Russian criminals may be using the TF2 in-game economy for money laundering.
136 replies, posted
Wow I didn't know ear buds are worth over 20 keys, I had no idea I was sitting on gold
[QUOTE=l l;38443992]I would say there is profit look, where the money to buy the keys originally came from.
This thread isn't really about discussing how much you abhor Valve....[/QUOTE]
A thread about something going on in TF2 doesn't involve Valve?
I love how any thread about TF2 turns into a thread about how hats ruined everything.
Seriously though, that seems like a lot of work to launder your money, but I guess any method of laundering probably is. I wish I was there to see who pitched the idea, and what they said!
[QUOTE=DinoJesus;38444030]A thread about something going on in TF2 doesn't involve Valve?[/QUOTE]
He's whining about balancing and how they continually "ruin" the game, this is about the business and economical aspect of it.
Did you read his post?
[QUOTE=DinoJesus;38444030]A thread about something going on in TF2 doesn't involve Valve?[/QUOTE]
It doesn't involve how much you like or hate TF2, it's about using the in-game economy to launder stolen credit card money.
[QUOTE=SPESSMEHREN;38443928]sure, if you're willing to follow TF2 news all day reading up on the latest overpowered shitty ~~promotion~~ items that gets added to the game every day.[/QUOTE]
Are the weapons overpowered or shitty
They can't be both
Also, from what I've noticed, all the promos that get added are either reskins for cosmetic purposes, or they serve a legitimate purpose and are balanced fairly.
[QUOTE=SPESSMEHREN;38443928]sure, if you're willing to follow TF2 news all day reading up on the latest overpowered shitty ~~promotion~~ items that gets added to the game every day.[/QUOTE]
Now you're just pulling shit out of your ass. Promotional items are almost always hats, and the latest promo weapons I can think of (asian themed) were fine, and valve even changed one of them. And every day? Try once every 2 months, if that.
I've always imagined TF2 is what a game would look like if it could go through a midlife crisis.
Anyone who's knowledgeable with TF2 trading knows that scammers have been buying keys with stolen cards for a long time now. This right here though takes the fucking cake.
Side note: I'm a SteamRep staff member, so chances are I'll be able to provide additional information from both SteamRep and Valve as the story develops.
EDIT: I asked around and apparently Valve has taken care of it.
The research done on this was outstanding, the creator of the article needs a fucking pat on the back.
oh my god...
Jesus fuck, if you're at all interested in economics, that tf2finance.com website is absolutely fascinating
I mean it literally is its own self sustaining economy, with a valueless currency and everything.
[editline]14th November 2012[/editline]
I could fucking SPECULATE on tf2 mann co keys, holy shit lol
[QUOTE=Timebomb575;38444173]
I could fucking SPECULATE on tf2 mann co keys, holy shit lol[/QUOTE]
Too little money to invest in real stocks?
INVEST IN KEYS!
And this is why I avoid trading, tried it once, way to intense for me. Still love playing the game though, it'll always be something I can come back to and have fun with.
Russians are the fucking scum of the TF2 community, I don't care if it's racist, or if you're Russian and offended, but the shit I've seen always comes from Russians.
They brought this stereotype upon themselves
[QUOTE=legolover122;38444211]Too little money to invest in real stocks?
INVEST IN KEYS![/QUOTE]
Not true. You should invest in cheap items which won't be available for the next year.
Great example is Festive items, which used to cost 0.33 of a key, and now are solid 2-3 keys.
[QUOTE=Timebomb575;38444173]Jesus fuck, if you're at all interested in economics, that tf2finance.com website is absolutely fascinating
I mean it literally is its own self sustaining economy, with a valueless currency and everything.
[editline]14th November 2012[/editline]
I could fucking SPECULATE on tf2 mann co keys, holy shit lol[/QUOTE]
shit we should buy 100 dollars worth of keys, buy some earbuds with them, and build up some capital
What I've never understood is how people trust each other to trade more than 8 items at once
They're using stolen credit cards, so yes they are making profit
[QUOTE=Garbor 0.1;38443921]Fun? For some people. Balanced? Lmao.[/QUOTE]
TF2 is incredibly balanced. Nearly all the weapons they come out with are actually downgrades from stock weapons. If you look at competitive play they use almost all stock weapons with the exception of a few like the equalizer, kritzkrieg, etc. I'd argue that it's one of the most balanced games ever made.
I quit when i blew 800 dollars on unusuals. Lucky i sold them all for around 750, but still, those unusuals are fucking ridiculous. Something about them makes you crave more and more.
[QUOTE=wug;38444494]I quit when i blew 800 dollars on unusuals. Lucky i sold them all for around 750, but still, those unusuals are fucking ridiculous. Something about them makes you crave more and more.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I always thought crates were pretty dodges buisness. I know it's only cosmetics, and nobody makes you buy it, but it seems like it was made with gambling addiction in mind.
[QUOTE=wug;38444494]I quit when i blew [B]800 dollars on unusuals.[/B] Lucky i sold them all for around 750, but still, those unusuals are fucking ridiculous. Something about them makes you crave more and more.[/QUOTE]
800 dollars
SERIOUSLY
So thats why there is so many russians in dota, its a massive laundering scam with the item economy. Would explain why most are terrible too.
[QUOTE=Wootman;38444579]800 dollars
SERIOUSLY[/QUOTE]
$800 is nothing. I myself currently own one that is worth $900 and owned one that was worth $1500. Also some hats have sold for $3000 in the past (burning flames team captain, killer exclusive)
[QUOTE=Desuh;38445053]$800 is nothing. I myself currently own one that is worth $900 and owned one that was worth [B]$1500[/B]. Also some hats have sold for [U][B][h2]$3000[/h2][/B][/U]in the past (burning flames team captain, killer exclusive)[/QUOTE]
That is just sad. Just. Fucking. Sad.
[QUOTE=jptalbert;38444481]TF2 is incredibly balanced. Nearly all the weapons they come out with are actually downgrades from stock weapons. If you look at competitive play they use almost all stock weapons with the exception of a few like the equalizer, kritzkrieg, etc. I'd argue that it's one of the most balanced games ever made.[/QUOTE]
competitive play uses stock items because they're pussies and ban all the OP guns and have all sorts of other retarded rules about it
also "it's balanced because all the new guns are downgrades" is a pretty shit argument
[QUOTE=Desuh;38445053]$800 is nothing. I myself currently own one that is worth $900 and owned one that was worth $1500. Also some hats have sold for [b]$3000[/b] in the past (burning flames team captain, killer exclusive)[/QUOTE]
I immediately shouted What The Fuck across my room, jesus...
[QUOTE=SPESSMEHREN;38443902]...
i sitll dont understand the value behind those shitty earbuds........ is it just a random item that the community unanimously decided to trade as currency?[/QUOTE]
It's because they're so rare, they were only given out to players who signed in on a Mac during a one week period or so. There were threads here about people lending their accounts to people with access to a mac just to get them.
I don't really see the attraction to them myself, all I ever use them for is Halloween (The dancing taunt) or trolling people who hate them.
[QUOTE=Garbor 0.1;38443966]Its not a bad game, but it sure is boring as hell and every update is half-assed and always have something to ruin it. Valve doesn't even care for gameplay and only care about looks, this halloween event was a great exemple of that. Wait, lemme change that, not Valve just the terrible team they put to work on TF2 now.[/QUOTE]
What would things be like if all the hats were weapons and vice versa?
Wait no, then it'd be Borderlands.
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