happened with user Burt
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=278352.0

Was it the same user?

sucraM

and feliks were the accounts he used

phone # was 913-200-1331

Same Phone number, Looks like he's trying to do it with multiple accounts.

Yep, same phone number.  This user will keep repeating this scam for as long as he continues to find victims.  Hopefully localbitcoins will put some protections in place that reduce the chance that a naive person will be victimized.

[FooFan]

Same guy. Same number. Same usernames.

At first, I thought it might be legit because when you google the number it pops up with Craigslist and forum ads.

Extremely fishy .. glad I didn't even get to the point where he asked me to take a screenshot of the escrow.

Thanks for the update in the forum.

Other odd thing is that I spoke with him on the phone. Straight up lied to me. What a bag of scum.

EDIT: If anybody from localbitcoins is looking at this .. can we setup a 'honeypot' to stop this sort of thing.

[EPiSKiNG]

I spoke with that guy yesterday... Pretty shady character...

-EP

[DannyHamilton]

I really hope that some of the victims report the fraud or theft.

[EPiSKiNG]

Yeah, I thought it was pretty odd that someone would REQUIRE me to escrow the coins on LocalBitcoins.  I've never used LB as an escrow service... I mean, my reputation should assuage any issues like that anyway.

The loser even left me a rating on LB saying "Tried multiple times to trade with him, he never had the money his listing stated he had."

What a douche.

-EP

[soniq]

I really hope that some of the victims report the fraud or theft.

Well I wouldnt mind reporting "them" , but who is "them"

There was no BTC stolen, so can we charge someone with attempted theft?

Is there a procedure for this?

[EPiSKiNG]

Best case scenario: LocalBitcoins bans him.

-EP

[DannyHamilton]

I really hope that some of the victims report the fraud or theft.

Well I wouldnt mind reporting "them" , but who is "them"

There was no BTC stolen, so can we charge someone with attempted theft?

Is there a procedure for this?

That's the only reason I haven't reported him (them?).  My bitcoins weren't stolen, and I wasn't a victim of fraud.  At best I was subjected to "attempted fraud", but that would be really difficult to prove.

I'm pretty sure that some people were actually victimized by this scammer, and if any of them report it, I'd be happy to call up and offer my story as corroboration and evidence of a pattern of behavior.

[JWU42]

sucraM tried me as well early Monday morning...

Sent him a note asking why his profile showed Vancouver but he had a Kansas City number.  No response 

[soniq]

Looks like perp has been identified  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=279648.0