[tool]

"One explanation for this could be money laundering."

Reminds me of something a few months or so back (in 4chan/g/) when Samsung had some sort of a campaign that gave it's users free android market credits. I don't remember how you had to authenticate yourself, but it was easy to fabricate and people did it multiple times over. As a result, people made really bare android apps to buy from themselves to turn that credit into real money.

[RankingMember]

"If you build it, he will [find a way to launder money with it]."

[cooper12]

You authenticated by entering the serial number of the Galaxy Note 2. Many people obtained them en masse from youtube users unboxing the phone who didn't bother covering it. Others, I think, just brute forced the serials to enter. Not sure if that worked.

I;m interested if google caught them or not. Surely they'd notice a spike in expensive app purchases using gift cards (if they measure things like that).