[SCAM][SOLVED] BTC-e APPROPRIATED MY COINS WORTH NOW 6000$

[TroubleBuddy]

BTC-e CHANGED MY E-MAIL, THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR HELP

EDIT: I WILL BE UPDATING OP WITH FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

What happened:

Long story short: BTC-e forced everyone to change their passwords via link they send you to your e-mail due to ''security reasons'', if you did not changed it in time, your password expired. Turns out I lost access to my e-mail (2fa, phone lost), BTC-e closed my last ticket (with no answer) to change my e-mail where I sum up everything they asked me to do previously (and everything they asked me to do I DID) in order to change my e-mail, their last contact was 28th february, 11 days ago, that is 264 hours now, not 72 they give themselves to answer, they probably illegally blocked me from my funds by voiding my password through expiration without my consent and do not want to change my e-mail in order to restore my access after I fulfilled every single of their demands.

Detailed story:

BTC-e expired everyone passwords, assuming they did not changed them in time, and demands to change them via link they send to your email associated with your BTC-e accocunt. In order to change my password, I have to log to my email which I do very rarely (explanation further ahead). My e-mail is being protected by 2fa, phone is lost and as result, I can't access my email. I tried to recover my e-mail through Google, all I've got is automatic confirmation that they accepted the request and it takes them usually 3-5 days to respond. It's been about 2 weeks right now, no response and I am not sure if they will respond at all. Sent them another account recovery ticket, we will see what happens.

In meantime, I asked BTC-e for help, they responded and told me that they will have to manually change my e-mail and will need informations about my account: transaction history, methods of deposit, history of ip entries etc. After fulfilling their request, they asked for screenshots to the exchange transactions deposits from my wallet and I did that as well. Then they asked for deposit from the same address and the same wallet I use to deposit funds to BTC-e. Unable to do that at first (since Multibit HD does not allow you to choose specific address to send from just like that and at that time I had little knowledge about wallets since never before I had any problems to deal with and basic knowledge how to send/receive was enough), I proposed them that I could prove my ownership by signing address and all they would have to do is to verify it. In said proposal, I included address with message and signature.

Their response? ''send coins from the wallet xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'' where x's is the address I signed and used to deposit coins to my BTC-e account before I lost access to it, so basically their answer was ''no'', judging from how they totally ignored my proposal. After sending them another message where again I inform them that it is impossible (that is what I thought so at that time, believing I can't send deposit from specific address) to do so and once again offer to prove my ownership by signing address, they told me to contact gmail to restore my email access. After asking for help how to send coins from specific address, I managed to send coins from address they asked for, all I had to do was to empty all addresses in my wallet form coins and send them back to address I wanted to use, so only that one specific address would contain any coins. Not really hard, little bothersome, but shame I did not know that earlier, it would save me a lot of time. After that, BTC-e remain silent and do not answer me (1st ticket was closed automatically due to me not responding in time as I was gathering all the data BTC-e asked for, but that was not an issue as I provided all the data they asked for from 1st ticket in 2nd ticket that is the one being most well documented and being ignored and 3rd was closed without answer, maybe because they considered it spam, as I had in total 2 tickets where I ask to change my e-mail, but if they had time to close it, they should have time to answer the second one they did not answer for so long). They say that it could take them 72 hours to answer, well, their last answer was over 10 days ago and I've fulfilled their last request 6 days ago, informing them about it. I even opened another ticket (that was the 3rd one) asking for e-mail change and sum up everything they asked me for (and everything they asked for, I have fulfilled). That was 3 days ago and on the second(!) day they closed that ticket with no answer, conclusion is simple - they simply ignore me now.

Scammers Profile Link:

https://btc-e.com/
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=33012

PM/Chat Logs:









Amount Scammed: (REGARDING TOTAL AMOUNT OF COINS IN MY ACCCOUNT)

About 6000$ according to current prices.
 
Payment Method: (REGARDING THE DEPOSIT THEY ASKED FOR TO PROVE MY OWNERSHIP)

Bitcoins

Proof of Payment: (REGARDING THE DEPOSIT THEY ASKED FOR TO PROVE MY OWNERSHIP)



Additional Notes:

On 02.10.16, BTC-e admin announced changes related to the use of passwords, meaning they will expire and will have to be changed. Here is full
announcement:

Update: Security

02.10.16 08:54 from admin
Please, be aware of the latest important changes in our security policies:

1. Security:

Due to the increased cases of account hacking we decided to implement some changes related to the use of passwords:

1.1. Starting from September 30, 2016 all BTC-e accounts will undergo the password changing procedure.
- On your first login to account you will see a notification that your password has expired. You will be asked to reset your password. A message with a confirmation link will be sent to your e-mail. You must click this link in order to receive a new password. Make sure you save your new password in a secure location, otherwise you will have to recover the password again.
- After the first password reset your account will not be blocked. But if you reset your password for the 2nd time and further your account will be blocked for 48 hours (the standard blocking according to BTC-e rules).
1.2. Changing the password from within your BTC-e account:
- If you are already logged in to your account and you remember your current password, you can change it via the Edit section of your BTC-e profile. Go to https://btc-e.com/profile#edit/home and click Reset Password. A message with a confirmation link will be sent to your e-mail. You must click this link to get a new password. Make sure you save your new password in a secure location.
1.3. Password Expiration:
You will need to reset your password every 6 months. After this procedure your account will not be blocked.
1.4. We added an automatic e-mail notification to inform you of failed login attempts to your account.
1.5. The option of using an own password is added.
To change the password you need to go to the "Edit" section https://btc-e.com/profile#edit/home and press the “Own password” button. The following message will be displayed: “Further instructions were sent to your email address”. You will need to click the link in the email and enter your old and new password.
The requirements for a new password are as follows:
minimum length: 12 characters;
at least one uppercase letter;
at least one lower case letter;
at least one number.
Make sure to save the new password.


2. BTC-e code:

The following terms and conditions take effect as of September 30th 2016.

2.1. When creating a BTC-e code you can specify the username of the BTC-e customer, who can redeem this code.
If the username is correct, the code can only be redeemed by this specific user (or the user who created the code).
If the specified username is invalid (spelling error or the username does not exist within BTC-e), the code can only be redeemed by the user who created the code.
If the Username field is left blank, then the code can be redeemed by any BTC-e user who receives it (as well as by the user who created the code).

2.2. Expiration of BTC-e codes:
- BTC-e codes will be active for 120 days since creation.
If no one redeems a code within 120 days, the code will become inactive. An inactive code can only be redeemed by the user who created it.
For BTC-e codes created after January 1, 2016 the 120 days of lifetime will be counted starting from September 30th 2016.

Best Regards,
BTC-e Support

I do not know if said operation was needed and if it was right thing to do to implement it. What I care for is fact, that we are not obligated to track BTC-e news and check our e-mails every week to be updated on what is going on, as nobody expects that exchange will simply void your password just like that, and, as a result, block access to your account. Since I exclusively play long, I only log to my e-mail associated with my BTC-e account in order to take a look at transactions/do some technical stuff regarding my BTC-e account and it happens VERY rarely. Last time I logged on was months ago and when I visit BTC-e site, I only take a look at trade page to see what the current prices are. It is then pretty self explanatory that one could not know about this operation at all and as long as you could argue that it is in your own good interest to keep track of the exchange you use, I hardly see how letting people know in advance about expiring passwords justifies anything, because way BTC-e handles problems that emerged regarding passwords expiration is, to be straightforward, simple theft, ill will or malicious intend, call it whatever you want, as they offer you no way out of this regrettable situation, prolonging this whole ''e-mail change procedure'', obviously hoping that they will discourage your further efforts to regain access to your money. After you hard-press them, they start to pretend you don't exist.

Being ware that I could be the one who is wrong here, I offer my apologize to BTC-e in such case, but for now, my stance on this is clear. After ignoring me for 11 days, I warned them that I will publish this and eventually take legal action against them. They chose to continue this. We will see what comes next.


Edit 1: They started to loop their messages http://imgur.com/a/LafgW
          Also, they deleted my post in their official russian thread: http://imgur.com/a/XB28E
          I issued them negative feedback that will be deleted AFTER they resolve my request: http://imgur.com/a/iSYRd
Edit 2: Again, they deleted another my post: http://imgur.com/a/DmQhg

Edit 3: BTC-e is not giving a damn and they are not going to resolve my request: http://imgur.com/a/y6vdb

Edit 4: No point in keeping in touch with them and ask to fulfill their obligation. Also, since posting my correspondance with BTC-e starts to resemble soap opera by now, this will be last update regarding our messages until they send me something significant: http://imgur.com/dIVDLH8 (also, notice how they still stubbornly argue that I want to restore access to my email, while I want to change it).

Edit 5: I have started spreading the word further:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/600dux/scamunsolved_btce_appropriated_my_coins_worth_now/
https://forum.bitcoin.pl/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=8002&start=560#p301941
https://forum.bitcoin.com/topic21078.html
https://forumbitcoin.co.id/threads/scam-unsolved-btc-e-appropriated-my-coins-worth-now-6000.23017/

[1715509696]

1715509696

[1715509696]

1715509696

[heshamk12]

Just be patient dude, nothing will help by making a thread.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

I'd say this gentleman is completely justified in making a thread about this.  Does anyone really know who runs these exchanges, and what their qualifications are for doing so?  You would never get treated like this with an online stock brokerage, believe me.  These exchanges are all shady if you ask me, and mostly because they're so unregulated (thus far).

Hopefully OP gets his money back.  That's not a small sum by any means.

[TroubleBuddy]

Just be patient dude, nothing will help by making a thread.

There is special word for people like that: suckers. I've been waiting long enough, how long do you think I should be waiting? Few more weeks, months, year? Give me a break, some people can't get their claims done with BTC-e for months, what kind of a person would consider this normal?

I'd say this gentleman is completely justified in making a thread about this.  Does anyone really know who runs these exchanges, and what their qualifications are for doing so?  You would never get treated like this with an online stock brokerage, believe me.  These exchanges are all shady if you ask me, and mostly because they're so unregulated (thus far).

Hopefully OP gets his money back.  That's not a small sum by any means.

I've heard some people managed to force BTC-e to drop their game and got actual help from them after making a thread like this, I hope this will be the case.

[TroubleBuddy]

This is now just ridiculous



This is clearly selective scamming, I have no idea how they are allowed to operate, they are now looping their answers - no explanation given, no reason provided for not fulfilling customer request.

edit: they also started deleting my presence in their official russian thread:

BEFORE: http://imgur.com/PERMwaE

AFTER: http://imgur.com/XLh7IWa

edit2: another deleted post calling them to resolve my issue and informing them about negative feedback from me: http://imgur.com/a/DmQhg

[Steven009]

This is now just ridiculous



This is clearly selective scamming, I have no idea how they are allowed to operate, they are now looping their answers - no explanation given, no reason provided for not fulfilling customer request.

edit: they also started deleting my presence in their official russian thread:

BEFORE: http://imgur.com/PERMwaE

AFTER: http://imgur.com/XLh7IWa

edit2: another deleted post calling them to resolve my issue and informing them about negative feedback from me: http://imgur.com/a/DmQhg

They've done exactly the same to me. Expect a long, long run with them. We won't see our money back.

[cryptodevil]

I've asked a couple of other DT members to review this thread and respond accordingly.

@TroubleBuddy, do you speak Russian or was that post they deleted in their thread a google-translate job?

[edit]
Update: A reddit user has also provided a details description of their issue which sounds like it got the same treatment: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/5zdur1/btce_keeps_my_bitcoins_does_not_let_me_withdraw/

He references a more organised push being made to deal with this account blocking issue: http://btceclaims.github.io/

I have tagged user Balthazar accordingly. If the rep/creator of BTC-E doesn't care about the forum user account being tagged, perhaps he will give more of a shit about his personal one.

[TroubleBuddy]

Thank You crypto for help, much appreaciated. And yes, both of my posts were ''google translate job''. Meanwhile...

BTC-e just blatantly confirmed that they don't give a shit and are not going to change my e-mail: http://imgur.com/a/y6vdb

Unfortunately we don't have to change email if we have 100% proof that you are the account owner.

So there you have it, not gonna happen, gmail is my only hope now. Either that, or they change their mind.

[cryptodevil]

Unfortunately we don't have to change email if we have 100% proof that you are the account owner.

Are they saying that even if they have 100% proof you are the account owner they still don't have to change the email address or, given their piss-poor grasp of English, do they actually mean that unless they have 100% proof you are the account owner they don't have to change email, OR is it that they are saying they have 100% proof you are not the account owner?

[TroubleBuddy]

I think it is clear what they said: having 100% proof that you are the owner of the account does not obligate them to change your e-mail, according to them, they can simply refuse without reason. If they meant that they are not 100% sure or ARE 100% sure that I am trying to scam, they would give the reason, right? Which for I already asked and they simply ignored my request.

[Balthazar]

I have tagged user Balthazar accordingly. If the rep/creator of BTC-E doesn't care about the forum user account being tagged, perhaps he will give more of a shit about his personal one.

You're joking, right?

I'm asking because I really have no idea why some genius made such a brilliant conclusion that I'm either founder or owner of BTC-e exchange. This may sound surprising, but I'm definitely neither owner nor founder of this project. I was a moderator and consultant who helped with dealing some technical issues (ddos/bruteforce attacks) and that's all. I don't care what happened with OP since that's none of my business.

So go and check your facts before making funny statements. That's exactly what I have said to author of this thread in response to his continuos extortion emails. I've asked him to find another person for his emails and warned him about the possibility of criminal prosecution. Now you're free to do whatever you want, I'm not going to ask you for anything.

2 op

Hi Alex,

I may have to contact the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian
Federation and the Central Bank of Russia regarding my claim, the
claim of others and your personal involvement in cryptocurrency as an
entrepreneur and developer.

I am also preparing possible community action against you and BTC-E.

I do not want to do this, but it seems like one of few reasonable
courses of action as an affected user. Some of the material has
already been prepared and is almost ready for dispatch. I want to keep
contact with you to see if we can find a solution privately before
this things goes live. If possible, please provide a constructive
solution towards the settling of my claim for your own sake and for
mine.

Admin
BTC-E Claims

BTC-E Username: Godho9
#LMP-531-89550
bitcoin:17kbBNJPQQK8TWJtcXnrRQuGmveZ4nNDXc

My answer:

I'm not a correct respondent for your issue. Is it so difficult to
understand or you have a problem with English? Should I write in
Russian or German then?

Honestly, I'm also thinking about contacting them in response to your
annoyance. Please go away and find someone else for your letters, or
we'll meet in the court. It's my final answer to you.

By the way, my invitation to the court is still in force.

Article 163. Extortion


1. Extortion, that is, the demand that other people's property or their right to property should be transferred, or that other acts of a property nature should be performed under threat of violence or of destruction or damage of other people's property, and also under the threat of dissemination of information that defames the victim or his relatives or of any other information which may cause substantial harm to the rights or legitimate interests of the victim or his relatives,
shall be punishable by restraint of liberty for a term of up to three years or by arrest for a term of up to six months, or by deprivation of liberty for a term of up to four years, with a fine in the amount of up 50 minimum wages, or in the amount of the wage or salary, or any other income of the convicted person for a period of up to one month, or without any fine.
2. Extortion committed:
    a) by a group of persons in a preliminary conspiracy;
   b) repeatedly;
    c) with violence,
shall be punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of three to seven years, with confiscation of property or without such confiscation.
3. Extortion committed:
    a) by an organized group;
    b) for the purpose of obtaining property on a large scale;
    c) with the infliction of grave injury to the victim's health;
    d) by a person who earlier was convicted of larceny or extortion two or more times,
shall be punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of seven to fifteen years, with confiscation of property.

I'm waiting for a possibility to apply this article in the real life. Are you ready to answer for your actions?

Lol, it was a joke of course... Since we both know that you're capable of nothing, except making funny github page and writing nigeria-style emails, to me or to the Central Bank of Russia. Because you're full of bullshit and there is no legal entity which would take you seriously. Honestly, you need to admit that such a lawsuit would take five or maximum ten minutes in the real court of law. And after that there would be my turn, with a very  long and quite costly lawsuit against your person. Blackmailing, extortion, defamation & hounding... That should be enough to make a sufficient amount of money.

[cryptodevil]

I'm asking because I really have no idea why some genius made such a brilliant conclusion that I'm either founder or owner of BTC-e exchange.

This may sound surprising, but I'm definitely neither owner nor founder of this project. I was a moderator and consultant who helped with dealing some technical issues (ddos/bruteforce attacks) and that's all.

I've asked for more information on that claim from the redditor who cited it. But it isn't as if it is a completely arbitrary assertion as you have been, by your own admission, involved with that exchange in some capacity previously.

I don't care what happened with OP since that's none of my business.

Well neither do your former employers apparently, so perhaps them being made aware that others connected to them are being drawn into this mess they are creating through their mishandling of the situation, it will finally get the required response.

That's exactly what I have said to author of this thread in response to his continuos extortion emails.

It isn't extortion if the threat of legal action is to get the proper resolution of a dispute. Extortion would be if he was threatening to take legal action unless he was paid money which did not belong to him.

All of these threads cropping up about BTC-E failing to restore access to customer accounts and funds are centred around the claimant being asked by BTC-E to provide a set of identity proofs and the details of previous transactions but, when said proof is provided, the response by BTC-E support is to cancel the support ticket and throw around accusations of fraud without any evidence to support such being shown by them.

This kind of behaviour is not exactly unfamiliar to members of this community. It has always usually preceded an exchange collapsing in some fashion.

So this is not a small matter.

[HornsterLG]

ok so i am Markus Horn, the victim of btc-e with the reddit post, https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/5zdur1/btce_keeps_my_bitcoins_does_not_let_me_withdraw/

first i want to thank cryptodevil for investigating. this forces bitcoin exchanges to be more transparent in the future. and this is what makes bitcoin so powerfull right? being transparent and decentralized.
i don´t know if balthazar could be the representative of btc-e (having a representative in an anonymous corporation doesn´t rly make scence). he just seems to me to be one of the most powerfull man who are officially operating with btc-e. i would appreciate if he would sympathize with people who want bitcoin exchanges to be as transparent and fluently as possible. this would help bitcoin to stay the best performing currency in the world. i changed my post so that the gifthub page could posibbly show where and who btc-e owners are. balthazars fast and transparent response does not rly match with the behavior of btc-e tbh.

@troublebuddy: the support of btc-e to me seems to be as less supportive as anyone could be. they are not helping at all, unless you make public pressure via forums or threaten to sue them. good to know i am not the only one atm who is fighting to get his bitcoins back.

[Balthazar]

All of these threads cropping up about BTC-E failing to restore access to customer accounts and funds are centred around the claimant being asked by BTC-E to provide a set of identity proofs and the details of previous transactions but, when said proof is provided, the response by BTC-E support is to cancel the support ticket and throw around accusations of fraud without any evidence to support such being shown by them.

This kind of behaviour is not exactly unfamiliar to members of this community. It has always usually preceded an exchange collapsing in some fashion.

Maybe this is true, maybe not... But I don't care, do you understand this simple fact? This is not my business while you're baselessly claiming the otherwise. In fact you can ask me to switch off the sun with the same success. Even if somebody stole their coins, calling me wouldn't help them in any way, since I'm not related with this issue anyhow. The only thing they're actually doing here is losing your time.

I. Can. Not. Help. Them. Even. If. I. Wanted. To. That's it.

Just to be honest, I don't want help them even if I would have a magical ability to do something. The reason is simple, I don't like these people. I really don't like them to the degree of uncontrolled hate, since I really hate idiots. Idiots are plague of our world and the reason for almost all of the troubles, including their own ones. Only an absolute idiot would believe that BTC-e owner/creator would work in RusBITech instead of going to some calm place with a nice climate.

by your own admission, involved with that exchange in some capacity previously.

By my own admission, I have a dick as well. Now, please, tag me as a rapist. That will be made fully in accordance with your own "logic".

It isn't extortion if the threat of legal action is to get the proper resolution of a dispute. Extortion would be if he was threatening to take legal action unless he was paid money which did not belong to him.

You should read an email and learn what the "extortion" word actually means. He threatened me to notify the central bank and prosecutor's office that I'm using bitcoins. Not about his assumption that I have committed something against him, but about the fact of using bitcoins as is. Is this considered a crime now? Well, then everybody on these boards should go to jail. C'mon, don't be that funny.

I've asked for more information on that claim from the redditor who cited it.

That should be interesting. Please keep me informed via PM, since I'm not going to participate in this farce anymore. Everybody, except cryptodevil, please go to hell and have a nice day there for eternity.

[HornsterLG]

@troublebuddy did btc-e do anything? is this up to date?

[TroubleBuddy]

Yesterday they told me they do not have to change my e-mail just becauase I requested them to do it. Makes you wonder why they asked me all these questions or demanded deposit (which they did not send back after refusing my request)

[BillCoin]

That's one of the reasons you should ever trust a 3rd party to hold your coins, even if they are the most trusted organization, they can always turn to scamming or they can even just lose your coins to a hacker or something like that.

Keep your coins into your wallet, and even if you want to sell your coins, avoid putting them at a 3rd party for a long period, just sell them and withdraw the cash.

[TroubleBuddy]

Sad, but you are 100% right - people learn from their mistakes, few benefits from the mistakes of others.

[HornsterLG]

ok, after they banned and ignored me, they finally gave up stealing my 2.5 bitcoins. after i made this public and posted it on more then 20 websites who were on top of google, after "balthazar" received a -trustpoint at bitcointalk.org and went super angry, after threatening to sue them - they finally gave up. i got my 2.5 bitcoins now thank you very much for your help. i hope bitcoin exchanges will have more respect of their customers in the future. https://gyazo.com/d393cbdaabf835168ca605ce6d413c1c

[nemgun]

ok, after they banned and ignored me, they finally gave up stealing my 2.5 bitcoins. after i made this public and posted it on more then 20 websites who were on top of google, after "balthazar" received a -trustpoint at bitcointalk.org and went super angry, after threatening to sue them - they finally gave up. i got my 2.5 bitcoins now thank you very much for your help. i hope bitcoin exchanges will have more respect of their customers in the future. https://gyazo.com/d393cbdaabf835168ca605ce6d413c1c

Finally this case is solved, i am happy that you got you money back. Could you please specify it in the thread's title ?