Hello, "DrunkenNinja" I am an official goonswarm federation recruitment agent and an officer of the spacelaw. This website is indeed legit. What problem did you have on attempting to join?

Oh wait, Goonswarm just scammed 30M off a guy's pocket ?

QUICK, MAKE A THREAD ABOUT IT

I knew Goons scammed people... but this is something else XD
www.goonfleet.net
In the recruitment channel, type something like "Australian active pilot looking for pvp corp!" (etc) and you may well be approached by a Goon.... who will give you this link :P.
After looking at your API key he will determine a security deposit that is "fair" (for me it was 30 mil, about a third of what I had in my wallet at the time) and give you a sponsorship key.
You heard me, a sponsorship key. Goonfleet actually endorse this behaviour to the point that they made a phony website for more efficient scamming. GG WP.

Wait, 30 mil, you ask? Why would Goons talk to you for an extended period of time just to get 30 mil?

It seems not only do Goons conduct the big, well known "500 mil security deposit, we promise we'll give it right back!" scams, they also enjoy targeting noobs . I was lucky I only lost 30 mil.


This may seem obvious to some, but don't give ISK to join Goonswarm (or any other corp really), no matter how nice they seem or how legit their websites look =)

Good thing I moved my isk assets into bitcoins. Good luck getting judgement money out of me.

Good thing I moved my isk assets into bitcoins. Good luck getting judgement money out of me.

Good thing I moved my isk assets into bitcoins. Good luck getting judgement money out of me.

Scamming people in game, ok fine because internet spaceships are serious business right? But using an autonomous website out of game to scam people for whatever, there may be real world legal issues here. I shall investigate and see if we can bring a class-action lawsuit against the Goonswarm Federation and CCP for facilitating this real world scam through their ingame channels.

Progress- Here we go, looks like it's an FBI issue http://www.ic3.gov/crimeschemes.aspx

Looks like there's some real world implications here since isk has an actual dollar value by virtue of PLEX, I think CCP should promptly disband Goonswarm and ban whoever approved this to protect themselves from any liability. At least you can report the website and Alexander Gianturco, who presents himself as the leader of Goonfleet/ Goonswarm http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-09-09-eurogamer-interviews-the-eve-council-chairman-interview to the FBI (internet crimes division) and the website scam will be investigated/ shutdown if they promise things and do not deliver on services/ goods (scam).

I knew Goons scammed people... but this is something else XD
www.goonfleet.net
In the recruitment channel, type something like "Australian active pilot looking for pvp corp!" (etc) and you may well be approached by a Goon.... who will give you this link :P.
After looking at your API key he will determine a security deposit that is "fair" (for me it was 30 mil, about a third of what I had in my wallet at the time) and give you a sponsorship key.
You heard me, a sponsorship key. Goonfleet actually endorse this behaviour to the point that they made a phony website for more efficient scamming. GG WP.

Wait, 30 mil, you ask? Why would Goons talk to you for an extended period of time just to get 30 mil?

It seems not only do Goons conduct the big, well known "500 mil security deposit, we promise we'll give it right back!" scams, they also enjoy targeting noobs . I was lucky I only lost 30 mil.


This may seem obvious to some, but don't give ISK to join Goonswarm (or any other corp really), no matter how nice they seem or how legit their websites look =)

I knew Goons scammed people... but this is something else XD
www.goonfleet.net
In the recruitment channel, type something like "Australian active pilot looking for pvp corp!" (etc) and you may well be approached by a Goon.... who will give you this link :P.
After looking at your API key he will determine a security deposit that is "fair" (for me it was 30 mil, about a third of what I had in my wallet at the time) and give you a sponsorship key.
You heard me, a sponsorship key. Goonfleet actually endorse this behaviour to the point that they made a phony website for more efficient scamming. GG WP.

Wait, 30 mil, you ask? Why would Goons talk to you for an extended period of time just to get 30 mil?

It seems not only do Goons conduct the big, well known "500 mil security deposit, we promise we'll give it right back!" scams, they also enjoy targeting noobs . I was lucky I only lost 30 mil.


This may seem obvious to some, but don't give ISK to join Goonswarm (or any other corp really), no matter how nice they seem or how legit their websites look =)

The use a website claiming that we will give you back your 500 million spacegold because you gave it to us in the first place as a recruitment fee isn't illegal.

Also, ingame money doesn't have any real world value, because you can't convert ISK to dollars (You can convert dollars to ISKs though).

And, I should sue you for wasting 5mns of my life that I spent reading this ridiculous "real world scam".

Oh, and Mittens is a lawyer actually. I think he knows how real world legal issues work.

So feel free to investigate about how peoples give us money just because we said we will give it back. It's called "misplacing your trust". I can do the same in real life without any kind of troubles. Why ? You didn't sign any kind of contract. Everything you give to me, I'll consider it a donation, and since no contracts have been signed by you, I can do whatever the fsck I feel like doing.

No contracts between you and me => No obligation for me. Simple as that.

So by applying your own logic- I could do a completely different thing and get away with it, right?
Stop begging the question and learn some rhetoric.

Oh look it's this thread again

Sky Captain of My Heart why so serious!?! Look, my own 2 char spies amongst the worker bees let me know that these things are sore subjects amongst the, uh, worker bees. A lot of us feel like we are becoming BoB 2.0 and are helpless bystanders witnessing the decline of the swarm. We signed up to fight great wars in 0.0, not be blue to everyone within 50 jumps and play kiddie games with miners.

The use a website claiming that we will give you back your 500 million spacegold because you gave it to us in the first place as a recruitment fee isn't illegal.

Also, ingame money doesn't have any real world value, because you can't convert ISK to dollars (You can convert dollars to ISKs though).

Oh, and Mittens is a lawyer actually. I think he knows how real world legal issues work.

No contracts between you and me => No obligation for me. Simple as that.

So go join groon.

So by applying your own logic- I could mirror CCP's eveonline.com site and intercept mad info's to use for my own benefit because I have no contract between you and me. Rgr. Ask Mittens about the legality of that. Also- you and your friends are very familiar with converting isk to dollars, isn't that what you viciously slander and accuse our Russian comrades of doing repeatedly?

Here's an idea: instead of being a dumbass whiner on the internet, why don't you either put up or shut up? Either su them for "stealing/scamming $1 from me with a website on the internet", or shut up and stop proving (repeatedly) that you're a complete and utter fool.

We are all frustrated with the path we are on. We are all frustrated about becoming BoB 2.0. Everything we hated and fought against since our first routing from Delve stares back at us in the mirror. We must not turn on each other but stand strong; together. Soon we will move for a vote of no confidence in Mittani. This sea of endless blues we're swimming in has made us soft, but we can still reclaim our former glory.

We are all frustrated with the path we are on. We are all frustrated about becoming BoB 2.0. Everything we hated and fought against since our first routing from Delve stares back at us in the mirror. We must not turn on each other but stand strong; together. Soon we will move for a vote of no confidence in Mittani. This sea of endless blues we're swimming in has made us soft, but we can still reclaim our former glory.

I always thought the Goons were fighting for the lols. Specifically, making those who take Internet SPazships too seriously cry on forums and the like. You seem like an idiot who is talking out of their ass.

We are all frustrated with the path we are on. We are all frustrated about becoming BoB 2.0. Everything we hated and fought against since our first routing from Delve stares back at us in the mirror. We must not turn on each other but stand strong; together. Soon we will move for a vote of no confidence in Mittani. This sea of endless blues we're swimming in has made us soft, but we can still reclaim our former glory.

We are all frustrated with the path we are on. We are all frustrated about becoming BoB 2.0. Everything we hated and fought against since our first routing from Delve stares back at us in the mirror. We must not turn on each other but stand strong; together. Soon we will move for a vote of no confidence in Mittani. This sea of endless blues we're swimming in has made us soft, but we can still reclaim our former glory.

I always thought the Goons were fighting for the lols. Specifically, making those who take Internet SPazships too seriously cry on forums and the like. You seem like an idiot who is talking out of their ass.

Actually, if it's in writing, and you sign your name to it (in this case, you sign your IP and in-game name, which is tied to your real life name via the account), that's a written contract. Just sayin'.

Actually, if it's in writing, and you sign your name to it (in this case, you sign your IP and in-game name, which is tied to your real life name via the account), that's a written contract. Just sayin'.

So by applying your own logic- I could mirror CCP's eveonline.com site and intercept mad info's to use for my own benefit because I have no contract between you and me.

We used to fight for the lols, we used to fight for tears, we used to fight for fun, we used to fight for moons, we used to fight for fofofo, now we don't fight at all because we are surrounded by blues. The only campaign we have is to "save" Eve Online. Back in the glory days of Darius we tried to destroy it, now that was fun. This CSM save the game stuff is no fun. Never stop posting.

I'll create a toon called Barack Obama and sign some stuff about declaring WW III against China. And I'll EVEMail that to some random empire dweller. I'm sure it will be considered as a legitimate wardeclaration.

Oh wait, no ?

Someone wrote on the internet that we will give you back your spacegold, that must be true !

There is no written contract.

What if I join your corp and steal everything ? Since I stole isks, I virtually stole dollars right ? So you could sue me for stealing money from you right ?

Why isn't this happening then ? Why isn't this happening for 300B heists, that's a bit more than 30M right ?

(And, a judge wouldn't give much fscks about how you got steamrolled on a spaceship game, but that's just my humble opinion)



This is pishing. Mirror a commercial website in order to fool users is indeed a crime. We didn't mirror anything though. We created (Well, not me ofc, the mighty tech guy) this fine scam-machine, and it works just fine.

There is no real life issue. For the small fee of 15$/month, you're exposing yourself to being bullied/scammed, deal with it.

AND, it's not like peoples don't already know what GSF is.

Please tell me that everyone who makes these threads is a goon alt so I can mantain my dwindiling faith in humanity.

You use the article "the" a bit too much for my taste. We are not "~the~ goons," and we certainly do not fight for "~the~ stupid 4chan meme," as you put it. But your point is correct: we do stuff because we can, and we like to rip on people who give way too many spacefucks (or even non-spacefucks) with regards to the "~serious business~" of EVE Online the popular spaceship MMO developed and produced by CCP hf.

Nefarious!? Nooo, not on the internets. I think I shall take your advice however and sidestep to the Greater Goon. There's just way too much politics in internet spaceships these days. If you have anymore questions or comments, I will refer you to my forum sig. Have a nice day.

We are all frustrated with the path we are on. We are all frustrated about becoming BoB 2.0. Everything we hated and fought against since our first routing from Delve stares back at us in the mirror. We must not turn on each other but stand strong; together. Soon we will move for a vote of no confidence in Mittani. This sea of endless blues we're swimming in has made us soft, but we can still reclaim our former glory.

Lol tildes. Just making sure that I was not confused as to the purpose of Goonswarm. That other person sounded like he needed a good talking to though, the one too afraid to post with his main.

I wanna be an internetz lawyer too so i'll have a go!

So first off, lets disect a bit, on the internet you are always a person that is affected by the laws of the country the person in this case doing the scam is in and on the other hand the persons country that is getting scammed. The eve eula that protects scamming inside eve has no effect on this ofcourse, a contract created online is always a contract in the real world always, and abides the laws unless there are sub contracts (like the eula) affecting it. So the scam on the internet or letsay contract is affected by the laws in the country the dude who put it up is in and the laws who fell for it.

While the real scam might happen in eve and is sanctioned by the eula, the eula doesn't effect the side outside of eve eule, which ofcourse is teh internetz.

So basicly by saying on the website that you will give the money back in 30 days, you are creating a contract with the scammee (laws in different countries might have effects on the legalitys) that you will be giving the deposit back, the fact that the deposit is given in eve online and under it's eula has no effects on the scammers legal bindage on successfully complishing the contract. If he fails to do it, he fails the contract and the scammee is in the position to call out "real world scam". Especially in this case as it is well organized scamming, which usually falls into criminal prosecution label depending on the coutnrys laws ofcourse.

So to sum it up, if you do a scam outside of eve that happens to involve eve it is still an illegal scam as the eula does not protect you when scamming outside of eve even though the scam effects virtual assets owned by ccp that the accoutn holders have bought rights to use and use under its eula.


Same thing the otherway around, you can sell an eve accoutn for real money legally but ccp has the right by eula to ban such accounts.

If this made sense to anyone, i have succeeded in training "middle of night internetz lawyering lvl 5".

CCP will never own my posting. It's a national treasure.

So basicly by saying on the website that you will give the money back in 30 days, you are creating a contract with the scammee (laws in different countries might have effects on the legalitys) that you will be giving the deposit back, the fact that the deposit is given in eve online and under it's eula has no effects on the scammers legal bindage on successfully complishing the contract. If he fails to do it, he fails the contract and the scammee is in the position to call out "real world scam". Especially in this case as it is well organized scamming, which usually falls into criminal prosecution label depending on the coutnrys laws ofcourse.

Scamming people in game, ok fine because internet spaceships are serious business right? But using an autonomous website out of game to scam people for whatever, there may be real world legal issues here. I shall investigate and see if we can bring a class-action lawsuit against the Goonswarm Federation and CCP for facilitating this real world scam through their ingame channels.

Progress- Here we go, looks like it's an FBI issue http://www.ic3.gov/crimeschemes.aspx

Looks like there's some real world implications here since isk has an actual dollar value by virtue of PLEX, I think CCP should promptly disband Goonswarm and ban whoever approved this to protect themselves from any liability. At least you can report the website and Alexander Gianturco, who presents himself as the leader of Goonfleet/ Goonswarm http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-09-09-eurogamer-interviews-the-eve-council-chairman-interview to the FBI (internet crimes division) and the website scam will be investigated/ shutdown if they promise things and do not deliver on services/ goods (scam).

So basicly by saying on the website that you will give the money back in 30 days, you are creating a contract with the scammee

You have to send a letter (Idk how does US postal services works, but here in my country you can send a special letter, with which you can ask the postman to ask for a signature if the receiving guy wants to get his letter) to the court, with your signature. Or a fax. Everything else will result in your letter/contract/whatever being nil and invalid.

CCP owns everything in Eve.

You cannot actually "steal" or "have stolen" that which CCP unequivocally owns.

/thread

This is called certified mail in the United States.

BTW, even a verbal agreement is a contract, no matter were there "real names" and signatures.

Then how can you prove anything ?

If I tell you some crap about how I'll give you money if you do something for me, but then I don't hand over the money. What are you going to do ?

"He said that and I want him to give me 5k $ !"

How can you prove that I said anything ? And just imagine how easy it is to exploit ?

"Hey Mr Judge/lawyer, this guy told me he would give me money if I did what he asked !"

Here's what he is going to answer :

"Show me both your and his signatures on the contract that specifies the terms of the contract"

AND, who gives a fsck about you getting scammed of 30M (Which is about 1.12Gé¼, if you set the plex price at 400M, and if you could SELL ISK to get real money) in a videogame (that revolves around scamming, stealing and doing mean things to peoples). Seriously

If i were a lawyer, ...

I swear, goons can make a thread on how awesome they're scamming people every hour, along with having a someone spamming "we will scam you for 500 mil for joining us" in every single local, and take out airship ads around the world on their deeds.

And people will still try and join with their security deposit..

Then how can you prove anything ?

If I tell you some crap about how I'll give you money if you do something for me, but then I don't hand over the money. What are you going to do ?

"He said that and I want him to give me 5k $ !"

How can you prove that I said anything ? And just imagine how easy it is to exploit ?

"Hey Mr Judge/lawyer, this guy told me he would give me money if I did what he asked !"

Here's what he is going to answer :

"Show me both your and his signatures on the contract that specifies the terms of the contract"

While some goonish duderino is saying "no one cares" and "it's eve, you can scam all you want" but when you step inside the real world, there are laws governing such matters, and in this instance the webpage for scamming is in the real world, if it were only a site accessable through eve online that'd change matters and it'd fall under the eve online eula. But as long as you do something in the real world (the one we live in) the laws governing the country the scammee is in and the scammer decide what is legal and what is not.

As a small example, letsay you start spreading rumors on me being a super awesome bank robber on teh internetz, i can sue you for it. Teh internetz is not a "world" with it's own rules it's a network with access to different subnetworks connected to it globally.

Another example, someone makes a bomb threat on teh internetz, whatya think, will the copperinos go and arrest his stupid ass? :D

So wether u care about 30 million isk or not is not the issue, the issue is wether it's legal to scam people in the real world or not.

Edit: furthermore, if the dude that got scammed would want to put some goonies in court, with the amount of admitting on this thread, he'd win with certainty :D

I don't think you quite understand the divide between real life and eve, your grasp on the law also seems rather questionable. Maybe you should stop trying to move your internet space ships into the realms of real life and just stick to mining or whatever you do for fun.

Oh, and Mittens is a lawyer actually. I think he knows how real world legal issues work.

[quote=Azelor Delaria]

This is phishing. Mirror a commercial website in order to fool users is indeed a crime. We didn't mirror anything though. We created (Well, not me ofc, the mighty tech guy) this fine scam-machine, and it works just fine.

There is no real life issue. For the small fee of 15$/month, you're exposing yourself to being bullied/scammed, deal with it.

AND, it's not like peoples don't already know what GSF is.

I'm a lawyer as well. I can confirm that there are plenty of lawyers out there who are clueless idiots. It's kind of embarassing for the profession to see it sometimes. Hell, you should see the grammar mistakes I see in legal papers sometimes. I don't know him, but I wouldn't make the assumption he knows anythying, particularly anything beyond whatever practice area he works in. Seems he spends much more time playing at internet spaceships than reviewing precedent and so forth.

I may have heard a hilarious tale of someone with "SCAMMER: DO NOT TRUST" as his in-game title managing to still scam billions per week out of people.

Before i go on,If SM00 w/e was in my corp/alliance telling the truth about all our secrets i would kick his ass just after wasting his ratting super.

You sir have just crushed all the thoughts i had that the goons wer not scamming and all the slander was just to tarnish the goons good name.Im not sure if i can ever look a goon in the face again without thinking he is trying to scam me out of my mother.Needless to say though.Now that everyone knows the goons really do scam im sure people will stop falling for it *sarcasm*

A sad day in the life of gamming this is.Next people will tell me St.Patrick wasnt real and didnt drink enormous amounts of alcohol.

This is the best thread ever. We have serious business types, e-lawyers, and Lyris. Only way it could get better is if one of the guys was revealed to have stalked Mittens, and one of the e-lawyers was revealed to be a McDonalds Assistant Manager.

I smell a bromance

lol Goons don't scam people. That is just a myth perpetuated by the gullible.

They are performing a public service.

They highlight people's naivety and gullibility for a very small fee, thus showing them the error of their ways.

I fully endorse/support this service.

It says "If you gave isk to join GoonWaffe then you were scammed and you're **** out of luck." in big red letters on the page explaining how to join GoonWaffe. It was there for years, yet the flow of fools willing to part with their isks never stops

it still is there

and still, the isk never stops coming

doesn't understand a f++cking word about law but: rabble rabble rabble

I'm not nearly important enough.

Self-depreciating Goon alts are not really believable to the general population, could you try a new tactic?

pubbies don't really count as people

Well,

The Goons are a part of my chosen coalition, I will not waste my time explaining why, I don't have the word power, time or inclination. It is what's best for me.

I also applied to the Goons once, they asked for isk, I strung them along as far as I could. The chat wasn't too bad.

I knew that moment was a turning point for me.

I knew if I paid I would not be in my chosen coalition.

Prencleeve, is that you?

t's called "misplacing your trust". I can do the same in real life without any kind of troubles. Why ? You didn't sign any kind of contract. Everything you give to me, I'll consider it a donation, and since no contracts have been signed by you, I can do whatever the fsck I feel like doing.

No contracts between you and me => No obligation for me. Simple as that.

This is where I stopped reading, because if I were a doctor I would prescribe you crystal meth.

I shave mine.

The only incorrect thing in your post. Oral contracts have the exact same force as written contracts (the details are harder to prove) and are litigated upon every day. An oral agreement is a contract if it meets certain requirements. So, while the recruitment scam is perfectly fine (and hilarious) in game, in RL trying things like it and defending yourself with "But I didn't sign anything" will get you laughed out of the courtroom (into jail, possibly).

scamming via the recruitment channel is considered a petitionable offense, and i suggest you send a detailed email including screenshots and chat logs to: [email protected]

actually what he's saying is the truth, but no one cares. no one gives a damned about video games in court.
Also, Isk never has and never will be your's. it belongs to CCP. can't sue for something that's not your's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_crime

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2008/10/dutch-court-imposes-real-world-punishment-for-virtual-theft.ars

Just to clear this up and give weight to it.... I'm a real person who can use Google......

... I'm also Batman!

The fact that any video game disagreement will get laughed out of court is beside the point.

Oral contracts do have the contractual force. Although, depending on jurisdiction their scope may be limited and it's pretty stupid to trust someone you don't know to uphold their end of an oral contract with no persistant method of recording the details of the contract.

So written or oral, a contract dealing with issues arising from the gameplay of a videogame will be laughed out of court, but it won't be because "OOooh, Nobody SIGNED anything"

So you stick close to your TESTies?

I'd like you to orally contract aids.

Scamming people in game, ok fine because internet spaceships are serious business right? But using an autonomous website out of game to scam people for whatever, there may be real world legal issues here. I shall investigate and see if we can bring a class-action lawsuit against the Goonswarm Federation and CCP for facilitating this real world scam through their ingame channels.

Progress- Here we go, looks like it's an FBI issue http://www.ic3.gov/crimeschemes.aspx

Looks like there's some real world implications here since isk has an actual dollar value by virtue of PLEX, I think CCP should promptly disband Goonswarm and ban whoever approved this to protect themselves from any liability. At least you can report the website and Alexander Gianturco, who presents himself as the leader of Goonfleet/ Goonswarm http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-09-09-eurogamer-interviews-the-eve-council-chairman-interview to the FBI (internet crimes division) and the website scam will be investigated/ shutdown if they promise things and do not deliver on services/ goods (scam).

Someone really hates goonz. Trying to get Mittens in trouble with the FBI because of what some random DOOD did on the internet. Your hidden agenda is not so hidden.

Also dude that FBI thing you linked is to raise awareness. The law does not protect idiots. Might as well walk into a police station and tell them some dude at your local 7/11 sold you magic beans. I assure you they will laugh and point at you.

Also posting in this weeks 'I got the old goon recruitment scam' , HI MOM, HI MITTENS

That portion is up for debate. By CCP "legally" selling their in-game currency via the PLEX, it's a very possible crime being committed. Would a judge consider it? Possibly, only in the need to set a precedent. But honestly, the filing fees would probably be more than the $20.00 USD you were scammed out of.

Can't stop laughing
anyhow "I herby sentence goonswarm to 5years in prison for the scamming of virtual eve currency Also known as ISK"
I doubt i'll ever hear a judge say that

I find it helps to read the OP before commenting on it

In the recruitment channel

ahem:



yeah. your ego will stop getting bashed into the dirt when you stop taking "witty" potshots at me. thanks, kid.

In the recruitment channel, type something like "Australian active pilot looking for pvp corp!" (etc) and you may well be approached by a Goon.... who will give you this link :P.

The scam happened outside the recruitment channel.

I find it helps to read the OP before commenting on it

Not quite as fun as every E-2 fresh out of Navy boot camp trying to be a sealawyer.

^all that TL;DR post shows is how important it is for you win my approval

its illegal to use the recruitment channel to scam
which is...
exactly what that goon did
thanks
the ego-pain stops when you stop
its up to you
remember that

^all that TL;DR post shows is how important it is for you win my approval

its illegal to use the recruitment channel to scam
which is...
exactly what that goon did
thanks
the ego-pain stops when you stop
its up to you
remember that

Goonswarm in and of itself is bad, don't join them.
they sent in spais to my corp, wanted to go on a mining op. they took destroyers, and another member was in an iteron IV. I was in a brand new hulk. About 15 minutes later I was yellow boxed and popped.
Moral of the story, check API's before letting people into your corp, and don't let people who seem to have a bad employment history in.

Goonswarm in and of itself is bad, don't join them.
they sent in spais to my corp, wanted to go on a mining op. they took destroyers, and another member was in an iteron IV. I was in a brand new hulk. About 15 minutes later I was yellow boxed and popped.
Moral of the story, check API's before letting people into your corp, and don't let people who seem to have a bad employment history in.

The fact that any video game disagreement will get laughed out of court is beside the point.

Oral contracts do have the contractual force. Although, depending on jurisdiction their scope may be limited and it's pretty stupid to trust someone you don't know to uphold their end of an oral contract with no persistant method of recording the details of the contract.

So written or oral, a contract dealing with issues arising from the gameplay of a videogame will be laughed out of court, but it won't be because "OOooh, Nobody SIGNED anything"

Firstly, this is my favourite thread of the year.

Secondly, there seem to be a lot of misconceptions which could potentially disadvantage people later in life. The key issue being the requirements that must be satisfied to form a contract; while this may vary dependent on jurisdictions, the following generally hold true for the creation of a valid contract:-

1. All parties must have capacity to enter the contract.
2. An offer must be made.
3. Consideration must be exchanged.
4. The parties must be in mutual agreement.
5. The contract's object and purpose must be legal.
6. The form of the contract must meet the legal requirements.

Note that oral contracts are often considered legally binding, and the threshold is not always very high (under Scottish law, a promise may be legally binding, and thus enforceable by the Courts, while it is not under English law)

Based on the Goon website, the only real issues are at items 1. and 6.

Dependent on jurisdiction, capacity to contract at Item 1 normally excludes minors or the mentally impaired (insert Goon joke here). Dependent on the ages of the parties, there many not be a Contract.

For Item 6, it is dependent on jurisdictional requirements.

Providing the above 6 criteria are met, then the OP would be able to file civil (rather than criminal) proceeding under tort law. Such proceedings would probably require:-
1. Specific performance of the contract by the defaulting party (Goon); and
2. Damages

Separately, criminal proceedings could also result as a matter of 'public interest' by the Authorities having jurisdiction. However, this would be unlikely unless there is some pressing reason to set a precedent or establish case law.

Given the circumstances, the US "No Electronic Theft Act" (NET Act) appears to make for some scary reading.

Finally, if you're ever in Scotland, try to avoid making any promises!

Please note that none of the above constitutes legal advice.

No; if you were behind it they would seize all your assets including your bitcoins and throw you in jail. Conartists and Scammers get more jail time than pedophiles; weird but true.

FBI arrests people for scamming because isk has RL value