Hey, I have a kinda dumb question but my buddy picked up an ASIC from some random guy and now that guy's gone silent after hinting it might be stolen. My friend says it’s working just fine, but I’m wondering... does he risk anything using it? Like, can it be traced since it connects via ethernet?
Yeah, you could be in trouble. Seriously, I’d steer clear of using that ASIC. There are stories of stolen miners being tracked down. Why the hell would a seller ditch you after selling a stolen unit?
Honestly, it varies depending on the source of the theft. Tracking is possible, so it’s not just a wild guess. He might get away with it, but using stolen gear isn’t just risky, it’s plain wrong. Even if he’s mining to a secure wallet, the coins could be tainted.