Fake miner pre-orders: how to verify the seller and the model, and pay safely
A fraudulent miner pre-order can most often be recognised by three things: the model has no official page on the manufacturer's website, the price is well below market, and the seller wants payment in advance in cryptocurrency. Before you send a deposit, check the model on the manufacturer's website and the seller in the business register, and pay in a way that keeps the money traceable. A few minutes of checking can save you thousands.
Summary
- Pre-orders are common in mining – manufacturers sell new batches with delivery in several months. Scammers take advantage of this.
- Fake sellers offer non-existent models, or real models with impossible specifications or prices.
- You can verify the model on the manufacturer's official website, the seller in the ARES database and the Czech commercial register, and the bank account in the VAT payer register.
- Paying by card or by bank transfer to a company account against an invoice is safe. A cryptocurrency payment to an unknown address cannot be reversed.
How the pre-order scam works
Scammers set up a website that looks like a miner shop or even the manufacturer's own site. They offer a machine that is “coming soon” or a hard-to-get model at a tempting price. They add a countdown timer, “only 5 left” and a discount for quick buyers.
After you pay the deposit, a confirmation arrives, followed by a long wait. The date keeps slipping, and then “customs duty”, a “shipping fee” or “parcel insurance” appears that needs to be paid. In the end the website disappears, and with it the contact.
A well-known case was described by Kaspersky in 2021. Scammers sent out an offer for the Antminer S19j via Google Docs notifications, linking to a copy of the Bitmain website registered a month earlier. They wanted payment in BTC, BCH, ETH or LTC within two hours. The price matched the official one – which is exactly why the offer seemed credible.
Signs of a fraudulent seller
| Sign | How to check it |
|---|---|
| A company with no traceable identity | The website lacks a company ID (IČO), registered address or the name of a responsible person. Enter the name in ARES or the commercial register. |
| An address that does not exist or is a virtual office | Look up the address on a map and check photos of the building. A miner seller usually has a warehouse or premises you can visit. |
| A price well below market | Compare with several established sellers. A difference of tens of per cent on a new machine has no logical explanation. |
| Impossible specifications | Compare hashrate and power consumption with the manufacturer's specification. Efficiency better than current flagships is a warning sign. |
| Payment only in cryptocurrency or to a private account | An established company issues an invoice and accepts a transfer to a company account. |
| A new domain and pressure to pay quickly | You can check the age of a domain with a WHOIS service. A website set up a few weeks ago and an “offer valid for two hours” are a typical combination. |
| Reviews only on its own website | Search for the company name together with “scam”, “fraud” or “review” on forums and independent websites. |
How to check that a model really exists
- Find the model on the manufacturer's official website. Look up the website address yourself (for example via our overview of ASIC manufacturers), not through a link from an advert or e-mail. Watch out for similar domains with a hyphen or a different ending.
- Check whether the manufacturer has officially announced the model. New series are presented at conferences and in press releases. A model the manufacturer says nothing about, but which “the seller already has”, is suspicious.
- Compare the specifications. Hashrate, power consumption and efficiency in J/TH must match the manufacturer's specification. For reference: Bitmain lists its flagship Antminer S23 Hyd at 580 TH/s and 9.5 J/TH, with deliveries from Q1 2026. An offer with markedly better efficiency than manufacturers state for their latest models is almost certainly a scam.
- Check the delivery date. A genuine pre-order has a specific month or “batch” according to the manufacturer. If the date is later than the manufacturer states – or earlier – ask why.
- Ask for real photos. For in-stock goods, ask for a photo of the machine with its label and serial number, ideally with today's date on a piece of paper. Bitmain itself advises not to rely on photos downloaded from the internet.
Bitmain states in its support pages that it sells through its official website and is not responsible for goods bought elsewhere. If you buy from a reseller, ask how the warranty is handled and who will repair the machine.
How to verify a seller in the Czech Republic
- ARES and the commercial register (or.justice.cz) – does the company exist, for how long and who runs it? A company founded a month ago with no history at all is a reason to be wary.
- VAT payer register – for a VAT payer you can check whether the bank account on the invoice is one of its published accounts.
- Premises – an established seller has an address where you can inspect or collect the machine. Our shop and service centre, for example, is located at Rostovská 260/2b, Praha 10.
- History and references – how long the company has been selling miners, whether it offers servicing and whether it is written about anywhere other than its own website.
How to pay safely
| Payment method | Chance of getting your money back in case of fraud | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Payment card | highest – you can ask your bank for a chargeback | with online shops that accept cards |
| Transfer to a company account against an invoice | medium – the bank can dispute the payment, and you have a document and a counterparty | with a verified company, ideally with an account listed in the VAT payer register |
| Cash on personal collection | you only pay for a machine you can see | for in-stock and second-hand goods |
| Cryptocurrency | practically zero – the transfer cannot be reversed | only with a seller you know and have a contract with |
Whatever way you pay, ask for a written contract or invoice stating the model, hashrate, delivery date and the terms for refunding the deposit if delivery is not made on time.
What to do if you have already sent a deposit
- Don't send any further “customs fees” or “insurance”.
- Contact your bank and ask it to dispute the payment. With a card, the chance is greatest if you act quickly.
- Save the website (screenshots), e-mails, invoices and account numbers or wallet addresses.
- File a criminal complaint with the police.
What next
- We describe how to choose a machine by hashrate, power consumption and payback in our article How to choose an ASIC miner.
- You will find a genuine range of miners with current profitability in the ASIC miners collection – the specifications match the manufacturers' data.
- Another type of scam that poses as mining: cloud mining.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Is pre-ordering a miner always risky?
How can I spot a fake manufacturer website?
Why does the seller want payment only in bitcoin?
How do I verify the seller's bank account?
What should I do if the seller keeps postponing delivery and asks for extra payments?
This text was prepared with the help of AI. Facts, figures and procedures were checked by Yegor.
