After many successful purchases it's happened, I've been scammed. Now before you say: "Only retards get scammed" I'll tell you what I've learned so hopefully others won't fall prey to what I did.
With all the uncertainty in the markets I've moved to DD with my usual plugs. My first mistake was being impatient, one usual vendor was way behind on emails, the other was waiting a week for more product. So I figured now was the time to check out new vendors. I did my research and found two that had product I needed. Did some research and they were both good vendors. Now since dream was down I couldn't contact them directly to get there contact, so I turned to Reddit, and got my emails I needed.
Here's my second mistake. I message the vendors, place my orders and PGP my address. They both promise tracking the next shipping day. After 5 days and many unanswered messages I start digging around Reddit and find someone in the same situation. After more digging we realize that one email is a scam. Vendor on dream confirms that this is not one of his emails. Also I requested both scammers send me there public keys. Which now I realize means nothing as anyone can grab a public key from Grams posing to be a vendor.
The only good side to all of this I used PGP to send my address. So the scammer cannot use my address against me or burn it. The other person involved (who was also scammed) did not use PGP to send his address and is being threatened by the scammer to have his address burnt and LE sent to his door.
I'm sure I'll still get some people calling me stupid over this, but I'm experienced using the markets just not so much in DDs, I won't toss the email out right away as I'm going to check it again to make sure no message has been sent. Not that it really matters as the scamner could easily make another.
To the mods: Would it be worth putting a Direct Deal section in the DNM Bible (it's been awhile since I've read through it so maybe there's a section already?) including rules like:
-never trust emails that aren't provided directly from the vendor
-double check Grams for the vendors public key.
-send your first message encrypted with the vendors keys. If they can't read it you have a scammer.
Thankfully I only lost less then $400. They money sucks but I'm more disappointed that after a long break its another week before the good times can come again.
Update: just confirmed with vendor Kanada_kartel@secmail.com is not the real vendor and is a scam.
Also ordered from goingpostal@tutanola.com with no response in 4 days, only to find out this email is different then the one in his contact info. Haven't confirmed with the vendor yet that this isn't his mail but so far it's not looking good.
What a rough fucking week. This is what I get for running dry and getting in a panic to re up. Never ever been scammed before and now twice I think in one week.
The only thing I have left is bars. Time to pop one and forget about this money that's fucking gone (I know my own stupidity.)
scamming and then blackmailing, he can be really proud of himself