did this dude try to bribe me, or am i being paranoid?

[mocacinno]

I need some input on wether or not i'm being paranoid here... Just to learn from my mistakes.

I'm not publicly stating the username of the user i'm talking about, since i have no proof of any real wrong-doing, so i do not want to tarnish his rep. If anybody digs and finds the person i'm talking about, i'd like to request not to post his username here... I'm also going to paraphrase instead of quoting him, for exactly the same purpose.

So, the story goes as follows
Yesterday, i was browsing a non-bitcoin related subforum and a clickbait title catches my attention. As usual, i open the post to read if my instinct was correct...

The OP said (and i'm paraphrasing to protect the identity of the user i'm talking about)

I'm testing an LN application and i need a $5 LN invoice for my test. The first one that PM's me such an invoice will see it getting payed

At least, that's how i interpreted the post

The topic wasn't closed, nobody posted anything that indicated the $5 invoice was created for this user... So i taught to myself: i get payed about $30/hour (after taxes), $5 is worth 10 minutes of my time... So i opened a connection to my ln node, looked up the exchange rate for $5, created an invoice and sent it to the user.

He immediately payed $5, so i taught his test was succesfull and i helped him out whilst getting a $5 tip for my efforts (which is nice, but not world-changing... It's basically what i make in 10 minutes, which was about the amount of time i spent on the whole process... BUT at least i did something nice for somebody that was in need).

However, the user immediately PM'ed me back, leading me to a thread that can only be described as containing an offer to good to be true... However, if something is to good to be true, it usually is, and this particular offer has a potential to leading to my identity being DOXXED, aswell as a potential of illegal goods being purchased under my name... So i made up a (true) excuse and tought the communication with the OP was over.

Today, however, i receive a PM from him telling me that i should have thanked him for the $5 (wich might be true... IDK) AND that i SHOULD give him some +rep.
I answered that i'd vouch on his thread that he did indeed payed the invoice and did indeed gave me the $5, but that i wasn't going to give him +rep since i didn't give out +rep unless i've dealth with you for a very long time (hence, TRUST you, which is basically the idear behind the trust system)... Moreover, that i tought i was doing him a favour by sending him the invoice, but i thanked him for the $5 anyways.

A couple of hours later, he replies (once again) that his initial thread was a couple of days old already, and he didn't need the invoice i sent him, but he payed it anyways (like i should have guessed this) and that +rep would be appreciated and sent back!

I replied him basically telling him that i didn't like the way this discussion was going, and asked him to create a ln invoice with the same value as the one i initially sent him, so i could refund his $5 and be done with it. I already spent the better part of an hour creating the LN invoice, verifying it, reading and replying to his thread... I really don't want to end up being a suspect in a trust bribery scandal for $5 and i really don't want to spend any more time for a $5 tip...


Now, my main question: am i being paranoid, or was this user just baiting DT members with a small denomination only to guilt them into giving him positive trust?

[suchmoon]

I think begging for positive trust is not ok, whether it's a $5 or a $5000 deal. A successful trade doesn't automatically make one "unlikely to scam", and pestering after a $5 trade (or donation or whatever) is sketchy AF. Probably worth a neutral but that's up to you.

[mocacinno]

I think begging for positive trust is not ok, whether it's a $5 or a $5000 deal. A successful trade doesn't automatically make one "unlikely to scam", and pestering after a $5 trade (or donation or whatever) is sketchy AF. Probably worth a neutral but that's up to you.

Thank you for reading my ramblings and verifying that at least from my point of view of the situation smells rather fishy... It's perfectly possible that the person i'm talking about is just very "clingy" and is disgruntled because he payed me $5 and didn't get what he wanted in return... It's just that i really don't know what to make of it and wether or not it's worth making it a "real" issue (escalating everything).

[NeuroticFish]

and that +rep would be appreciated and sent back!
[~snip~]
Now, my main question: am i being paranoid, or was this user just baiting DT members with a small denomination only to guilt them into giving him positive trust?

From what I read, I'd understand the same thing as you from all this business.
And, more than that, after sending the 5$ back (imho that was kinda mistake, especially as you know that there's "no free lunch"), I could even consider negative feedback.

[NotATether]

However, the user immediately PM'ed me back, leading me to a thread that can only be described as containing an offer to good to be true... However, if something is to good to be true, it usually is, and this particular offer has a potential to leading to my identity being DOXXED, aswell as a potential of illegal goods being purchased under my name... So i made up a (true) excuse and tought the communication with the OP was over.

If the offer is not sensitive, would you mind sharing it so we have at least some idea about what is going on?

Today, however, i receive a PM from him telling me that i should have thanked him for the $5 (wich might be true... IDK) AND that i SHOULD give him some +rep.

I answered that i'd vouch on his thread that he did indeed payed the invoice and did indeed gave me the $5, but that i wasn't going to give him +rep since i didn't give out +rep unless i've dealth with you for a very long time (hence, TRUST you, which is basically the idear behind the trust system)... Moreover, that i tought i was doing him a favour by sending him the invoice, but i thanked him for the $5 anyways.

A couple of hours later, he replies (once again) that his initial thread was a couple of days old already, and he didn't need the invoice i sent him, but he payed it anyways (like i should have guessed this) and that +rep would be appreciated and sent back!

Nobody should be giving out green trust for a $5 transaction (I see you already explained that to him).

[mocacinno]

and that +rep would be appreciated and sent back!
[~snip~]
Now, my main question: am i being paranoid, or was this user just baiting DT members with a small denomination only to guilt them into giving him positive trust?

From what I read, I'd understand the same thing as you from all this business.
And, more than that, after sending the 5$ back (imho that was kinda mistake, especially as you know that there's "no free lunch"), I could even consider negative feedback.

In, hindsight, you are 100% correct, there IS no such thing as a free lunch.
The reason i took the bait was that there seems to be a renewed intrest in the lightning network (at least, my gut feeling is that i'm seeing more LN topics recently), so i basically assumed the user's question was a legit one, and the he did indeed need a ln invoice... Maybe he wanted to test his scripts, maybe he wanted to test his routings, maybe... ?

But yeah, i should have left it "as is". He didn't sent me a $5 invoice (yet), but i truly hope he sends it asap, so this can be over and done with...

--snip--
If the offer is not sensitive, would you mind sharing it so we have at least some idea about what is going on?

--snip--

I'll PM you with the thread(s): the one that "trapped" me and the one that's a bit to good to be true... Just don't disclose them, since i have no proof of an actual scam or a "hard" bribe attempt, i'd rather not besmear the user's rep based on my gut feelings

EDIT: i opened this thread just before the closing of the business day... I'll be AFK for about 16 hours, so i probably won't be able to reply before tomorrow morning

[SFR10]

am i being paranoid, or was this user just baiting DT members with a small denomination only to guilt them into giving him positive trust?

Judging by his/her account stats and its overall history, I'm going to rule out the DT part, but the latter part stays because he/she kept coming back to persuade you into giving positive feedback!
^{- Probably came from another forum that users tend to easily give out such ratings, but regardless of that, if he/she doesn't stop, IMO it deserves negative feedback.}

[LoyceV]

I wouldn't call it a bribe, it's Trust farming. From their perspective, that's not necessarily a bad thing, I can imagine new users don't realize they shouldn't do that and it's natural someone feels like he deserves it.
Maybe you can suggest him to read My Beginners guide to correct use of the Trust system

And, more than that, after sending the 5$ back (imho that was kinda mistake, especially as you know that there's "no free lunch"), I could even consider negative feedback.

I don't think a minor misunderstanding of the Trust system justifies a permanent negative tag.

For the record: I've seen many "free lunches" in crypto

[The Sceptical Chymist]

It's perfectly possible that the person i'm talking about is just very "clingy" and is disgruntled because he payed me $5 and didn't get what he wanted in return... It's just that i really don't know what to make of it and wether or not it's worth making it a "real" issue (escalating everything).

Didn't he get what he said he wanted in return?  It sounds like he did.  If what he really wanted was some positive feedback or to lure you into some kind of shenanigans, then I'd say he failed miserably--and props to you for taking the high road and dealing with a messed-up situation like this in a calm and considered manner.

From what you described, it sounds like the member might have been trying to buy some positive trust, but who knows?  I can't imagine him making such a fuss if all he wanted to do was to test out the lightning network, can you?  If it was me, I'd just block the member's PMs and be done with it, and I wouldn't even have refunded him the $5.  I've learned over the years to go with my gut and to not treat sketchy members here with kid gloves.

I wouldn't call it a bribe, it's Trust farming. From their perspective, that's not necessarily a bad thing, I can imagine new users don't realize they shouldn't do that and it's natural someone feels like he deserves it.

Yep.  People do it on eBay all the time (or at least they used to, before their feedback system became a complete joke).  I've often gotten requests for reciprocal feedback there even when the other party had nothing at risk.

[Trojane]

I wouldn't call it a bribe, it's Trust farming. From their perspective, that's not necessarily a bad thing,

Yes I would call that bribe.
This guy or whoever it is,is indirectly trying to buy the trust value from mocacinno, yeah.
 Why would he immediately offer you $5 for for a cunny business that seems straight?
If his prior intensions were to purchase goods or place orders on your name,then that would have been a done deal. He was only trying to get this far so it will look as if you both had a smooth business together and that he must at least gain a trust for that (positively) hm,cheap pranks!
He didn't just wanna be plain by asking you to bestow some possible trust rating maybe for the fact that you were going to bill him heavily just for a trust value, so he invented the prank and almost got your attention for a few bucks.lol
Maybe it's something you wouldn't want to get involved any ways...

[Upgrade00]

If someone wants a positive feedback so bad, it is a big reason not to give it to them as chances are they want to use it for something wrong. Fishing for merits I will understand to an extent, as the forum is filled with merit talk and newbies would naturally want one, trust on the other hand is not a very popular discussion, except you regularly deal with other forum members.

Without revealing the identity of the user, I am sure other members will be able to identify same pattern of approach in the same or other users.

[dkbit98]

Now, my main question: am i being paranoid, or was this user just baiting DT members with a small denomination only to guilt them into giving him positive trust?

You got me interested with this story so I searched your post history and found his profile, now I see he is looking for some investment business help in Israel  
It sure sounds like he wanted to get some positive feedback on his profile, but it doesn't look like he is really interested in growing his account.
Total of twelve posts, mostly selling or buying tiny stuff, video game codes, gmail accounts, etc.
I would say forget about him.

[lovesmayfamilis]

You got me interested with this story so I searched your post history and found his profile, now I see he is looking for some investment business help in Israel  

Well, everything that the OP wanted to hide has now become public knowledge. You just exposed the culprit.
We will just watch his further actions. I think that time will still show him how not to deal with people who sincerely wanted to help him.
I don't think the OP needs to hide this profile, as his offers in the four topics he has opened look like credit card fraud. Hopefully, everyone who buys his $25 offer understands the risks they are taking on the side of their data.
In which countries are there currently no cards that are not accepted in online stores? Are there still such?

[mocacinno]

Thanks for the input from everybody

I'm happy to see that at least i'm not being extremely paranoid and several other members also think there's something off about this guy... From time to time you encounter somebody that's clearly a scammer and you deal with him/her as such. Other times it's more subtitle, and you wonder whether or not you're becoming paranoid.

The guy did not contact me again, so i did not have the chance to give him his $5 back (eventough i explicitly asked him to make me an invoice). Once he does give me an invoice i'm planning on refunding him and then just letting it be, whilst still keeping an eye on him from time to time so i can give him a negative or neutral feedback if he clearly crosses the line.

Since i think this thread and the input i got is more than sufficient for me to make up my mind, i'll close it (for now). If anybody wants to add extra remarks, don't hesitate to PM me and i'll unlock it for a short while so you can add an extra post.