bitcoin-a-trade.com nice looking scam

[ozoro]

I used www.bitcoin-a-trade.com to turn 0.1 BTC last week to fiat in the UK last week. The transaction went very smoothly and within 30 mins I had the cash in my PayPal account. I heard about them as a reliable way of changing bitcoins to fiat in the UK.

However, in the last 48 hours I have sent them 0.5BTC, had no response from them, eventually they emailed to say due to high demand their systems can only take a minimum of 2BTC. They asked in me in a series of emails to add another 1.5BTC to make 2BTC and they would credit my PayPal account with a rate above preev.

As you can imagine I totally uncomfortable with this level of exposure, I emailed them pointing out the obvious concerns, they emailed several times over a 12-hour period reassuring me that they would credit my PayPal account immediately.

Me with my ‘greed’ and the ‘mug’ I am I sent the additional 1.5BTC. You guessed it………..

Surprise, surprise I get an email from them, saying their systems could not process the 2BTC, I need to add another 2BTC making it 4 BTC and they would pay out immediately, at above preev and charges to me.

By now the greed had cleared from my eyes, I asked for my initial coins back.

Long story short, am being told it will take up to a week to get my 2 BTC sent back to me.

I know I have been conned.
I’ll be lucky to get my 2 BTC back.

I’ll be keen to hear from anyone who has dealt with bitcoin-a-trade.com good or bad experiences.

My two satoshi advice……….stay well clear.

[ozoro]

try their website www.bitcoinatrade.com

but don't send them your coins.....

[neochiny]

First off, Sorry for your loss.

Then, would you mind linking screenshots of your correspondence with them? Where they asked for the additional 1.5BTC
as well as the later additional 2 BTC?

Also, when you first sent the .5BTC, was there no notice of any sort about their 'minimum of 2BTC' per transaction anywhere?
There should have been one if they were legit, or the system should have automatically rejected transactions less than 2BTC.

Anyway, I've never even heard of this site, so no experience to share. Was just wondering if we could see those emails.

[ozoro]

Send the emails nows, and yes there is nothing in the site that says minimum is 2 BTC

[ozoro]

contact@bitcoinatrade.com via server221.web-hosting.com 
Mar 16 (2 days ago)


to me





Hello,

Thank you for using our service.

To complete your transaction, please send 0.5 Bitcoin to this address 1PJuF6YsyEXF7XiqiamACTnf9bwix9U9D2

Regards,
Bitcoin A-Trade





Reggie Adaka

Mar 16 (2 days ago)
I have sent 0.5BTC but no acknowledgement of receipt from your automated serv...


contact@bitcoinatrade.com
Mar 17 (1 day ago)


to me





Hello,


We apologize for the delay. Due to high volume we are currently processing only the trades which are over 2 BTC.

Since you have already traded 0.5 bitcoins, you can reach the trading level with trading at least 1.5 btc or more. You can trade more with sending the bitcoint to the address which was assigned to you - 1PJuF6YsyEXF7XiqiamACTnf9bwix9U9D2

The trading rate of 1035.42 GBP per BTC will be applied on the whole trade (you can trade max 20 bitcoins using this rate).


Regards,
Bitcoin A-Trade

[ozoro]

  
Trade Pending
contact@bitcoinatrade.com via server221.web-hosting.com
Mar 16 (2 days ago)


to me

Hello,

Thank you for using our service.

To complete your transaction, please send 0.5 Bitcoin to this address 1PJuF6YsyEXF7XiqiamACTnf9bwix9U9D2

Regards,
Bitcoin A-Trade



Reggie Adaka

Mar 16 (2 days ago)
I have sent 0.5BTC but no acknowledgement of receipt from your automated serv...


contact@bitcoinatrade.com
Mar 17 (1 day ago)


to me





Hello,


We apologize for the delay. Due to high volume we are currently processing only the trades which are over 2 BTC.

Since you have already traded 0.5 bitcoins, you can reach the trading level with trading at least 1.5 btc or more. You can trade more with sending the bitcoint to the address which was assigned to you - 1PJuF6YsyEXF7XiqiamACTnf9bwix9U9D2

The trading rate of 1035.42 GBP per BTC will be applied on the whole trade (you can trade max 20 bitcoins using this rate).


Regards,
Bitcoin A-Trade





Reggie Adaka

Mar 17 (1 day ago)
Hello I am trying to reduce my exposure. Can you pay me for the 0.5 BTC and i...


contact@bitcoinatrade.com
Mar 17 (1 day ago)


to me





Hello,


We can only initiate a payout if the trade is over 2 BTC (you can reach the 2 BTC with adding at least 1.5 BTC to your trade). Or if you prefer I can request a cancellation for your trade.


Regards,
Bitcoin A-Trade








On 2017-03-16 22:38, Reggie Adaka wrote:
Hello

I am trying to reduce my exposure. Can you pay me for the 0.5 BTC and
i will buy more (at £1035) or alternatively return my 0.5 to the
following address

19O5TNKSHHWRML6RSJRQNGFUGYZF1P5PQF

THANK YOU

REGGIE ADAKA





Reggie Adaka <ozoro99@gmail.com>
Mar 17 (1 day ago)


to contact





Hello

Last week i sold 0.1BTC to you. There is nothing on your site that says a minimum amount of BTC should be traded.

I am trying to build up my confidence in you guys, hence starting with small amounts.

No disrespect intended but even Mt Gox went under.

Please email by return,
1. wallet address to send the 1.5 BTC
2. How long will the payout for the total of 2BTC
3. confirm I will receive £2070 for 2 BTC less your £4 fee.
4.  If unable to do this I have sent my own wallet for you to cancel the trade and return my 0.5BTC.

19o5TNksHHWRML6rSjrQNGFugYZf1P5Pqf

I trust you will live up to your improving reputation and enable a quick amicable resolution.

I look forward to hearing from you


regards





contact@bitcoinatrade.com
Mar 17 (1 day ago)


to me





Hello,

We apologize for the inconvenience.
- You can send the 1.5 BTC to 1PJuF6YsyEXF7XiqiamACTnf9bwix9U9D2
- The payout will be delivered to you after 1 confirmation from the network
- You will receive exactly £2066.84 for the 2 BTC.


Regards,
Bitcoin A-Trade










On 2017-03-17 02:54, Reggie Adaka wrote:
Hello

Last week i sold 0.1BTC to you. There is nothing on your site that
says a minimum amount of BTC should be traded.

I am trying to build up my confidence in you guys, hence starting with
small amounts.

No disrespect intended but even Mt Gox went under.

Please email by return,
1. wallet address to send the 1.5 BTC
2. How long will the payout for the total of 2BTC
3. confirm I will receive £2070 for 2 BTC less your £4 fee.
4.  If unable to do this I have sent my own wallet for you to cancel
the trade and return my 0.5BTC.

19O5TNKSHHWRML6RSJRQNGFUGYZF1P5PQF





Reggie Adaka <ozoro99@gmail.com>
Mar 17 (1 day ago)


to contact





Dear Sirs

I have sent a further 1.5 BTC to the wallet provided in your latest email.

I trust this is in order.

kind regards





contact@bitcoinatrade.com
Mar 17 (1 day ago)


to me





Hello,


I can see that the trade of 1.5 btc is made, i am not sure why the order is still marked as Pending.
I am contacting the IT department right now to check what is causing the delay. I will contact you again in 15-20 minutes.


Regards,
Bitcoin A-Trade





contact@bitcoinatrade.com
Mar 17 (1 day ago)


to me





Hello,


I've just received a reply from the IT department. It seems that the trade is marked as Pending because the system expects to receive the 2 BTC in a single transaction to 1PJuF6YsyEXF7XiqiamACTnf9bwix9U9D2

We can offer two solutions to this:
1. you can send exactly 2 btc more to your assigned address (1PJuF6YsyEXF7XiqiamACTnf9bwix9U9D2), which will change the status of the trade from Pending to Complete (then we will be able to complete a payment of £4141.68 for the 4 BTC).
2. or I can request a cancellation for you so the whole trade will be cancelled.

To apologize for the whole issue, we won't charge a fee on your trade.


Regards,
Bitcoin A-Trade





Reggie Adaka

Mar 17 (1 day ago)
Wow, with respect your 're asking me to send you another "2BTC' in addition t...


contact@bitcoinatrade.com
Mar 17 (1 day ago)


to me





Hello,


Once again we apologize, the issue occured due to the high volume. We had no problems like this before.

If you prefer, I can request a cancellation for you, just please be aware that it might take couple business days since it have to go through the Finance and the IT department. Initiating a new trade after that means that the new exchange rate will be applied.

If you decide to complete the trade in meantime, we will honour the agreement and provide a payment of £4141.68 at the rate of £1035.42 per bitcoin.


Regards,
Bitcoin A-Trade

[neochiny]

1. http://www.scamadviser.com/check-website/bitcoinatrade.com It says the site is only 115 days old.
2. They have to manually send an email just to provide you the deposit address.
3. I hope you asked them to cancel the transaction. According to them, it'd only take 2 days.
    True, rates right now are much lower than the rate they're offering but, is it really enough to risk another 2 BTC over?
    If they were legit, you'd be losing 200-400 Euro, however, if they were not, then that's an additional loss of 2 thousand Euro
    (4k total).

4. https://blockchain.info/address/1PJuF6YsyEXF7XiqiamACTnf9bwix9U9D2 That's the deposit address assigned to you(for your transaction), yet the 2BTC is no longer there.