BitBazaar is Exit Scamming
The BitBazaar darkweb marketplace is exit scamming, according to users of the market as well as former BitBazaar staff members.
The exit scam follows an alleged hack that resulted in the theft of either $30,000 or $150,000. Some, however, doubt that a hack ever took place. During exit scams, market staff have often blamed financial “issues” or unexpected market downtime on a crippling hack. In some cases, such a hack is confirmed. In others, no proof exists. For the end user, the result is the same: the loss of any funds stored in wallets controlled by the market.
Background
Two months ago, Dread user /u/blonger posted a warning about BitBazaar.
They are fast with deleting comments they dont like from their subdread /d/BitBazaar
I just agreed another user who pointed out that their translation is full of mistakes and now i am banned from /d/BitBazaar for 10 years for the reason “spammer”.
This behavior reminds me at SilkRoad 3.x who are captured in an exit scam loop since years.
If for whatever reason you decided to vend or buy on /d/BitBazaar be careful with them.
Blonger’s post served as a warning for some. Others pointed out suspicious behavior from the market. Vendors posted warnings in March as well. In the comments of a thread titled “Bitbazaar Prepare a EXIT SCAM Here is Proof,” established vendor THClear wrote:
I’m calling out BitBazaar with the force of my reputation on behalf of other vendors who have been ripped off by BitBazaar. This is not a drill. They might be selectively scamming rather than exiting, but they’re full of shit that much I know.
In May, Dread administrator /u/Paris banned the BitBazaar subdread for “for massive subscriber manipulation with the subsequent spam from that manipulation.” In that thread, vendors warned about shady behavior from the market administrators that resembled past exit scams.
Present Day
On June 14, the vendor /u/Sankhara posted “ANNOUNCEMENT BITBAZAAR (EXIT-SCAMMING).”
WARNING to all the vendors who are vending on BitBazaar if you have a chance to withdrawal or deleting listings please do it.
As from today they have blocked our panel + wallet, also making a support ticket does not work because they have simply blocked that one also.
Today i’ve seen some other vendors who are having the same troubles with this issue so basically they have been started with exit scamming.
WARNING to all our customers please do not purchase on our store at BitBazaar Marketplace.
One day later, former BitBazaar moderator /u/eclipse211 posted a warning about the market’s administrator.
Hello,
I am moderator on Bitbazaar ,Admin yesterday claim that he pushed an update but today :
- All the mods removed.
- Admin profile removed.
- BitAsk dont work
- Vendors can’t access to their panel.
- Withdraw page redirect to home.
- Support dont work.
As we already know BB got hacked .
I read somewhere that the amount that hacker stole was 170k ,Admin ensure me that they hacked BB’s hot wallet on hacker stolen less than 4 BTC however the exit scam clearly proved that he lost more than 4 btc.
He told me " it’s just a pay day for the hacker".
Yesterday told me “I am pushing the update ,it will takes 6hours currently we proceed withdrawals manual”
Indeed until 19:00 UTC all pending withdrawals completed.
I am sure that the guy who typed behing account “Admin” yesterday was the real admin of BB.
I logout 19:00 UTC.
I dont think that take over LE because administrator had excellent opsec .
The market is gone. If law enforcement had the market in their control, the withdrawal page would not redirect to the marketplace’s homepage. The administrator either decided to finally pull the plug and lied about the hack or the hack triggered the exit strategy. The behavior over the past few months (at a minimum) resembles the behavior of market staff during a number of previous exit scams. Both Nightmare Market and Apollon Market blocked withdrawals and locked vendors out of their accounts. BitBazaar is no different.