Deposited my life savings to CaVirtex, Fund frozen and no response for weeks!

[ricksta]

I've been a verified CaVirtex customer for months and been buying and selling small amounts here and there. I've deposited through Vogogo and withdrew funds to my bank accounts multiple times without problem, until now..

After getting all these positive sentiments around bitcoin and having news coverage every where, I decided to purchase more Bitcoins on Cavirtex. So I made a $9000 Vogogo deposit on Nov 21st (priced around $700 ish) hoping to buy immediately. Then on Nov 23rd it looks like an automated email was sent to me saying my they got my deposit of $9000 but it's now pending. They said my verification of using my mobile phone bill is no longer valid and I need to reverify my account with:

1. Tax bill (recent within 12 months)
2. Electricity, gas, water, LANDLINE phone, TV or Internet (recent within 3 months) or house insurance certificate (for the current period). This address must match the address on the provincial issued photo ID.

Since I live at home with my parents, I don't have anything under No.2 so I took a photo of my Canadian Revenue Agency's Notice of Assessment (What I think they mean by Tax Bill?) and sent it to them immediately asking if it is what they are looking for. Along with my linkedin profile and personal website showing that I'm not trying to fraud them, but just want to buy some bitcoins immediately.

I patiently waited a few days but no response whats so ever. My $9000 is no where to be seen, bitcoin prices had gained 30% and I've been loosing out on the price gain because they are holding my funds. I sent another email following up but no respnose, and opened a ticket asking for a follow up, but no response either. I tried calling their 1888 number, it used to just go straight to "sorry no one is available, call back later" to a "you have 5 people in front of you, hold on to get helped" just to reach a recorded message after 15 minutes of waiting by their CEO that I should leave a voice mail, and they will listen to it on the same business day. So I left a voice mail but no response whats so ever again.

This experience is really upsetting as I've always heard good things about CaVirtex. I was thinking about flying to Calgary to visit their office to work this out but just to realize they have no address on their website (i'm in Vancouver).

[nahtnam]

Sorry your out of luck. You can try to WHOIS the site and see if you can get a phone number or something.

[axilla]

good ol bitcoin community... you just lost 9k, "sorry buddy you're out of luck."  lol this is why bitcoin will fail.

[ricksta]

Sorry your out of luck. You can try to WHOIS the site and see if you can get a phone number or something.

just checked their WHOIS. It looks like it's a small shopping plaza with no specific unit number.

This is the location:
https://maps.google.ca/maps?client=safari&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&layer=c&z=17&iwloc=A&sll=50.985627,-114.083014&cbp=13,70.8,0,0,0&cbll=50.985595,-114.083160&q=7620+Elbow+Dr.+SW+calgary&ei=1ueaUqTeJs7noASEgIKgDQ&ved=0CC4QxB0wAA

https://www.namecheap.com/domains/whois.aspx?domain=cavirtex.com

[ricksta]

Could you put one of those services in your name just so you get a statement to send in?  I would go with internet or tv.  Sign up then have them mail you a statement and you are good to go.

OR -  Isn't there a bitcoin ATM in Vancouver?  Maybe you can ask for a refund and just buy bitcoin that way.

Hope you get it straightened out. 

I asked for a refund lets hope I get my money back.

[Nagle]

Let's see what we can find out about VirtEx.

What Virtex says about itself: "Your Canadian funds are held in major Canadian banks under the protection of a Canadian corporation. You can be assured that as a Canadian citizen you will have access to your funds." Some basic due diligence reveals that they're a scam operation:

Dun and Bradstreet - no find
FindTheCompany - no find
SiteTruth - no location found
Service Alberta business search - no find
traceroute: ends at "198.41.186.23", which is a Cloudflare site.
whois: Domain Discreet Privacy Service, Jacksonville, FL.
Facebook: address as "7620 Elbow Dr SW, Suite 301, Calgary Alberta, T2V 1K2".
  This is actually UPS Store #28 in the Kingsland Plaza mall. The store manager is
  Nasser Nowtash and his number is (403) 640-4214

This is the point at which you go to the cops. The Canadian Competition Bureau
("http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/h_00122.html")
is a good place to start.  They can easily get the UPS Store to tell them who rents that box and go from there.

[ricksta]

Let's see what we can find out about VirtEx.

What Virtex says about itself: "Your Canadian funds are held in major Canadian banks under the protection of a Canadian corporation. You can be assured that as a Canadian citizen you will have access to your funds." Some basic due diligence reveals that they're a scam operation:

Dun and Bradstreet - no find
FindTheCompany - no find
SiteTruth - no location found
Service Alberta business search - no find
traceroute: ends at "198.41.186.23", which is a Cloudflare site.
whois: Domain Discreet Privacy Service, Jacksonville, FL.
Facebook: address as "7620 Elbow Dr SW, Suite 301, Calgary Alberta, T2V 1K2".
  This is actually UPS Store #28 in the Kingsland Plaza mall. The store manager is
  Nasser Nowtash and his number is (403) 640-4214

This is the point at which you go to the cops. The Canadian Competition Bureau
("http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/h_00122.html")
is a good place to start.  They can easily get the UPS Store to tell them who rents that box and go from there.

Oh no! This is not good. I really don't want to resort to going to the police for this. It might be hard to explain to them why I send them $9000 to buy virtual currency.

[posormo]

You can get the dox on the CEO easily enough.   Demand they reverse the payment, or have them charged with theft.   Since they don't seem to want to reply, I'd report them.

[rammy2k2]

why in the world would u deposit your life savings ?

[_mr_e]

Let's see what we can find out about VirtEx.

What Virtex says about itself: "Your Canadian funds are held in major Canadian banks under the protection of a Canadian corporation. You can be assured that as a Canadian citizen you will have access to your funds." Some basic due diligence reveals that they're a scam operation:

Dun and Bradstreet - no find
FindTheCompany - no find
SiteTruth - no location found
Service Alberta business search - no find
traceroute: ends at "198.41.186.23", which is a Cloudflare site.
whois: Domain Discreet Privacy Service, Jacksonville, FL.
Facebook: address as "7620 Elbow Dr SW, Suite 301, Calgary Alberta, T2V 1K2".
  This is actually UPS Store #28 in the Kingsland Plaza mall. The store manager is
  Nasser Nowtash and his number is (403) 640-4214

This is the point at which you go to the cops. The Canadian Competition Bureau
("http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/h_00122.html")
is a good place to start.  They can easily get the UPS Store to tell them who rents that box and go from there.

Oh no! This is not good. I really don't want to resort to going to the police for this. It might be hard to explain to them why I send them $9000 to buy virtual currency.

They are not a scam organization. That's ridiculous. I have met Joseph and many of the employees in person. Reed Holmes is a member of a bitcoin alliance of Canada. Joseph David has been on numerous radio shows and has been running a solid exchange for years. They are just overrun right now... Last time I went over my deposit limit they unfortunately didn't get back to me very quickly but it turned out what they need was a reference letter from my bank.

[Nagle]

They are not a scam organization. That's ridiculous. I have met Joseph and many of the employees in person. Reed Holmes is a member of a bitcoin alliance of Canada. Joseph David has been on numerous radio shows and has been running a solid exchange for years. They are just overrun right now... Last time I went over my deposit limit they unfortunately didn't get back to me very quickly but it turned out what they need was a reference letter from my bank.

Yeah, right. No physical location, no business registration, and anonymous domain registration. Scammer.

Get a last name and we'll talk.

[devthedev]

CaVirtex is one of the largest exchanges in Canada. I just listened to an interview on LetsTalkBitcoin with the CEO. It's probably just a misunderstanding, have you tried contacting them again?

[nahtnam]

This is the phone number that it is registered under: 1.8888122525 Try giving them a call... (Dont cuss or anything and keep it cool... It makes the chances of getting your money back higher)!

[_mr_e]

They are not a scam organization. That's ridiculous. I have met Joseph and many of the employees in person. Reed Holmes is a member of a bitcoin alliance of Canada. Joseph David has been on numerous radio shows and has been running a solid exchange for years. They are just overrun right now... Last time I went over my deposit limit they unfortunately didn't get back to me very quickly but it turned out what they need was a reference letter from my bank.

Yeah, right. No physical location, no business registration, and anonymous domain registration. Scammer.

Get a last name and we'll talk.

Do you honestly think a bank would be working with them so much as to provide an actual debit card if they were a a scam operation? Do you have any idea the shit Canadian banks put these guys through? And I just gave you two last names.

[Nagle]

Reed Holmes is a member of a bitcoin alliance of Canada.

You mean the one founded earlier today?

Do you honestly think a bank would be working with them so much as to provide an actual debit card if they were a a scam operation?

Depends on what they told the bank to get the account. Remember how Karpeles of Mt. Gox got into trouble over that? There's no bank reference on their site, so you can't call their bank to check them out.

From a due diligence perspective, CaVirtex is a a FAIL.

[ricksta]

After making the same post in https://www.coinforum.ca. Reed Holmes from CaVirtex PM'ed me and expedited the verification of my account. I still haven't got my funds yet though, I will report back once the fund is released.

edit: the fund was released.

[nahtnam]

After making the same post in https://www.coinforum.ca. Reed Holmes from CaVirtex PM'ed me and expedited the verification of my account. I still haven't got my funds yet though, I will report back once the fund is released.

Congratulations!

[moriartybitcoin]

The owner of CaVirtex is a known scam artist. He has been selectively scamming for years.  Here is what happens on CaVirtex:

1. large deposits get randomly 'frozen' - there is no way to unfreeze them.
2. they suddenly freeze your account, requesting more 'verification' even though you are fully verified
3. they freeze your account (and seize your funds) if you access the site from an unauthorized IP address, like TOR (this happened to me personally)

Don't use CaVirtex or other exchangers which demand ID.  They are reporting to Fincen, IRS and (in the case of CaVirtex) Canada Revenue Agency.  Not only will they rip you off, they'll report your transactions as well. 

Imagine if someone robs you at gunpoint then calls the cops and tells them to arrest YOU. That's what CaVirtex and Joseph David are up to!

I suggest you read this warning: https://bitplastic.com/bitcoin-warning

Dr. Michael Moriarty

[_mr_e]

They have a number you can call directly and they usually always answer the phone. Did you try that?