Vindicator ago

This is a very interesting angle, gamepwn. Giving this a "Potential Lead" flair.

Not a gamer at all myself. Is there any way to spot suspicious transactions from inside the game as a gamer? Or could this only lead to arrests once the person's house was searched and their computer gear looked at? Would it be worthwhile to post this in some of the gamer forums here on Voat and ask for help spotting criminal activity?

gamepwn ago

Thanks Vindicator! I don't think you can in game because alot of MMORPG's have a private in game chat for gamers. It is there alot of the transactions are done. There is a public marketplace with a cash shop in many of these games as well so I might look into suspicious transactions occurring from them. Good idea, I think I might stop by Voat Gaming and ask them to be on the lookout and report anything suspicious.

Vindicator ago

There was an episode of the short-lived and truly horrible TV series CSI: Cyber that used this as the backbone of the story arc. If I recall correctly, boys were being groomed by pedos via the in-game chat. That tell's me this is fairly common in the law enforcement world.

Snailracer ago

Virtual isn't the same thing as fake. The usage of the word fake shows a misunderstanding of the business. On the other hand, the IGE operation acts as a middleman in grey-market sales; it's not that big a leap to think the same operation could be used to act as a middleman in black-market sales. It's speculation though. IMHO.

gamepwn ago

I mean in game items when I sake fake. Virtual items. I'm a gamer myself and The Secret World and The Old Republic were some of my favourite online games. They, and as Vic_V wrote other games like Black Desert Online, have markets where you can sell virtual items for real cash. Look at the chatbar of any MMORPG and you'll see endless lists of vendors selling items for real cash. That opens up a huge door to money laundering.

Vic_V ago

Yeah, there is definitely an avenue for money laundering through online gaming. I remember playing black desert online. For weeks someone had listed "bd9" a berserker class costume on the in-game market. Each was like $15 cash shop item. So they would likely sell the in-game currency, or had a deal with the devs for a cut or something in order to get some money back. (They'd rather have $7.50 look "clean") They listed thousands of these over a few months. I highly doubt it was a 'whale' trying to pay-2-win.

With other games im sure any way to convert dirty $ -> in-game items or currency -> clean looking $ will get taken advantage of. And it would be a lot easier if you were the devs.

Eve prob had it too. Remember vilerat got a job due to his goon connections and then got killed in bhengazi. hmmmm

gamepwn ago

I know what you mean. I played a few MMORPG's over time. Those vendors, those economies have millions of people participating in them. You can see them fluctuate all the time. All you would have to do it take an expansive in game armor/weapon/item whatever, make replicas of it, and keep selling it into a virtual economy. You can make millions selling thousands of items. Developers for sure get in on this profit practice. Hell for Steve Bannon and all these figures getting involved you can make alot of money off of virtual economies. Now think of a game like you said Eve Online or even Starship Citizen coming out. People spend thousands of dollars of real money buying virtual spaceships. Money can be transferred to look clean.

Vic_V ago

make replicas of it

Unless you mean duping insanely rare items, i think you have a limited understanding of how little the ingame currency itself is worth and how much play time would be required to make money through crafting / arbitrage in the markets.

The way many of them used to operate were bots who would farm. But that still is nothing compared to stealing some credit cards, buying cash shop items, selling cash shop items, then selling the ingame currency for real cash.

EyeOfHorus ago

I like the research. Please consider that the Bitcoin Foundation associated with child sexual assault victim and predator Brock Pierce is not Bitcoin.

gamepwn ago

Just added to the first paragraph so people don't get confused. Brock Pierce created the Bitcoin Foundation not the actual Bitcoin. He was one of the fathers of cryptocurrency and IGE was before he founded the Bitcoin Foundation.

LostandFound ago

This is most unusual! Good work anon this seems like a perfect fit as a cover.

derram ago

https://www.hooktube.com/watch?v=EjQvFgkI0R4YouTube :

An Open Secret Trailer 2015 - YouTube

https://www.hooktube.com/watch?v=xtWXrxcqsrsYouTube :

Open Secret (FULL DOCUMENTARY) - YouTube

https://archive.fo/3ZCoZ :

Some in Bitcoin group resign over new board member’s link to sex abuse | Ars Technica

https://unvis.it/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/steve-bannon-once-guided-a-global-firm-that-made-millions-helping-gamers-cheat/2017/08/04/ef7ae442-76c8-11e7-803f-a6c989606ac7_story.html?utm_term=.ef0ae891c0b6 :

Steve Bannon's former firm IGE made millions using Chinese 'gold farmers' - The Washington Post


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