July 22, 2008 by sharky
From Shill Bidders to fake Feedback Ratings, fraudulent listings and hijacked accounts, eBay has always been a haven for scammers. So maybe that’s why we’re not surprised to see prominent BitTorrent trackers up for bid there.
Yes, folks - for only $0.99 USD you can bid on an invite to What.cd, STMusic.org and even Torrent-Damage. And shipping is included! Got a little more to part with? Why not scoop up TL for $25?
We personally like this What.cd seller’s ‘disclaimer’ to eBay, to justify his actions:
"Note to ebay: I hold an account on this website and possess this invite, this is my PERSONALLY owned invitation that I may choose to use either way I please I donated to what.cd to obtain this invitation so i hold all grounds to do what ever i wish this is in accordance with this the listing should not be removed. Thank you for your understanding."
We Call Bullshit: If What.cd finds out who you are, you and your entire invite tree will be disabled permanently.
Other eBay Tracker "Sales"
What.cd - The Invite Guide
For $28, you can get the "What.cd Private Torrent Tracker Invite Guide". Here’s the *ahem* seller’s pitch:
"Why pay $60 for an Invite that will get you banned, when you can pay almost half that for a genuine legit Invite?! The method used in this guide has been proven to work 100%."
We Call Bullshit: There is no magical guide for getting an invite into What.cd. However, this IRC tip may get you in. Cost - $0.
STMusic.org
This one’s the entire account, not an invite that can be tracked back to the source.
We Call Bullshit: It’s one thing to sell trackers - that’s plain wrong. But it’s even worse to lie about them. Here’s the seller’s pitch on STMusic:
"Up for auction is a FRESH and unused account for the awesome tracker STMusic.org. It is one of the fastest torrent trackers on the net and it is extremely hard to get an account. STMusic is extremely rare and this is one of the CHEAPEST deals you will ever find, guaranteed. STmusic.org is a private torrent tracker that boasts faster speeds than any other source."
— "Fastest tracker"? - "extremely rare"? Which STMusic.org has this dude been visiting?
Demonoid
Demonoid is a common fixture on eBay, which currently lists over 20 different auctions from $1 - $15. However, this one in particular caught our eye. Here’s a snippet of the pitch:
"Disclaimer: Now, keep in mind that by purchasing an invite through an auction such as this is against the rules of demonoid. As such, if it is discovered by the admins at demonoid that you have received your invite code via an auction, your account will be terminated immediately."
We Call Bullshit: Finally, a voice of reason. This disclaimer is right as rain.
RevolutionTT
RevTT is another popular staple to eBay. Prices have been seen as high as $30.
We Call Bullshit: $30 was paid for RevTT? And 12 bidders? I’m in the wrong line of work. cmack2828: I hope you didn’t sign up to RevTT using your eBay name.
TorrentLeech
TL invites are not hard to come by on eBay. We particularly enjoyed this seller’s comment to eBay, explaining his position:
TorrentLeech - account to the best torrent site in the world.
NOTE TO EBAY: THIS IS MY ACCOUNT I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT WITH IT AND ITS NOT AGAINST SITE RULES TO DO SO, I WILL APPEAL THIS ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP IF THIS LISTING IS REMOVED.
We Call Bullshit: Give us a break! It’s still against TL’s site rules to sell your account or invites.
Private Tracker Admins - If you’re not already doing so, you should be snapping up these invites, and disabling everyone associated with these accounts.
Archived by FSFmirror
