Bitcoin Address you send money too does not exist.

[surfer43]

If bitcoind and bitcoin-qt didn't check to see if you tried to send to an invalid address, could you send the bitcoins to it?

[cp1]

If bitcoind and bitcoin-qt didn't check to see if you tried to send to an invalid address, could you send the bitcoins to it?

No, I doubt anyone would relay a transaction to an invalid address.  Try sending 1 BTC to the address "bob", it just doesn't work.

[surfer43]

If bitcoind and bitcoin-qt didn't check to see if you tried to send to an invalid address, could you send the bitcoins to it?

No, I doubt anyone would relay a transaction to an invalid address.  Try sending 1 BTC to the address "bob", it just doesn't work.

Yeah I accidentally told someone to send to <insert_first_33_valid_chars_here>p instead of <insert_first_33_valid_chars_here>P

paper wallets...

[davidpbrown]

There are two types of addresses that don't exist. Those that are invalid as an address, and those that are valid as an address but aren't controlled by anyone.

Are there not properly three types?

I thought that some alt-coin had an issue with pre-mining, such that the owner decided to evidence his destroying the coins by sending to an address that was valid but *could not* be controlled by anyone; a /dev/null blackhole, as opposed obviously to those valid addresses that simply are not controlled at the moment but could be.

..or does Bitcoin not have the same equivalent /dev/null address?

[frank754]

If bitcoin addresses have a checksum, like a UPC barcode, there must be a way to be able to generate one if you have a computer script to do that. For example 1 in every 2 to the nth power would be valid. If someone sends to one of these by accident, and the address is one that had never been used before on the blockchain, could a new user potentially have a surprise in finding something in his wallet when creating a new wallet?

[davidpbrown]

Yes, absolutely.. but don't burn coins setting that up of course!

It's equally likely that you stumble on someone else's account. I'm not sure what occurs if two private keys to the same public key are used, I expect either are accepted as it stands.

[retrocoingames]

wow just found this thread.

I did a withdraw with 1 digit short at the end. Hopefully it failed on the site and comes back (gambling site).

[Cheepot10]

This why I always double check the wallet address that i'm going to send money to. What i usually do is check the first and last 4 alphanumerics of the address that i will be sending to and if i am really sure that its correct, i proceed with the payment. its never bad to be extra cautious because this is real money that we are working with 

[retrocoingames]

This why I always double check the wallet address that i'm going to send money to. What i usually do is check the first and last 4 alphanumerics of the address that i will be sending to and if i am really sure that its correct, i proceed with the payment. its never bad to be extra cautious because this is real money that we are working with 

Thats where I went wrong I just copied and pasted and missed a number 

[manselr]

There should be a way to guarantee that you aren't sending money to an address that doesn't exist, but unfortunately I don't see how this could be engineered at all. The client would need to scan the entire blockchain.. its nuts. Just always copy and paste, then I don't see how it can go wrong. Remember to double click the address to select the entire address when copying.

[Doamader]

I do remember to read somewhere if you make or put a wrong adress, lets say a litecoin adress and send bitcoins to those you will loose those coins, if you miss some character if should give error when you trying to complete the transaction.

[bitbunnny]

Can the Bitcoins be send to the address that doesn't exist or in that case some kind of error would be reported? Does the system recognise correct or wrong addresses?
If the coins are sent to the wrong or unexisting address I suppose they will be lost for you, I can't see how can you get it back because you can't stop the transaction once it's submited.

[croutonhexagon]

Actually i haven't experimented with this. But I think that it will show transaction failed at the end I mean at the end of 6th check.
Otherwise it would create and add the amount to that bitcoin address and wherever system generate that address for someone will get the money.

[Wind_FURY]

Jumping on the necro here, but what are the odd of mistakenly typing in a valid address? Is it a realistic possibility?

No it isn't. There's 1 chance in 4 billion to mistype a valid address.

Plus, why are you manually typing addresses?

That would be an open possibility for people to lose a lot of Bitcoins. Also am I the only one who copy/pastes the address and then checks and verifies it per character by looking back and forth at the address copied from? Sometimes I inwardly cringe before clicking those send and confirm buttons.

[Pattberry]

If bitcoin addresses have a checksum, like a UPC barcode, there must be a way to be able to generate one if you have a computer script to do that. For example 1 in every 2 to the nth power would be valid. If someone sends to one of these by accident, and the address is one that had never been used before on the blockchain, could a new user potentially have a surprise in finding something in his wallet when creating a new wallet?

yes that is a possibility ,i do not think people do send those accidentally but then if they are doing to test that out they would do that and i believe that a lucky user could get the coins

That would be an open possibility for people to lose a lot of Bitcoins. Also am I the only one who copy/pastes the address and then checks and verifies it per character by looking back and forth at the address copied from? Sometimes I inwardly cringe before clicking those send and confirm buttons.

The OP is having a doubt regarding that and he never mentioned that he lost bitcoins doing so,don't worry dude no one's brain work like a computer and everyone copy and paste the wallet address and verifies

[croutonhexagon]

I think transaction will be failed due to invalid bitcoin address. If this doesn't happen then there might be conflict between the address (unrealistic). I think there is check of available address first before doing the transaction. If address doesn't exist then transaction will be stopped.

[davis196]

Hi

What happens to your bitcoin balance if you send a bitcoin to an bitcoin address that does not exist.

thank you

Nothing.You can`t send money to a btc address that doesn`t exist.

Have you ever tried to do this?

I`ve never tried this,and i will never try it.

[Naoko]

Hi

What happens to your bitcoin balance if you send a bitcoin to an bitcoin address that does not exist.

thank you

Nothing.You can`t send money to a btc address that doesn`t exist.

Have you ever tried to do this?

I`ve never tried this,and i will never try it.

wrong, you can send to a bitcoin address that doesn't exist yet as long as the address is a valid one tho you cannot send to an address which is not valid. most (or all) bitcoin client can detect wether the address you entered is a valid one or not

[ebliever]

There should be a way to guarantee that you aren't sending money to an address that doesn't exist, but unfortunately I don't see how this could be engineered at all. The client would need to scan the entire blockchain.. its nuts. Just always copy and paste, then I don't see how it can go wrong. Remember to double click the address to select the entire address when copying.

As noted in other posts there is a checksum in the addresses that will cause a transaction to fail virtually all of the time for simple typos. But if you are given a "fake" address that has a valid checksum but for which no one holds the private key, there's no way for the software to protect you. Scanning the blockchain will not help because people send bitcoins to new, valid, addresses all the time.

The blockchain is not a registry of all valid addresses only a log of addresses that actually have transactions - including the "fake" addresses that are dead ends from which bitcoins cannot be recovered because no one has the private key.

Example: https://blockchain.info/address/1BitcoinEaterAddressDontSendf59kuE

[digaran2]

I think if the address is invalid address,the coin will be back to your wallet,but if the address is valid,the coin is lost,then if late if some one gen the address,the coin will be him,is it right?