Refund Not Received.

[bolinao]

Hi, recently sent some money to a seller, after a small discussion he refunded my money, but it does not show in my wallet.
The bitcoin address he sent the refund to is different than my bitcoin address.
If I click the "Track" button in my transaction history it shows that the money I sent him came from the bitcoin address he refunded to, which is different than my bitcoin address. So how does that work ? why does the address change when I send him the money ? and where has the refund gone ?

I am new to bitcoins so is this normal ? shouldn't my bitcoin address be the one he sees when he receives the money ?

I use Paxful

thanks

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[steven0021]

Paxful is a service and are not meant to be used as bitcoin wallet. Services gives you a deposit address to send bitcoins to deposit but they never tell anything about that address being yours fully controlled by you, and when you request a withdrawal they may send bitcoins from their hot wallet instead of your deposit address.

[bitdumper]

well in bitcoin network i do not like all the wallets because there some one wallets which do these type of things which happens to you but i do use mycelium wallet and i have full control pf which mmis my btc address and who have control of it bur in your case your money is send using a random address

[bolinao]

I don't understand why it be sent using a random number though, I checked my other transactions and they also were sent using a random number, so where has the refund gone ?

[steven0021]

I don't understand why it be sent using a random number though, I checked my other transactions and they also were sent using a random number,

That's just how most service works. The bitcoins in your deposit address will be sent to their cold storage (because cold storage are safer), leaving it with zero balance. An address with zero balance can't send bitcoins so they use their hot wallet instead.
Sending the bitcoins back to your deposit address before sending them to your withdrawal destination would cost them the transaction fee (plus it may increase the confirmation time).

so where has the refund gone ?

It's gone to paxful's treasury.

[bolinao]

It's gone to paxful's treasury.

Is there a process of getting back to my wallet ? or have I lost it.

[steven0021]

It's gone to paxful's treasury.

Is there a process of getting back to my wallet ? or have I lost it.

You can try contacting paxful and explain your circumstances. I wouldn't get my hopes up though.
Other than that, I don't think there is a way.

[bolinao]

I have done that, hopefully they will answer soon.

So if most places work this way, what is the method of getting a refund from a seller ?

[steven0021]

I have done that, hopefully they will answer soon.

So if most places work this way, what is the method of getting a refund from a seller ?

Send them your deposit address.
Or use proper bitcoin wallets that lets you control every address in your wallet. Electrum and Multibit HD are quite newbie friendly.

[bolinao]

Great, thanks for the advice, you been really helpful. 

[steven0021]

Great, thanks for the advice, you been really helpful. 

You're welcome. 

[mamichula]

Paxful is a service and are not meant to be used as bitcoin wallet. Services gives you a deposit address to send bitcoins to deposit but they never tell anything about that address being yours fully controlled by you, and when you request a withdrawal they may send bitcoins from their hot wallet instead of your deposit address.

Can he contact Paxful and explain his situation?