A number of news publications, as well as Tim Draper, were trolled Friday by someone claiming to be the ‘real’ Satoshi Nakamoto. After a number of attempts to document his identity as Satoshi via private keys, the fake Satoshi cut off communication.
After some research, it was clear that the statements were made in order to pump a new altсoin. The fake Satoshi continued to mention the Blockchain platform, and even produced some interesting documents including emails to and from Satoshi. However, the emails have been publicly available, and though difficult to find, did not prove the caller’s identity.
Both the Verge and Tim Draper confirmed that the self-proclaimed Satoshi was a fake, and encouraged others to be vigilant.
Fakers fakers
It seems that being Satoshi has become something of a fad, with a number of other fake Satoshis popping up lately.
The recent suggestion that Craig Wright is the real Santoshi was revealed to be a hoax, based on a deal signed with a Canadian company to prove his identity.
Newsweek has also suggested the model train collector Dorian Nakamoto was the real Satoshi - a suggestion met with a lawsuit from the accused.
As cryptocurrencies increase in popularity and the Bitcoin price still rises, Satoshi wannabes will likely continue to crop up. However, apart from moving Bitcoins known to be held by Satoshi himself, little can be done to prove any individual claims.