Did I mess up my Chipmixer transaction? --Resolved-used scam link--

[haminty]

I have used chipmixer before but the old onion address, chipmixerwzxtzbw.onion, didn't work so I looked for the new address and found:

http://chipmxrunxsv5j4ndpgab5tbo76hjncztpk5k44av32xbswm5ivaiaid.SCAM.onion/

I am questioning if I found a scam address.  I didn't notice until later but the minimum is .01 BTC, not .001 BTC.

I initially deposited .010 BTC and it was reflected on the page as so but required more funds and wouldn't let me proceed.  

I thought that might be too close so I added more and the message is now:
"0.01257699 Deposit received but is less than the current minimum required of 0.01 BTC.  Please deposit additional funds."

I emailed chipmixer 4 days ago but haven't received a response.

Did I do something wrong?

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[LoyceV]

http://chipmxrunxsv5j4ndpgab5tbo76hjncztpk5k44av32xbswm5ivaiaid.SCAM.onion/

This is a scam site. Sorry to hear you got scammed.
For the real site, see my post in ChipMixer's Trusted feedback. But don't take my word for it: follow the Reference link until you reach the original post. If any of those posts show a different address, something's wrong.
Or see [ANN] ChipMixer.com - Bitcoin mixer / Bitcoin tumbler - mixing reinvented.

[BlackHatCoiner]

Sorry for your loss. Be cautious next time as there many impostors.

I have used chipmixer before but the old onion address, chipmixerwzxtzbw.onion, didn't work so I looked for the new address and found

Could you tell us where you searched and found this onion address? The only way (and worst privacy-wise) would be that you googled ChipMixer. The address looks identical; the scammer put some effort and didn't just copy the site.

[haminty]

Could you tell us where you searched and found this onion address? The only way (and worst privacy-wise) would be that you googled ChipMixer. The address looks identical; the scammer put some effort and didn't just copy the site.

I used duckduckgo in a tor browser.  I'm new to tor, btc and chipmixer so I'm trying to figure out how to verify links, etc. I hadn't even heard of bitcointalk until today.

This is a scam site. Sorry to hear you got scammed.
For the real site, see my post in ChipMixer's Trusted feedback. But don't take my word for it: follow the Reference link until you reach the original post. If any of those posts show a different address, something's wrong.
Or see [ANN] ChipMixer.com - Bitcoin mixer / Bitcoin tumbler - mixing reinvented.

Thanks for confirming but most importantly, thanks for telling me how to find the correct link.

[RickDeckard]

Sorry for your loss. Be cautious next time as there many impostors.

I have used chipmixer before but the old onion address, chipmixerwzxtzbw.onion, didn't work so I looked for the new address and found

Could you tell us where you searched and found this onion address? The only way (and worst privacy-wise) would be that you googled ChipMixer. The address looks identical; the scammer put some effort and didn't just copy the site.

Considering that OP is "new" to almost every tool he used - tor, btc and chipmixer as stated - it's no surprised that he/she ended up being scammed. I did a quick search for "chipmixer" / "chipmixer onion" on DuckDuckGo[1] and on both results the only "real" link was the first one. All the others were misleading to the trained eye but considering OP experience (they replicate the design of the original website as expected) it isn't a surprise to fall into these scams.

OP : This may sound harsh, but why didn't you made some more research before "jumping" into the mixing process? Consider yourself lucky that you ended up losing "only" around 0.022 BTC (+- $900 USD) - there are users that end up loosing a lot of BTC in similar services/websites. I do recommend that you follow the teachings in these threads[3][4] where users teach you in how to spot similar scams. Do revert back to the compendium made by Ratimov regarding "Phishing" as well[5].

If you intend to use the real "Chipmixer" service, do bookmark the links provided by LoyceV post in Chipmixer's Trusted feedback. That way you'll be sure that you're using the real service and not some nefarious one.
[1]https://duckduckgo.com/?q=chipmixer&t=h_&ia=web
[2]https://duckduckgo.com/?q=chipmixer+onion&t=h_&ia=web
[3]https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5171134.0
[4]https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5078786.0
[5]https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5364418.0#post_point134

[haminty]

Considering that OP is "new" to almost every tool he used - tor, btc and chipmixer as stated - it's no surprised that he/she ended up being scammed.

OP : This may sound harsh, but why didn't you made some more research before "jumping" into the mixing process?

If you intend to use the real "Chipmixer" service, do bookmark the links provided by LoyceV post in Chipmixer's Trusted feedback. That way you'll be sure that you're using the real service and not some nefarious one.
[1]https://duckduckgo.com/?q=chipmixer&t=h_&ia=web
[2]https://duckduckgo.com/?q=chipmixer+onion&t=h_&ia=web
[3]https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5171134.0
[4]https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5078786.0
[5]https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5364418.0#post_point134

I don't think it's harsh.  I'm sure it's info I should know because I obviously got scammed.  In terms of research, of course it would have been better if I did more.  I've done the chipmixer process before but just messed up in verifying the correct address.  I'm not making any excuses and have no choice but to chalk this up to a learning experience. 

The truth is, I don't even know where it is I should look for reliable and current info.  Even your "half of all phishing sites" thread has a post suggesting to not use google and that the top results on duckduckgo can be better for well known sites. 

I quickly read through the DNM bible but think a lot of doesn't apply to me yet for what I'm exploring.  I recognize this is probably a case of "I don't even know what I don't know."

Thanks for the links.  I will read through them because I am curious.

[BitMaxz]

Pretty bad that you've scammed from a fake chipmixer onion link and the amount is really a big money.

Next time learn how to research and ask for someone that you know legit or here on the forum if the onion link is legit or fake.

Also, I suggest you edit your thread and put the onion link inside the insert tag because if you link it here you are helping the onion domain to rank up on the SERP. If you didn't then you are helping them to promote their onion link.

[haminty]

Next time learn how to research and ask for someone that you know legit or here on the forum if the onion link is legit or fake.

Also, I suggest you edit your thread and put the onion link inside the insert tag because if you link it here you are helping the onion domain to rank up on the SERP. If you didn't then you are helping them to promote their onion link.

I hope I will do better research next time. 

Good point about the insert tag. I edited to put the link in [url] tags.  Does this eliminate the ranking?

[LoyceV]

I'm new to tor, btc and chipmixer

I'm curious: how did you decide you needed to mix your Bitcoin? When I started with Bitcoin, I first tried a few different wallets and made transactions. Those were also the days when faucets could still get you a small transaction quickly. But I didn't even know mixing existed back then, so that brings me to my curiousity. As far as I know most new Bitcoin users don't really understand how transactions are linked, and if you don't know that, you can't know when you need a mixer.

I wish I had used Tor from the start though. Once your privacy is gone, you can't get it back.

The truth is, I don't even know where it is I should look for reliable and current info.

Rule of thumb: when in doubt: don't do it!
Especially on Tor it's really difficult to find reliable information. Clearnet sites are easier, but when using Tor some (or many!) Tor exit nodes can change addresses for non-onion sites so you can't trust clearnet via Tor either:

3. Malicious Tor Exit node serves website over clear text (SSL stripping) and switches deposit address to their

I edited to put the link in [url] tags.  Does this eliminate the ranking?

The link is still valid. You can break it by adding a warning in there:

Code:

[s]http://chipmxrunxsv5j4ndpgab5tbo76hjncztpk5k44av32xbswm5ivaiaid.[u]SCAM.[/u]onion/[/s]

[o_e_l_e_o]

The truth is, I don't even know where it is I should look for reliable and current info.

Honestly, I find trusted users on this forum to be the best source of reliable info. DDG is better than Google, sure, but all search engines will list scams sites, or will list "review" or "ranking" sites which then go on to link to scams. When it comes to mixers, fake sites of legitimate mixers as you just experienced are common, as are completely scam mixers which are then "highly recommended" by fake review articles and sites.

For general reliable information and links, I would start here: https://bitcoin.org/en/. Be careful of the Bitcoin Wiki though, as scam links sometimes show up there too for a while until they are noticed and removed.

If you are planning to download a wallet or use a new service and are not sure about the URL/site, then I would simply post on this forum and ask. It only took 17 minutes in this thread for Loyce to reply and tell you that your link was incorrect.

[LoyceV]

Honestly, I find trusted users on this forum to be the best source of reliable info.

What if a malicious Tor exit nodes does the SSL stripping thing on Bitcointalk (or just on all websites), and replaces websiteA.onion by websiteB.onion? Wouldn't that make it impossible to trust anything on any clearnet site you visit using the Tor browser?

[BlackHatCoiner]

What if a malicious Tor exit nodes does the SSL stripping thing on Bitcointalk (or just on all websites), and replaces websiteA.onion by websiteB.onion? Wouldn't that make it impossible to trust anything on any clearnet site you visit using the Tor browser?

SSL stripping works when the user hasn't noticed their exit node downgraded their connection. For example, if you connect to bitcointalk.org without https, the attacker could alter the information transferred.

I found this:

What happened

In May 2020 we found a group of Tor exit relays that were messing with exit traffic. Specifically, they left almost all exit traffic alone, and they intercepted connections to a small number of cryptocurrency exchange websites. If a user visited the HTTP version (i.e. the unencrypted, unauthenticated version) of one of these sites, they would prevent the site from redirecting the user to the HTTPS version (i.e. the encrypted, authenticated version) of the site. If the user didn't notice that they hadn't ended up on the HTTPS version of the site (no lock icon in the browser) and proceeded to send or receive sensitive information, this information could be intercepted by the attacker.

So, as long as you check that you're using SSL, you won't get MITM-ly attacked this way. There are other ways, though.

[o_e_l_e_o]

So, as long as you check that you're using SSL, you won't get MITM-ly attacked this way.

Launch Tor -> Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Scroll right to the bottom -> check "Enable HTTPS-Only Mode in all windows".

But anyway, let's assume you think you are being subjected to such an attack, via one of the methods in the link BHC has shared. What then? Directly message a trusted third party or parties asking them to confirm the URL you have is correct, while encrypting all your messages with PGP to prevent interception?

[dkbit98]

I used duckduckgo in a tor browser.  I'm new to tor, btc and chipmixer so I'm trying to figure out how to verify links, etc. I hadn't even heard of bitcointalk until today.

Can you please repeat that search and show us exact page result or screenshot?
I just typed the word Chipmixer in DDG similar like you did and I got a bunch of fake chipmixer wesbites, then I repeated same with brave search and I got less scam, and even less with presearch.org.
I stopped using duckduckgo because they started with censoring information they are now not much different than google big brother, and I would suggest everyone to stop using it.
One more simple solution for using any search provider is using adblockers, something like uBlock origin for example, and they will block most ads including scam website.

PS
Sorry for losing your money 

[haminty]

I'm curious: how did you decide you needed to mix your Bitcoin?

The link is still valid. You can break it by adding a warning in there:

Code:

[s]http://chipmxrunxsv5j4ndpgab5tbo76hjncztpk5k44av32xbswm5ivaiaid.[u]SCAM.[/u]onion/[/s]

I am doing this for fun and to learn.  I don't have a specific need right now.  I don't like the big brother aspect of government and the anonymous aspect of crypto is appealing to me.  I don't know anything about how the blockchain works but I know that people can track it.  I'm not doing anything illegal so I'm not worried, just curious.

I thought if I wanted to hold BTC without outside intervention, where could I break the tracking?  So, I started with tor, then connected to it through vpn, sent BTC from an ATM with a burner phone straight to chipmixer (first service I researched) and then imported the keys into an electrum wallet on a vps. 

Next, I was going to research alternatives for the ATM because it's expensive and for a different wallet because my thought is online is more anonymous. I have no idea though.

Also, I broke the link as you instructed.  Thanks for showing me how.

Can you please repeat that search and show us exact page result or screenshot?

I figured out what I did.  I searched "chipmixer onion address" on DDG and the second result is the scam site. In redoing the searches, it is super obvious how many scams are out there but I trusted that review site because it felt legit.

[o_e_l_e_o]

So, I started with tor, then connected to it through vpn, sent BTC from an ATM with a burner phone straight to chipmixer (first service I researched) and then imported the keys into an electrum wallet on a vps.

If you are using Tor, then you don't need to use a VPN unless you have a very specific reason to. Additionally, if you import the keys from ChipMixer (the real one!) to your Electrum wallet, then be aware that ChipMixer will still know your keys. Better for your security is to sweep the coins from the ChipMixer addresses to your Electrum wallet, but be aware that if you deposit x coins to ChipMixer and then immediately withdraw the same amount of coins from ChipMixer then it potentially weakens your privacy.

Also you might want to look in to running a more secure wallet than a hot wallet.

Next, I was going to research alternatives for the ATM because it's expensive and for a different wallet because my thought is online is more anonymous.

Bisq and LocalCryptos are the two most commonly recommended and widely used non-KYC peer-to-peer exchanges.

In redoing the searches, it is super obvious how many scams are out there but I trusted that review site because it felt legit.

As I mentioned above, there are hundreds of fake review and ranking sites out there.

[RickDeckard]

One more simple solution for using any search provider is using adblockers, something like uBlock origin for example, and they will block most ads including scam website.

I might be wrong on this one, but I don't think that uBlock Origin[1] is enough to warrant protection from phishing websites. All the more I would say that we shouldn't let our guard down just because we're using uBlock Origin - or any other protective measure - as we may be still prone to attack vectors. As an example, I'm a user of uBlock Origin and here's the results I get when I'm search for "chipmixer" using Google (Firefox Browser):



What's even worse is that is the only result I get whenever I search for it (in the corner you'll see I'm using uBlock Origin) is a phising website! I gotta say that I'm surprised - I was hoping to find at least the real address on the first page but that wasn't the case. Again, I'm not saying that uBlock is useless - I can't imagine myself browsing the internet without it - but I just don't believe it should warrant any feeling of increased security regarding this type of scams.

So, I started with tor, then connected to it through vpn, sent BTC from an ATM with a burner phone straight to chipmixer (first service I researched) and then imported the keys into an electrum wallet on a vps.

If you are using Tor, then you don't need to use a VPN unless you have a very specific reason to. Additionally, if you import the keys from ChipMixer (the real one!) to your Electrum wallet, then be aware that ChipMixer will still know your keys. Better for your security is to sweep the coins from the ChipMixer addresses to your Electrum wallet, but be aware that if you deposit x coins to ChipMixer and then immediately withdraw the same amount of coins from ChipMixer then it potentially weakens your privacy.

I gotta say, if this was your first few times in this "waters" I'm baffled with the amount of security layers that you've employed - ranging from using TOR with a VPN + ATM + Burner Phone + VPS. You did really went all in with these methods!
To complement what o_e_l_e_o said, if you want to have additional privacy while using Chipmixer I would advise you to let your coins there for a couple of days before using them - that way you are increasing the "entropy" - if we may call it that - of your mixing process.

Bisq and LocalCryptos are the two most commonly recommended and widely used non-KYC peer-to-peer exchanges.

Just as more additional sources please do consider HodlHodl[2] and LocalCoinSwap[3] as another good set of options.
[1]https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock
[2]https://hodlhodl.com/
[3]https://localcoinswap.com/

[o_e_l_e_o]

I might be wrong on this one

No, you're right. uBlock Origin will block Google ads from showing up in the search results (which are very frequently scams since Google are quite happy to make money from scammers), but it does nothing against phishing sites which are scraped and show up as normal search results. Further, it's not ideal to be installing uBlock Origin on Tor since it makes your browser more unique and therefore reduces your anonymity set, although Tor on Tails does come with uBlock Origin already pre-installed so the anonymity set will likely still be high enough for OP's use case here.

I gotta say, if this was your first few times in this "waters" I'm baffled with the amount of security layers that you've employed - ranging from using TOR with a VPN + ATM + Burner Phone + VPS. You did really went all in with these methods!

If you are used to browsing the internet with Tor at all times and using disposable accounts, emails, VMs, SIMs, phones, etc., then it is reasonable to expect you would be just as careful, if not more so, when exploring a new technology for the first time.

[aysg76]

Pretty bad that you've scammed from a fake chipmixer onion link and the amount is really a big money.

Falling for such scams and losing your hard earned money is pretty bad feeling but it also gives us as lesson to be be extra cautious next time doing all the necessary steps.The amount could be small or big but it should never be gone to someone who does not own it.

Considering that OP is "new" to almost every tool he used - tor, btc and chipmixer as stated - it's no surprised that he/she ended up being scammed. I did a quick search for "chipmixer" / "chipmixer onion" on DuckDuckGo[1] and on both results the only "real" link was the first one. All the others were misleading to the trained eye but considering OP experience (they replicate the design of the original website as expected) it isn't a surprise to fall into these scams.

These fake websites are always present but you should always know which one is the legit link as you have already shown so many chipmixers links that will redirect you to some fake website and when your deposit your funds for mixing they will be gone like in the case of @OP but you can turn off the google ads in order to remove these from showing up on the first pages and you will have legit links.

There was fake chipmixer website in the past with different extentions and here is the forum thread for it : [Warning] Fake Chipmixer website

Old posts:

chipmixer.xyz

chipmixer.shop

chipmixer.me

So there will always be such malicious apps or websites present of some famous service but you should look out for them carefully and remember to go on the right one as directed by members above.Sorry for your fund loss but be safe in future.

[dkbit98]

I might be wrong on this one, but I don't think that uBlock Origin[1] is enough to warrant protection from phishing websites. All the more I would say that we shouldn't let our guard down just because we're using uBlock Origin - or any other protective measure - as we may be still prone to attack vectors. As an example, I'm a user of uBlock Origin and here's the results I get when I'm search for "chipmixer" using Google (Firefox Browser)

I never said uBlock origin is enough but it is good enough for removing scam advertisement that often shows up on top of the page.
This extensions can't change search engine algorithm and results or remove fake chipmixer websites, unless someone makes custom filter rules for excluding them (this might be a good suggestion for Chipmixer team).
Problem with this custom rules (let's call it Chipmixer rule) is they need to be updated all the time, because scammers are creating new domains every day.

There is one page with many uBlock Filters, and custom filter list can be imported easily:
https://filterlists.com/
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Filter-lists-from-around-the-web