Gazeta's Escrow Service

[GazetaBitcoin]

After a long debate with myself, I decided that I will try to offer this service on the forum.

Gazeta's Escrow Service

Rules:
Rule One: Never change the deal.
For beginning, as I am new in this field, I will escrow first transactions for free. I will update OP once I will decide to add a fee for my service.
The buyer should include the transaction fee in the payment, thus I will be able to send to the seller the amount which was settled between the two parties. If the transaction fees will not be included, I will send the payment back to the buyer (obviously, minus the fee required for this transaction).
I am allowed to reject any escrow or user which seems suspicious to me.
I am from Romania, therefore I am available mostly between 8am - 6pm GMT+2 timezone. Of course, if you plan to use my service outside these hours, we can discuss that.

What I will escrow:
I will mainly escrow BTC (be it for trades between users or campaign funds).
I may, or may not, offer escrow services for a limited amount of altcoins (feel free to ask me if I will escrow your altcoin in the moment when you decide to use the escrow service). I am not decided yet on which altcoins I will work with, therefore we need to discuss this first.
I may, or may not, offer also escrow services for other digital or physical goods. If you intend to use escrow for physical goods, take also into account the shipping costs.
I will not escrow trades of accounts or other shenanigans.

How to proceed:
In order to perform an escrow I need both parties' approval (buyer and seller). If you will write inside this topic, please tag the other party's name as well; if you contact me through PM please add the other party inside "To" field. After I will admit a request, the buyer will have to send the payment to me. After I will receive the payment, I will wait for both parties to confirm that the trade is completed (meaning that buyer received the object of the trade), then I will release the funds to the seller. Releasing of funds should not take long, if we work during the hours when I am available.

You may also add third parties to the PM you send me, for having witnesses which may be needed in case of disputes.

Please write your submission in the following format:

Code:

Buyer's BitcoinTalk name:
Buyer's refund address:

---

Seller's BitcoinTalk name:
Seller's address to send coins:

---

Amount to escrow (in BTC or altcoin):
Description of the trade:

Disputes:
Although I hope I will not encounter such cases, disputes may appear. In such cases, I will ask both parties to explain as detailed as possible what happened, from their own perspective. I hope that such incidents will be mediated in a pleasant manner and I may appeal at other forum users, with high reputation, for their opinion.

Reputation:
Although I am new in escrow services, I think I built a strong reputation on the forum so far. I made multiple successful deals with users (with more or less reputation); you may check a part of these deals by reading the feedbacks I received and the ones I sent. So far, nobody made any complaint toward me, related to how a deal worked out.

I am also an established forum translator, being listed on efialtis' translators list, and my portfolio can be found here. I collaborated with many iconic figures of the forum, translating various and precious essays, such as 1miau, fillippone or LoyceV. You may ask them about my seriousness. My most important translation, by far, was the one I made for Bitcoin white paper, which is now listed on bitcoin.org.

I am a self-made Legendary member, being also the only Romanian user which reached this rank starting from scratch. During my first three years of activity on the forum I earned more than 3000 merits. I have a 1.12 merits vs posts ratio, being one of the very few users with more merits than posts. I am also one of the very few users which ever received a 50-merit bomb (I received 4 so far) and which also ever sent a 50-merit bomb (I sent 4 so far, without being a Merit Source). My full bpip stats can be found here. I am also a part of DT users.

I am actively combating spam, with more than 60.000 good reports, being also nominated by theymos as forum's fourth reporter in 2020.

You may also want to check my reputation thread.

Needless to say, I am honest and I want to collaborate only with honest users.

[GazetaBitcoin]

Reserved.

[LoyceV]

Disputes:
Although I hope I will not encounter such cases, disputes may appear. In such cases, I will ask both parties to explain as detailed as possible what happened, from their own perspective. I hope that such incidents will be mediated in a pleasant manner and I may appeal at other forum users, with high reputation, for their opinion.

This is the tricky part, and I think many of the existing "established" escrow providers on Bitcointalk fail in this part. Have you read Best practices for Bitcointalk escrow providers? If not, I encourage you to do so.

Before accepting any escrow deal, ask yourself if there's any scenario possible in which none of the involved parties can really prove what happened. If that's the case, I wouldn't accept it.

[GazetaBitcoin]

This is the tricky part, and I think many of the existing "established" escrow providers on Bitcointalk fail in this part. Have you read Best practices for Bitcointalk escrow providers? If not, I encourage you to do so.

Thank you for the link you provided. It was an interesting and very useful reading although, from my perspective, everything what is written there is common sense. I mean that some things should be in everybody's mind, like (highlight is mine):

Shouldn't it be the escrow's responsibility to make absolutely sure the trade can't go wrong in any possible way? The escrow provider is the experienced trader, who should assume one of the other parties could be a total n00b and the other one an experienced scammer.

I'd also say the deal should be completely clear before any payment is made, and once payment addresses have been exchanged, the deal should not be changed anymore.

or like:

This is what I would have expected:

• Buyer and seller provide payment and shipping details to escrow.
• If all agree on all terms, buyer pays escrow and seller sends product to escrow.
• Escrow verifies product.
• Escrow releases product and payment only if everything is okay.

However, if such details don't come up to mind in an automatic (even unconscious) manner (like breathing -- you breath, but you don't have to think that you actually have to inhale then exhale), then maybe the respective escrow was also a noob or imprudent...

Before accepting any escrow deal, ask yourself if there's any scenario possible in which none of the involved parties can really prove what happened. If that's the case, I wouldn't accept it.

I will take this advice and use it each time. As I stated in OP, since I am a honest person, I will also want to work only with honest people. If I'll feel anything fishy I will not get involved, as I don't want to be part of a scam (even without realizing it) nor to stain my reputation here. Thank again, Loyce, for the tips! Highly appreciated!

[NeuroticFish]

Gazeta's Escrow Service

This looks easy, but can also be, at times, extremely difficult, tricky and with a great potential for troubles.
I wish you best of luck and may all the trades you'll be escrowing be nice and smooth!

[LoyceV]

It was an interesting and very useful reading although, from my perspective, everything what is written there is common sense.

It's common sense for me too, that's why I was so surprised escrows are used in the wrong way. And considering the large fees they charge, I would have expected better.

since I am a honest person, I will also want to work only with honest people.

That's tricky: if you could know that for sure, they wouldn't need an escrow so you always have to assume the worst. I've seen escrow scams on Bitcointalk get quite advanced.

Here's another scenario: 5 Bitcoin was given to an escrow to inspire confidence, and asked back right before they pulled an exit scam. In this case, the escrow should have negotiated for instance a 7 day cooldown time before accepting the deal.

This looks easy, but can also be, at times, extremely difficult, tricky and with a great potential for troubles.

That's one of the reasons I never started such a service. I've only escrowed a few times when asked.

[GazetaBitcoin]

I wish you best of luck and may all the trades you'll be escrowing be nice and smooth!

Thank you

That's tricky: if you could know that for sure, they wouldn't need an escrow so you always have to assume the worst. I've seen escrow scams on Bitcointalk get quite advanced.

True... I'll try to be as careful as possible.

[1miau]

Great to see your Escrow service and I would definitely consider you service in case I need an Escrow.
So far, you have been a very reliable member of Bitcointalk and shown you contribution to our community frequently.

Probably I'll need to change around 120$ of USDT into BTC or ETH (not sure yet) and if that deal would be eligible for your Escrow, I would be happy to get it done.
If so, I would reply here in early February again.

I don't want to use a centralized exchange as I would like to support Bitcointalk deals. 

I will update OP once I will decide to add a fee for my service.

I've never offered an Escrow, so I don't know how time-consuming it'll be but it doesn't seem to be an easy job, some might want to scam you or their trading partner, so adding a fee would be justified as a compensation for your service.
Most Escrows charge some basis fees: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=276897.0 / https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5047302.0


Best wishes for your service! 

[NeuroticFish]

I know that you are not only a reputable member of the community, but also a careful one, but in the light of some recent events, I will come with two advises (which I hope you already know and follow, but better one too much than one too few) :

* Always use messages signed with your address and ask the same from the parties of the deals. Make sure the parts are aware that only such signed messages are meaningful. Impersonation is a big risk in your business.
* Always store all the funds you need to work with on hardware wallet or cold storage. Just now a campaign manager has opened a topic saying that he got hacked and lost 5000$.

[LoyceV]

Always use messages signed with your address

You mean sign from an old, staked legacy address, right? This post is a great example of a completely useless signed message, and it's not the first time I've seen it (ab)used this way.

[NeuroticFish]

Always use messages signed with your address

You mean sign from an old, staked legacy address, right? This post is a great example of a completely useless signed message, and it's not the first time I've seen it (ab)used this way.

It can be an old staked address, or he can use a new address for being escrow, or he can use new address for each job.
But, very important, in the last two cases the new address(es) have to be first "sealed" with a signed message coming from an old staked address.


That post you linked shows how a perfect storm can be made.
We get a campaign manager that's not that old in the business and maybe not too technical either.
We get a campaign that doesn't want to pay the price of more established campaign managers.
We get a lot of non-technical people in the campaign so they don't notice that the "signature" on those funds can hold bad surprises.
And then *spoof*, the money is gone and the campaign manager admits it that the has a hardware wallet, but he didn't use it for those funds (ffs!).
Are the money stolen by the manager or from the manager, it doesn't even matter.


I am sure that Gazeta can do much better (i.e. not getting even close to having funds stolen/lost). And if he has technical doubts, he is not afraid to ask.

[GazetaBitcoin]

Great to see your Escrow service and I would definitely consider you service in case I need an Escrow.
So far, you have been a very reliable member of Bitcointalk and shown you contribution to our community frequently.

Thank you for the kind words, 1miau!

Probably I'll need to change around 120$ of USDT into BTC or ETH (not sure yet) and if that deal would be eligible for your Escrow, I would be happy to get it done.
If so, I would reply here in early February again.

I would gladly help you.

I don't want to use a centralized exchange as I would like to support Bitcointalk deals.  

That's a great decision, my friend! I am also avoiding CEXs; I never used any; never will. They are the evil implanted in Bitcoin's soul...

I've never offered an Escrow, so I don't know how time-consuming it'll be but it doesn't seem to be an easy job, some might want to scam you or their trading partner, so adding a fee would be justified as a compensation for your service.
Most Escrows charge some basis fees: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=276897.0 / https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5047302.0

I know those topics, but thank you for pointing them to me. I also posted inside each of them, asking OP to add me to their escrow list but topic authors are rarely online so it'll take a while until they'll update their threads for including me too (that is, if they consider doing it anyway). And yes, I know that most escrows ask for fees but I said that, being only at beginning, to not ask any few for first few deals. I will do it later, if everything works smooth and people will be pleased by my service.

Best wishes for your service!  

Thanks again

Just now a campaign manager has opened a topic saying that he got hacked and lost 5000$.

Are the money stolen by the manager or from the manager, it doesn't even matter.

I was not aware of that... I think I just found the thread, if this is the one you mean together with this one. It's very sad to see such things happening, yet this is the (normal?) outcome for not taking all necessary measures... After all, if you don't look at left and right when you cross the street, at any moment a car may crash on you...

I am sure that Gazeta can do much better (i.e. not getting even close to having funds stolen/lost). And if he has technical doubts, he is not afraid to ask.

Thank you for your kind words and encouragement, NeuroticFish!

I'd say: "Rule One: Never change the deal." applies (quote taken from The Transporter movie). If anything changes, a good default would be to delay the release of escrowed funds quite a bit.

That's also a very good idea, which I just added to OP (and I also added it as rule 1!) and "paid" you 1 merit for it It may worth 50.000$ or 10.000 merits some day

[CashApp247]

Need Escrow Service

[GazetaBitcoin]

Need Escrow Service

Please let me know more of what you exactly need:

- what kind of escrow do you need - BTC / altcoins / physical goods / digital goods?
- when do you need this service?
- which is the other party? I would need also the confirmation of the users you will be dealing with.

Feel free (both of you) to PM me or reply here to this post.

Thank you.

[npuath]

...* Always use messages signed with your address and ask the same from the parties of the deals. Make sure the parts are aware that only such signed messages are meaningful. Impersonation is a big risk in your business. ...

Newbie question: What kind of messages does this refer to exactly, do you mean messages and PMs on this forum? If so, sign how, is there a SMF or forum specific mechanism for that, and how do I prove my public key, if it's going to be safer than my forum login?

Sorry for my ignorance

[NeuroticFish]

...* Always use messages signed with your address and ask the same from the parties of the deals. Make sure the parts are aware that only such signed messages are meaningful. Impersonation is a big risk in your business. ...

Newbie question: What kind of messages does this refer to exactly, do you mean messages and PMs on this forum? If so, sign how, is there a SMF or forum specific mechanism for that, and how do I prove my public key, if it's going to be safer than my forum login?

Sorry for my ignorance

I've said it, but it seems that you've ignored the most important part. Bitcoin allows signing a message. If you own a bitcoin wallet you can sign a message with one of the addresses of that wallet (actually, better said, with the private key of such an address).
So best is that all parts of the deal have bitcoin addresses staked (you'll need to learn to sign a message, you'll need to also take a look onto this thread: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=996318.new#new ) and sign their deal related messages from those addresses (maybe also stating "current" date/time).

So no, it's not a SMF mechanism, it's a Bitcoin mechanism we also use for proving ownership of bitcointalk accounts in case of troubles (this topic can be informative too: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5436734)

[npuath]

...* Always use messages signed with your address and ask the same from the parties of the deals. Make sure the parts are aware that only such signed messages are meaningful. Impersonation is a big risk in your business. ...

Newbie question: What kind of messages does this refer to exactly, do you mean messages and PMs on this forum? If so, sign how, is there a SMF or forum specific mechanism for that, and how do I prove my public key, if it's going to be safer than my forum login?

Sorry for my ignorance

I've said it, but it seems that you've ignored the most important part. Bitcoin allows signing a message. ...

I haven't knowingly ignored anything, relax Thanks for the link to "Stake your Bitcoin address here", as long as every new message includes the signature of the previous message, user Tomatocage has created something really useful IMHO.

[shasan]

Nice to see your announcement thread for providing escrow service. I have seen before few hours and I have added you a few moments ago about your service on my Few Trusted Escrow Providers lists.

Bump!

Bump already completed, you may edit it to reserve a post where you can update anything eg: changelog.

[saxydev]

NewsletterBitcoin, also known as the GazetaBitcoin, is a user who is dealing with fraudulent transactions and very few trade history.

As you can well see in his feedbacks, he only dealt so far with 2 people regarding bitmain coupons more than 2 years ago. Since than, there is no feedback or trade history of this user.

Paid jobs as translations don't count forward the hard work and determination to become an escrow.

In the not so much dramatic as it seems, when he may or may not lose the funds due to his intellect of being a baboon, most probably he will not have any other money to cover for your loses except his signature campaign earnings.

Being an escrow is a risky job and requires not only people who can write good articles, but also require people who have built their trust over years with significant trades, not just some coupons.

Just because some users from the same inner circle, or "gang" as they call themselves trust him, you should not!

Avoid dealing with him at any costs in the quality of him being an escrow!

[PVASHOP]

i need Escrow service.