If not a scam then a sham, or at the very best yet another hacked ICO clusterf**k
A couple of weeks ago I posted about a new ICO on the Ethereum blockchain called "Ziber" and concluded it didn't look like it was on a firm footing. You can read my post here: https://steemit.com/ziber/@o1o1o1o/ziber-ueber-of-international-calling-or-just-another-ico.
TL;DR is:
- Incomplete explanation for how Ziber works
- OpenSource code was barely anything significant
- Critical details kept secret until after ICO
- No demonstrated proxy technology
- Sketchy looking team bios that do not exude transparency
- Easily defeated business model
Fellow Steemian @rplescia also came to similar conclusion.
Now there is a substantial thread on Bitcointalk from other people that ICO funds have gone missing or were stolen. Given that it's very easy for people to take funds themselves and then say they were stolen I'm pretty skeptical of that without proof. I've seen that scam pulled before with the Cryptsy exchange embezzlement debacle.
A last post on another forum thread at Bitcointalk from Ziber claims that it was caused by a flaw in the ICO contract developed by a third party who they out by giving his phone number and address. Very classy blame shifting there.
They are claiming all funds will be refunded from the pool that was supposed to go to the developers - but that would require more people to pay into the ICO and personal I'd say with all the FUD around this ICO, demonstrated incompetence and a very sketchy team of unknowns behind it... well you'd be foolish to jump in at this point unless you really have ETH to throw into the void on a chance.
You can view all other posts by the Ziber account on Bitcointalk (starting with the most recent and all the way back to the ICO announcement) here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=1057351;sa=showPosts;start=0
At this time the https://ziber.io website is showing a new ICO funding address and makes no mention at all of the hack and other issues. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Very poor form IMO. Further more there page is indicating that no funds have been received to that address even though apparently some people have been sending funds to it.
According to the Etherscan.io blockchain explorer there are at the time of posting 8.7 ETH contributed to the address.
So I'd urge you, if you think this ICO might not be a scam, then before you send any funds to them ask yourself this:
Well, do you?