Submitted December 26, 2013 at 01:29PM by BTCwarrior
Bitcoin Pulse
Thursday, December 26, 2013
2014: The year to start accepting Bitcoin at your business
Submitted December 26, 2013 at 01:29PM by BTCwarrior
I was disappointed when they wouldn't accept bitcoins..
Submitted December 26, 2013 at 05:44PM by thedarcy
A warning/reminder to those selling Bitcoins on localbitcoins.com
Yesterday someone attempted (unsuccessfully) to scam me out of some Bitcoins I was selling.
They initiated a trade, causing my Bitcoins to be held in localbitcoins' escrow. Then asked to be emailed an invoice for the Bitcoins, else they couldn't buy them without some kind of receipt, claiming they were new to localbitcoins and didn't know asking for an invoice wasn't normal.
In this instance, I did email them one as asked. They then used my email address to spoof a localbitcoins email to me, claiming the user had paid me.
The email suggested the payment was being held by localbitcoins and would be sent to my account on record later and that I should release the coins.
Obviously I reported the trade immediately and did not release the coins, but I figured other newer users might not realise this is a scam.
So in short:
If someone buying Bitcoins from you asks for you to send them an email of any kind. Be wary, they are probably trying to get your email address so they can send you a fake email from localbitcoins.
If someone really does need an invoice (highly unlikely), at most you should offer to upload a pdf using the attached documents feature.
Also, I'm 99% sure localbitcoins does not have any fiat escrow service. So if you get an email saying someone you're trading with has paid into localbitcoins' main account. Open a support ticket and do not release your Bitcoins. They are trying to scam you.
Submitted December 26, 2013 at 11:43AM by viralplatipuss
My local Chase branch manager allowed me to use one of their meeting rooms to make a large localbitcoin.com transaction.
I've been selling BTC and LTC through craigslist, localbitcoin.com and litecoinlocal.org I always spend a lot of time with the new clients, especially if they are new to crypto. I will help them setup their wallets, show them how to use the exchanges, and most importantly, how to protect their coins.
I've built up a nice customer base, and I am now receiving phone calls from friends of clients. Some of these people are pretty well off, and they are willing to make large cash purchases. I have made some five figure sales of BTC, but only from repeat clients that I could trust.
On monday of this week, a new user of localbitcoin initiated a large buy from me (I only deal in cash, in person). While I had his personal information, I could not do a good verify on this person where I felt comfortable meeting him in a public place. I've called police stations before to see if they could facilitate a transaction, but most shy away from "large cash transactions", so I've never actually went through with a deal at a PD..
I was going to pass up on the sale, until I was in my Chase branch on Tuesday. I am on a first name basis with the manager, and I am in their very often. Tuesday, he happened to have been helping me and I brought up bitcoins to him, and he knew all about them. I told him the issue I had about transactions for cash, and sometimes I didn't feel safe.
His response was "Do your transactions here!!" Later that day, the purchaser agreed to meet me at the branch, and here is how it worked out:
- I showed up, signed in, and the manager asked me for the info of the other party.
- I was escorted to a meeting room, and given the password to the guest wifi network.
- I had my laptop on the desk, and had the QT software running.
- I hear a knock on the door, and the manager introduced me to the buyer.
- I counted out the money, and initiated the transaction.
- He was already knowledgeable in BTC, so there was no talk about security, etc, but we chatted about fiat, and precious metals.
- Verified the block chain, and the guy left.
- The manager sends a teller into the room to count the money, they initiate the deposit, and I leave with a deposit slip.
This was the easiest and safest transaction I've ever completed, and for those of you that have wondered where a safe place to handle transactions like this, check out your bank! I walked in with a laptop, and left with a cash deposit receipt. While the risk of being robbed was still there, the chances of somebody going into a bank to do such a thing would be very low.. I felt 100% comfortable, and not only did I not have the risk associated with the meeting, but I did not have any risk associated with driving around with a huge amount of fiat.
I know the tinfoil hats will freak out because the bank knows what I'm doing, but I do not care. It's safe and legal :)
I also am building a good crypto currency bond with my branch manager :)
TL:dr, the evil banking system catered to my BTC transaction.
edit: had a couple messages. I am not getting out of crypto, I move that money right back into the market with coinbase. I pay a 1% commission to buy, and anywhere from 25-10% commission on the sale, so I work off that margin. This is more of a hobby than a job. I would rather meet a guy off the street who doesn't know anything about crypto who wants to buy $100 worth, and teach him how it works than meet a business guy in a bank for a large sale. But it's hard to pass up that commission.
Submitted December 26, 2013 at 02:14PM by eurostylin
Can we be a little nicer to newbies?
We all started somewhere and the concept can often be difficult to grasp for newbies. Instead of saying use the search function and then downvote, provide a link or an explanation. Takes a little time but is quite helpful to them.
Newbies, read the sidebar and links, try to ask questions that you don't understand after reading.
Edit: feel free to ask any stupid questions
Submitted December 26, 2013 at 11:20AM by Nameisnotkevin
Bitcoin Paper Wallet with BIP0038 support - please vote on the issue so that it's merged into the main site
Submitted December 25, 2013 at 06:54PM by artiomchi
Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing, invests in BitPay
Submitted December 26, 2013 at 01:59PM by bbry267