• FunkyStuff [he/him]@hexbear.net
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      2 days ago

      It’s mostly everyday boobs, desperate due to capitalism. It’s a zero sum game and there’s insider traders making billions; those billions had to come from somewhere.

  • NinaPasadena [she/her, any]@hexbear.net
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    2 days ago

    I pray for my parents whose entire retirement is in Bitcoin… Atleast they got in when it was like a tenth the current price or someshit.

    Can always go to zero bb

    • ClathrateG [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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      2 days ago

      Really? are you sure it’s a legit platform like Kraken or Revolut or a wallet stored on an airgapped computer only they have the keys to? or is it ‘in’ a dodgy website, showing them a number, that will charge them infinite fees when trying to withdraw, as part of a pig butchering scam?

      Good for them if they are real and properly secured, but you may want to check everything and step in they haven’t

      Edit: I used to hate being the designated tech support for my family until over the last 4 years three close family members including my dad and my stepdad called me for advice in the middle of scammers pretending to be from their Bank’s IT departments using high-pressure ‘sales’ tactics

      • NinaPasadena [she/her, any]@hexbear.net
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        2 days ago

        I can atleast say it’s legit because the only reason my mom is into it is because she’s a huge tech nerd. She seems to just think the Bitcoin white paper is really neat. Like she’s always on about the cold storage wallets. Leaving me with their keys (a titanium plate stamped with numbers and letters) in case they die in a car accident and such.

        So atleast confident not about to get pig butchered.

      • Awoo [she/her]@hexbear.net
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        2 days ago

        but you may want to check everything and step in they haven’t

        The problem with this is if they have ANY involvement at all and something does go wrong later they’re going to be on the hook for it whether it’s actually their fault or not. I understand wanting to protect them… But it can go so fucking wrong and ruin your future relationship with them if it does. If it goes wrong and you’re not involved you will still have a good relationship with them.

    • altkey (he\him)@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 days ago

      As per news, Moskva City, the luxury district in Moscow, has a couple of these. The way I know it - they were mentioned as a way scammers got their victims to part with their belongings. Not once, not twice even, and the last time was in the late 2024 iirc.

      Btw, there’s something inherintly weird with physical ATMs under tight surveiliance servicing the ‘anonymous’ currency.

    • ClathrateG [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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      1 day ago

      I was in Istanbul ~3.5 years ago and the number of Crypto stores(including in the Grand Bazar) that were basically FOREX traders for crypto was astounding

    • Not_mikey@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 days ago

      You can withdraw, ie you send your bitcoin to the atm and it gives you cash, which would be useful if you wanted to cash out from whatever illicit activity you chose to use bitcoin for, if not for KYC laws and the fact you have to enter your social security number

      So since they offer the same service as an exchange there only really used by people who want to use crypto but don’t know how to use an exchange, ie people getting scammed, who probably aren’t withdrawing.

    • LeninWalksTheEarth [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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      2 days ago

      no cause bitcoin isnt physical. i assume you can buy and transfer bitcoin there and pay a service fee. but its mostly for scams. People get tricked in various ways to thinking they need to pay someone. Its not far off from the gift card scams people try on the phone.

    • Not_mikey@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 days ago

      Its price reflects tech asset inflation/speculation (to the nth exponent) that has been booming with this ai bubble. In general, there’s usually lots of dumb money sloshing around in a bubble economy, and bitcoin attracts dumb money like flies to honey.