Bitcoin Forum

What happened::

In Dec 2018 I opened an account at crex24.com and was able to deposit and trade ARI and MEC. I regulary tested if I *could* withdraw, but waited until I have enough BTC to make up for the withdrawal fee.

When I recently logged in last week to put some sell orders for above Altcoins I had deposited, I couldn't place any orders or withdraw anything and was presented with a truely worrying KYC procedure asking for a wealth of personal data. I have not received any advanced information or warning from them.

Crex24 wants me/you to submit:

• photo of current ID / driver license
• social media profile (not mandatory, but very much recommended)
• selfie holding ID card used + signature
• two different utility bills, though they seem to prefer credit card and bank statements
• complete address

I was about to bite the bullet, when it came to two different proof of residence documents, at which point I spontaneously wondered with whom I am dealing with here. So being confident that an exchange asking for so much KYC information certainly has a legal address listed on their website I started searching. Turns out they haven't, the best information you can find in their web page is


(Archived Apr 26 2020: https://archive.is/aHBBy)

So I mailed support asking for their legal address and received the following reply:



After that I demanded that I receive my coins back without KYC which naturally was refused.


Scammers Profile Link:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=1113444

Reference Link:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2101721.0 (ANN thread for the exchange, locked meanwhile)

Amount Scammed:
0.03066087 BTC (Crex24 account estimate on 23 Apr 2020)

Payment Method:
Deposit and trading of altcoins against BTC

Proof of Payment:
Deposit address ARI: 5dqQbQsTc5ABKMoDqMSoxyubL6fWcLZ3GD
Link ARI Blockexplorer: https://chainz.cryptoid.info/ari/address.dws?5dqQbQsTc5ABKMoDqMSoxyubL6fWcLZ3GD.htm
Deposit address MEC: MBZRExkE3jHWXQGzbWw2ZamrSJxerfJ48n
Link MEC Blockexplorer: https://chainz.cryptoid.info/mec/address.dws?MBZRExkE3jHWXQGzbWw2ZamrSJxerfJ48n.htm

PM/Chat Logs:


The Crex24 replies did not quote my previous mails, I have edited that in for easier understanding. Though the textual content is absolutely unchanged.

Additional Notes:
Crex24 asks you for the most detailed KYC that I have ever witnessed (and I've done a few meanwhile), while not even giving you their basic information like a business address. The details of information they request and the lack of detail they are willing to reveal about themselves is deeply worrying and hints to something more sinister.

Flag:
I have also raised a flag against Crex24 and would like to ask you to consider it for supporting or opposing:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=trust;flag=1699

CREX24 has a long history of dodgy behavior, as they are willing to list just about any scam project that there is, so I am not surprised  really that they did this to you, unfortunately. They don't care about their customers, all they are interested is getting money from them, and this is just another way to do it, hoping that some won't be willing to go though KYC so they can just seize the funds.
Flag supported by the way, and I hope you manage to sort it out with them, somehow.

Thank you Rikafip for your reply and supporting my flag.

I have no hope to get my balance back since I refuse to complete KYC with an anonymous organisation that most likely will sell my address and they made clear that it's absolutely mandatory to withdraw (since a bit more than a week).

This is yet another example of scammers using KYC as a means to rip crypto users off & you are absolutely right not to share any personal info with them without knowing who they are & them refusing to provide any info.

Flag supported & tagged.

I can recommend Bisq - decentralised & zero KYC - It's the only exchange I use now - stay away from centralised exchanges.

Thank you for your support IconFirm.

I am loosely following DEX developments but until now I kept postponing my first steps in this area (out of laziness I guess).
But you are right, that recent experience with Crex24 might be a good motivation to start looking more into it and your recommendation for bisq is well noted.

Flag supported from my end. Thanks for bringing our attention on crex24 again. Last year i have detected their nasty activities and from the necessity of keeping newbies and traders safer from them created below topic on march 31,2019.

Here is the topic link: ★ Alarming information about the crypto exchange "crex24" ★ (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5126620.0)

I wanna let you know that they are popular for listing scam ICO projects and most interesting thing is that they don't care about scam accusations too. Sorry to say that we are getting new accusations against them on a regular basis and you are one of the sufferer now. After opening the thread with all necessary informations "Lauda" opened a flag to warn everyone about their fraudulent activities but still some people are not enough aware about them.

Quite ironically they are asking for KYC from people, and yet they don't even have anything that talks about the team behind them or the address of the company behind the exchange >:(

They also locked the r=thread when things got heated up: Crex24.com - Cryptocurrency Exchange [Official Thread] (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2101721.0)

I have supported both flags opened against them. I negged them too.

How providing social media profiles is going to speed up the verification? Soon exchanges will start to ask for the underwears size.

@psycodad
It's not going to help you but this platform is from Estonia and they started to bother users with KYC since a story with HTMLcoin recently and with users accusing them to hide a hack.

https://cointelegraph.com/news/crex24-exchange-accused-of-hiding-hack-from-customers

Okay, you are probably in right, but did you know about this(December 3rd, 2019): https://twitter.com/Crex_24/status/1201822589771026432
https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/banking-and-finance/financial-supervision-and-risk-management/anti-money-laundering-and-counter-terrorist-financing_en
OP has not confirmed, if they are from the EU. as far as I know mandatory KYC is not Crex whimsy, it is an official law.

Yeah, it's a law, and we all agree, however, they are asking about KYC, yet they themselves are not transparent at all.
They provide no information about;
- Their Team or who runs the exchange.
- Their Company address or where they are based.
- Their company registration number or license.

But they got the audacity to withhold people's money on grounds of KYC.

Without all the information, it could as well be some bunch of scammers in a random safe house pretending to comply with the AML/KYC policies and holding on people's money, yet they are nowhere near a company with any legal papers and licenses.

I know this new regulation also from crex. So it is really not a sudden change from crex's side, they announced it regarding the KYC requirements. I have learned such requirement last year and from this forum. But I couldn't remember which thread that was. From time to time, I use crex and haven't gone their KYC requirements as I'm not part of the EU users. I am just sharing that I haven't experienced any trouble with crex so far, withdrawing funds or anything of that sort.

Maybe its the most easiest way to ignore accusations in a common way. They like the idea to keep everyone silent rather than giving space for sharing (Evidences, Claims, Accusations) on their ANN.

Little correction : Underwears size with recent photos. Hahaha,,, :). what an psychopathic idea to implement KYC procedures with social media profiles.  

Again, thanks to all for your support.


Thanks for your hint regarding Estonia, it is helpful to know they are in the EU. Probably it's an E-residency (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-residency_of_Estonia) company. Upon checking the business register of Estonia I found this:

https://ariregister.rik.ee/lihtparing.py?rkood=14419665&search=1

The address listed interestingly seems in an apartment building:

https://www.city24.ee/en/real-estate/apartments-for-rent/Tallinn-Kesklinna-linnaosa/1370177

Under the very same address, there is another exchange registered obviously:

https://talkimg.com/images/2023/05/14/blob1eebf42679c6db29.png
https://www.ilexexchange.com/

Oh, wait, there's a lot more going on in this apartment obviously:

https://crex24.cc/

https://www.maxiunit.com/

https://bitexfin.com

https://cst-exchange.ru

https://gtoxy.com/

https://www.pfser.com

https://iqexchange.com

https://cryptoorange.com/

And I just stopped there, might fill an evening or two to list all entities registered at that address.

Here is what I found regarding the company:

http://www.infoproff.com/en/companies/regcard/EST8048562/14419665

Again, interestingly the company seems not to have some kind of financial license as it says in above URL:




I have again checked my email archive, and I never received an announcement from Crex24 regarding newly implemented KYC. I logged in there about every 10days and I only noticed this restriction on my account last week.

I am not from the EU and given Crex24 is in the EU as LeGaulois says, they break about a dozen of laws, starting with GDPR but also ODR (Online Dispute Resolution). If one actually had an address, one could sue them. Though I am considering to report them to Estonian authorities.

Asking for KYC without revealing your own identity is simply criminal behaviour, at least in Europe and also in my country.

The house for rent on city24 isn't the Crex24's address. Tornimäe tn 7, Kesklinna linnaosa isn't the full address it just gives the village name and its district. The poster didn't give the full details on the location house.

This is the place where they seem to be located, as well the other exchange companies you found
https://goo.gl/maps/2yXPALDVSf6FGSwz9

Which makes me believe they are renting a virtual office there (like a lot of other companies do). The good thing since this country rely 95% on digital is you can probably report them online about GPDR etc while lying on your sofa

@OP

I am sorry to learn about your loss. A scam is a scam regardless of whether the thieves stole 0.03066087 BTC or any other amount.

You did the right thing by not sending your KYC. I have no doubt these types of exchanges hold on to KYC and sell them on to criminals as and when their situation facilitates it. Had you sent your ID they would probably have not allowed you to withdraw anyway and they probably would have made some more money at your detriment from criminals after they sold your ID to them.

I hope others manage to read this thread and do their research before sending their crypto to Crex24 and other scam exchanges including p2pb2b, coinsbit, whitebit and exrates (all linked with Ukrainian scammer called Valerii Solodovnyk)

Crex24 not a scam at all. been using it for years without a problem  ;)

Another shill account. This kind of stupid lies won't work here.
Account created at 02:00:54 AM, then 2 minutes later, it starts  defending the scandalous exchange (Archived (https://archive.vn/RxkLq)) Try harder!

It is obvious this sock-puppet account was created to post on behalf of the Crex24 scammers. I added this user to my IGNORE list.

Been affected too. It seems that even trading on exchange now requires KYC. Never received an announcement from Crex24 regarding newly implemented KYC. I don’t know how they will handled that kind of sensitive information. +1 from me to the flag you raided!

Do not send them anything because your ID might be sold on the black market to scammers and cause you more pain in the long run. I would advise you to not send your KYC to these scammers.

Any genuine exchange would allow you to remove your funds before KYC deadlines were introduced but any scam exchange would hold on to your funds in an attempt to seize them under false pretences.

Supported the flag they have bad reports since 2019, it is just right that you did not push through with submitting your vital information because they will eventually run away, we should also stay away from projects that wants to hold their IEO here too the risk is to high now to trade on Crex24.

I have tokens earned from bounty campaign listed here. Just recently, so dissappointed that they list their token there now I need to wait again another listing since this exchange is scam.

Its easy for you to say, cause your account is newbie.we'll be needing a higher rank account with the same assurance about that exchange but unfortunately I think all says its a big scam.

Thanks for the advice. Wont give them anything!

After I registered with crex24 they all of a sudden ask me to do KYC, and after that they told me that service was not available in the US and Canada. There's no warning when I first logged in and registered with them and that's how to scammed my personal information. Also they blocked me from trading so I will lost quite a bit of bitcoins in withdrawal fees

What a shady exchange. Don't trade on crex24

Why did you deposit in a new exchange ? When there are already many reputed and good exchanges available there is no point in depositing at a shady exchange. Such incidents happen every day but no one gets any lesson from them. I would only use a low volume exchange if i had to trade a coin which is only avaible on that exchange.

Good move. Do not let them bully you with any emails because their primary function would be to get your ID. They cannot be trusted.

Normally I won't go there I was just trying to dump some shit coins on that exchange. Luckily the loss wasn't much

its really bad to hear that now crex is required KYC for withdrawls because ive been used this exchange about 1 years without doing any kyc on thier websute ,but this is also one of the benefits identify of scam project developers, because most of scam masternode project are listed on their website, this is good to know who the guys behind scam project that dump & pump their own coin on this exchange.

CREX24 est une plateforme d’escrocs, à éviter absolument.
Mon compte a disparu de leur plateforme du jour au lendemain et malgré les documents (N°de compte....) et les
multiples justificatifs fournis, il n'ont pas rétabli ce dernier.
 j'ai du faire face d'abord à leurs réponses évasives,puis à leur silence total et au final ,je pense avoir perdu
totalement mon portefeuille (6000 euros environ).
J'essaye de trouver un moyen de récupérer ma mise et j'ai envoyé ,en première démarche,un courrier recommandé.
Merci de m'envoyer des infos susceptibles d’accélérer cette procédure,mais je pense que nous sommes nombreux à être
dans ce cas là.
 philippe

Even if the loss was not much the fact remains they stole from you. They are scammers, that is what all the forum should be aware of.

it is happening again I have barely read this forum it is a pity not to see it before I regret

I read BCT a lot but say little and pretty much keep to myself, occasionally I will say something  and hope it helps others as I have in the following comments to CREX24

forgot to add this.................
I have been searching for Crex24 and found a few negatives for the western world. ;)

As this is a Russian exchange first launched in 2017 and registered in Estonia (reg. number 14419665)
The Crex24 exchange was aimed at Russian speaking persons.  :o

To check the registration >> https://ariregister.rik.ee/ettevotja hope you can read Estonia as I was a little confused with it as I am in Australia
I did not want to start paying to get the actual companies information.
Anyone from any country can register a company in Estonia  you do not need to be from Estonia to register

I did find the following:  :D

Entry 3: The business name is CREX24 OÜ
Entry 3: Address is Harju county, Tallinn, Kesklinna district, Tornimäe tn 7-169, 10145................ on tracing this address I came across the following
       https://www.teatmik.ee/en/personlegal/12461485-PRIVATE-FINANCIAL-SERVICES-O%C3%9C if you search this link it will ask you if you're a robot
I think this might just be a business office where one can register an address

At the time it is managed by Arcknit Holdings Limited, whose headquarters are located in Limassol, Cyprus:  per https://en.bitcoinwiki.org/wiki/CREX24
Even though Crex24 started trading in early 2017 they were not approved until 05/07/2018

I checked the business name and registration number of Crex24 and the information is as follows:
Their capital share is EUR 2,508

Entry 3: The business name is CREX24 OÜ
Entry 3: Address is Harju county, Tallinn, Kesklinna district, Tornimäe tn 7-169, 10145
Entry 3: The email address is info@crex24.com

Right of representation
Entry 5: The liquidator is Paap Suurmaa, personal identification code 34609220339

Legal status
Entry 2: The legal form is a private limited company
Entry 3: The Articles of Association have been approved on 05.07.2018
Entry 1: The financial year starts on 01.01 and ends on 31.12
Entry 5: The shareholders decided on 29.09.2020 to close down the company. <<<<<<<<<<warning Closing down? 29/09/2020
2nd entry: Avirofix UÜ is 31.03.2018. transformed into a private limited company with the business name Avirofix OÜ on the basis of the decision.  ???

THE CONS:
Crex24 does not allow persons who live in the following countries, UK, USA, Canada and Israel to use the trading platform.  >:( maybe this is a godsend.

KYC:
Passport (prefered) or Drivers Licence/ country ID  and facial recognition tool plus full name and address  :(

Deposits and withdrawals:
High withdrawal for BTC 0.001 sats today's market at $60.83usd BTC @ $60832.90 USD today
Deposit USDPM (Perfect Money) 2.50%. Withdrawal 2.00%
Deposit EURPM (Perfect Money) 2.50% Withdrawal 2.00%
Deposit RUB (Qiwi Wallet) 2.00%. withdrawal 2.00%
Deposits via bank transfers can take up to 2-5 days
Crex24 reserve the right to delay customer's withdrawals for up to 72 hours for security checks.
Crex24 does not allow the transfer of funds between customers' accounts.
Cards issued in the US are not allowed for deposits and withdrawals, but they do like to get the USD

THE PROS:
Good for the Russian people apart from costs as it is aimed at them.
count not find many other pros, as not a keen person with KYC

The Crex24 domain was purchased on 06/06/2017:
Nameservers:
LIZ.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
NED.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
server Ip 104.18.10.70 Server Location   San Francisco, CA, United States
Crex24 is alexa ranked 12822 and gets 450,258 page views per day, it has a valuation of $190,120.00USD to $648,720.00USD

Warning though: Crex24 is not a scam, but it is also not a trusting company[/color], or should I say a high risk, the directors are all hidden as are the developers, and being a limited company they are only limited to the amount of the registration when first registered.
The company owners could be Russian.
Unless you are Russian and know your laws, you will fail to get your funds, if Crex24 closes or fails as a company.  >:(

As for the western world I strongly do not recommend trading on the CREX24 platform  ;D

THROUGH THE INFORMATION I HAVE JUST SUPPLIED YOU WILL NOTE MANY WARNING SIGNS BE VERY AWARE OF THIS EXCHANGE AS IT CLOSED THE BUSINESS BUT CONTINUED THE EXCHANGE ?????  ??? ???

 I hope this is enough info for anyone who needs it to check out Crex24 exchange and make that choice  ;)

 I had a spare hour to check it out for others that are interested, so I hope this helps you all.  :)

Hi Philippe
I am sorry to read your plight.
this might be to late but on 10/07/2020 the company was still registered when you wrote your topic.
if you read what I said, you might be able to find out more about the "Right of representation
Entry 5: The liquidator is Paap Suurmaa, personal identification code 34609220339"
I am unable to help you more on that as I did not check him out, maybe you can? I am unsure of the laws to Estonia and how you can at least try to get some money back.

Salut Philippe
Je suis désolé de lire votre situation difficile.
c'est peut-être trop tard, mais le 10/07/2020, la société était toujours enregistrée lorsque vous avez écrit votre sujet.
si vous lisez ce que j'ai dit, vous pourrez peut-être en savoir plus sur le "Droit de représentation
Entrée 5: Le liquidateur est Paap Suurmaa, code d'identification personnel 34609220339 "
Je ne peux pas vous aider davantage à ce sujet car je ne l'ai pas vérifié, peut-être que vous le pouvez? Je ne suis pas sûr des lois en Estonie et de la façon dont vous pouvez au moins essayer de récupérer de l'argent