The latest multimillion-dollar scam on the "Dark Web" - the administrators of the "online" market for the sale of illegal goods (mainly drugs) blackmail users into publishing compromising information about them, if they do not pay a ransom. The blackmailed cannot count on the help of the police, considering that they themselves are involved in illegal activities
"Incognito" market is one of a series of specialized platforms for connecting sellers and buyers of illegal assets, mainly narcotics and weapons. Payment was made exclusively in cryptocurrencies, and each user transferred funds from their crypto wallets to a separate crypto wallet located on the platform itself.
The essence of such platforms is the very fact that they are located on the "Dark Web", a part of the Internet that is not searchable, but the platform itself is only accessed directly via a url address. Those who use such platforms usually come to them on closed forums, also on the "Darkweb".
However, the registration itself was very simple; which from the current perspective is completely and logically - given that the goal was to attract as many users as possible and then delete them.
Most of the hidden markets on the "Darkweb" do not have a long lifespan because they are usually hacked, the founders are arrested, or the owners of the platform commit fraud called "exit scam". They generally first build trust between sellers and buyers in the hidden market.
When a payment is made, it is first deposited with the site administrator. When they decide to commit fraud, the administrators wait until a large enough amount is accumulated and then they just shut down the platform, disappear without a trace, and buyers and sellers are left with "short sleeves".
What sets the latest scam on the "incognito" market apart from others is that the administrators blackmailed both buyers and sellers, with the intention of "extracting" as much money as possible.
The platform reportedly offered multiple levels of protection for users. First, when it comes to the transaction itself, administrators offered the option of "auto-encryption", while the second option was for users to perform the encryption themselves. Those who chose the first option later learned that there was no encryption, and that the data on all transactions ended up in the hands of the administrator.
Another alleged protection was the administrator's promise that all data, including customer-seller conversations, would be deleted after a certain time. Turns out, that wasn't the case either.
"Yes, this is blackmail"
The scam is believed to have started on February 19 when users were suddenly unable to withdraw funds from the platform. Two days later, administrators fixed the "problem", which assured users that it was a short-term technical problem.
However, as of March 5, users could no longer control their virtual wallets. Fraud worth between 10 and 30 million dollars was carried out on the platform.
The platform administrator, who apparently had access to users' crypto wallets, scooped up all the funds and disappeared.
Five days later, a message was published on the website that they had an unpleasant surprise for users and that it was blackmail.
The platform's administrators wrote that although users were promised "auto-encryption" of messages between buyers and sellers, and automatic deletion, the messages were not encrypted or deleted.
They required users to pay an additional $100 to $20.000 (depending on how big a player they are) to have their information removed from the list of collected data, which they promised to release at the end of May.
"Whether your information and that of your customers will be on that list is in your hands," wrote the blackmailers, who are now threatening to release data on over 550 transactions and over 800 crypto wallet IDs.
Double fees
Basically, those who don't pay can expect to find among the leaked data all the transactions they have made, their crypto accounts linked to the one on the platform, as well as the contents of the conversations they had with other users. We should not forget that these are illegal funds. In other words, it will make it easier for security authorities to identify digital market actors with illegal goods.
However, as with all types of blackmail of this type, paying the "ransom" does not guarantee that their data will actually be deleted, nor that the blackmailers will not come away with a new sum.
The administrators have already released a list that allegedly details who has already paid the ransom and who hasn't.
Experts say this tactic is reminiscent of ransomware, a malicious application or code that cybercriminals use to restrict access to, alter, destroy or steal the most sensitive data and systems.
The attackers then sometimes demand double payments: first from the hacked victims to regain access to their systems, and then second in exchange for a promise to destroy the stolen data. It is recommended that the ransom not be paid, because that is how cybercrime is financed, so in some countries only payment is prohibited.
However, the key difference is that here both the blackmailers and the blackmailed are caught in criminal activities.
After more than 19 months, the park in the center of Belgrade is once again available to everyone. But memories remain of a space where special rules applied, into which not all citizens and not all journalists could enter. And that must not be forgotten
The Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) is holding a meeting on Tuesday, where, among other things, TV Informer will be discussed. Dragan J. Vučićević claims that the police came to detain him and thus prevent him from attending that session
Rain and cloudy weather will mark today in Serbia, but the weather conditions will change already in the second half of the week. On Thursday and Friday, the temperature will reach 23 degrees in some cities
The Temple of St. Sava in Vračar does not have a valid use permit, the Republic Agency for Spatial Planning and Urbanism confirmed in response to Insider's questions. The facility has a building permit and approval for the use of the building structure, but the procedure for obtaining the use permit has not been completed
Citizens' assemblies in Belgrade are seeking access to the premises of local communities, which have served as party branches of the SNS for years. At Zvezdara, they got the key, held the first meeting, and then found the lock changed
At the moment when the institutions of the Republic are destroyed, when Vučić's octopus is still alive, when people are disgusted by the injustice and the stench left behind by the Essenes regime, we have, as Machiavelli said, only civic virtue as the fuel with which we can return to the beginning
The four independent members of REM are an example of perseverance and civic responsibility. Rodoljub Šabić even, upon leaving the premises of REM, after the sentencing of the Informer, experienced that the Essenes insulted him, hit him with their hands and feet. But that too will soon be over
Vučić pardoned the batterers and Dijana Hrkalović. The election winners should abolish the sultan's power that allows one man to run afoul of the entire judicial system
Time explores: The construction of the St. Sava Temple
Did the money paid by the Government to SPC end up in Moscow through Alta Bank? subscribeThe archive of the weekly Vreme includes all our digital editions, since the very beginning of our work. All issues can be downloaded in PDF format, by purchasing the digital edition, or you can read all available texts from the selected issue.
See all
