What the hell is this?

[nutella144]

I just checked my bitcoin wallet and I see that I received 0.00000001 BTC from some random bitcoin address. So I go an check that address and I see this.

https://blockchain.info/address/1BSmartoUnHz32AAdPKcc7cGGC3DiA4RSh

Now as you can see the address is sending small amounts to a bunch of different addresses. I would like to know why someone is doing this. An explanation would be great.

[TCM]

It's spam.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=799713.0

[Mr Tea]

It's just spam advertising and I guess it works since you're now talking about it and giving them even more advertising for free  . It's nothing to worry about so just ignore it.

[master sato]

this may affect the blockchain if many companies do this ?

[(Lithium)]

This is madness

It is transaction spam.

There are a few topics about it around the forum

[Mr Tea]

this may affect the blockchain if many companies do this ?

It may have minor implications and cause bloat, but if people sending transactions was truly a problem then bitcoin wouldn't be a very good money transmitting service would it? Bitcoin can handle it.

[seoincorporation]

That is the evolution of the SPAM...

[Skoupi]

In a few years you may be able to buy a coffee with it... 

[seoincorporation]

In a few years you may be able to buy a coffee with it... 

lol, we know to send 1sat we need to pay fee... i dont think we can buy a coffee with 1satoshi when the fee its 10k satoshis.

[lemfuture]

damn he's advertising nutella too

[panju1]

Spam.
Transaction costs are a method to minimize this.
Doesn't seem to be working at present.

[shanem]

This is the future of advertising.
Just by sending 1 satoshi to everyone, you could advertise something.
We will see more and more of such spam transaction in future.

[vipgelsi]

Its spam i also got it.

[hilariousandco]

In a few years you may be able to buy a coffee with it... 

lol, we know to send 1sat we need to pay fee... i dont think we can buy a coffee with 1satoshi when the fee its 10k satoshis.

These spam advertisers haven't just been sending out 1 satoshi payments though, some people got 0.001 many times... I've seen someone recieve 0.01 total from them so that will certainly get you a coffee now.

[maurya78]

Blockchain bloat is an issue at the moment as it may affect the default tx fee on spends if most inputs are micro, but one would expect this to be sorted out in time

[Pkofet]

Spam.
Transaction costs are a method to minimize this.
Doesn't seem to be working at present.

It is because the fee is way too low for such spamming transaction.

Take 0dd3c35d3fe71effcf638bc49d15e076c6262e356eeba4368f9ea6eef2dd74b8 as an example.
The spammer sent 1 satoshi to 70 different addresses and paid 0.0004 btc as transaction fee.
So, the ad to 70 different addresses just cost him 0.0004007 btc (or equivalently $0.16).

[Pkofet]

Blockchain bloat is an issue at the moment as it may affect the default tx fee on spends if most inputs are micro, but one would expect this to be sorted out in time

If the situation is worsen to a point that many users are having lots of dust outputs in their wallet, the need for wallet clients with coin control function will shoot up.

[Stedsm]

Just ignore the small transaction amount. It is known as blockchain spam and is often used to advertise.

[calchuchesta]

I saw this was scared, i browsed in Google and found this forum, nice to see its just a dumbass spaming.

[Testing123]

Hehe, even with a standard fee attached, a lot of the spamming transactions are not getting any confirmation. It looks like the miners are doing well there.
https://blockchain.info/address/1BSmartoUnHz32AAdPKcc7cGGC3DiA4RSh?filter=7