This is only one small vendor bust summary and not so elaborate as the other posts I made. I am posting the summary now since I want to link it as well in the dnm vendor bible which will be published soon. normally I would wait till I got some more summaries together before making a new post.
the previousy vendor bust summaries are:
here the new one:
Bust #1: Fentmaster
discussion links:
Complaint:
notes:
A USPS employee reported a suspicious customer he saw because he dropped off many envelopes at once on several occasions and always wore latex-dipped gloves. -> Do not drop off many packages on one drop and prevent leaving fingerprints in a more elegant way [e.g. wear normal gloves or small caps that only hide your fingerprints at the fingertip and/or drop off in the dark]. Note: although he did not get captured by video cameras on these occasions, he got spotted by an employee. So just because there are no cameras it does not mean that you are not watched.
He used a car to drop off the envelopes and an employee remembered the license plate. -> Use transport methods that are not tied to your identity and do not have cameras, ideally combine several of them when dropping off.
He dropped off 40 envelopes at once who all had the same, fictitious return address and same stamps. -> Change the layout of your packages frequently and do not drop off too many of them at once. Also do not use fake return addresses or the ones of businesses.
Because he did not switch up packaging methods, another separate investigation [regarding the vendor account Fentmaster] was able to be linked to the current investigation that was started by the nosy USPS employee.
He bought many stamps [only one type] with his credit card. Using stamps is a good idea but buy them without giving away your identity, or law enforcement will simply look up in the USPS databases and find you. Also do not buy too much at once, he for example bought stamps worth several thousands dollars in one order.
He used his own WiFi to order stamps. Although you do not buy them online anyway [because it gives away your identity], remember to use Tails to do vending related research. Online purchases of vendor equipment should be avoided whenever possible since it already was used by law enforcement successfully in a DNM case. If you absolutely have to do it, use another website account, delivery address and WiFi [e.g. the account, address and WiFi of a friend].
The product he ordered to resell was ordered to his own address.
He called the post office about his fent packages and also checked the tracking of it. When he picked them up at the post office [the content got replaced], the postal employees acted according to the instructions of the law enforcement officers. So there was no way of knowing for him that something was off [like another employee than usual].
After he got picked up outside of the post office, he talked openly about his operation in the plice station instead of shutting up and only talking to his lawyer. Here is how to research one: https://www.reddit.com/r/DarkNetMarketsNoobs/wiki/bible/buyer/dnm/lawyer
He was let free and put under surveillance after that. A month later he suspiciously took out his trash [looked in multiple directions] and then drove off with his car to drop off more packages. The law enforcement officers searched the trash and found mailing labels, rubber gloves, digital scales, backing from stamps and residues of fent. -> Burn or otherwise destroy any left overs from packaging. Give law enforcement as little information and evidence to work with as possible.
When he drove to the post office he made all the mistakes he previously did too: dropped off 80 packages, all the same fake return address, used his car, . . . If you know that law enforcement is after you, do not commit any more crimes. They will also certainly not forget about you after you waited a month.
He used his phone for DNM activities. He had Bitcoin, VPN, Tor and encrypted messaging apps installed, it of course did not help him because his big mistake was using his phone in the first place.
Law enforcement also learned that he ordered vending equipment through amazon with his own account [over one thousand zip lock baggies].
After getting questioned by law enforcement, he not only continued to ship but also asked another guy to receive packages for him. Law enforcement got access to that message too.
To top this all: he also wrote stories about his vendor operation and posted them on reddit without changing details. He even used the real name of the guy that received packages for him. If you have to get your dose of reddit karma by posting about your vendor operation, please change at least some details and post them from a throwaway account using Tails.
The craziest thing is he went right back at it after being caught and questioned the first time. You would think he would tighten up opsec like 10x more after that but nope.... Continues to be an idiot