Help ... Bitwallet app asking for private key that I don't have!

[jay7777]

Looking for some advice or help would really appreciate anyone who has the time to answer.

I bought some Bitcoin at Coinbase (a few months ago).
I transferred it to an app called Bitwallet.

Now its locked and I can't transfer it out of Bitwallet as the app is telling me that I am missing my private key.
I went back to Coinbase but they just told me they don't give out private keys and the transaction completed their end.
I tried to contact Bitwallet support but they just told me they have no access to people's wallets and I should try and learn how Bitcoin works.

Seems crazy to me - both sides telling me to talk to the other one and not really offering any help.
Can anyone give me some advice in this situation?
How can I provide the private key to Bitwallet if I never had it?
Is there any other way of transferring this money on from this app.

It appears I am going to lose this money if I can't find a solution.
On a side note - don't bother with Bitwallet. Very rude and unhelpful if you have a problem.

Many thanks in advance.
Jzee

[NeuroticFish]

Coinbase has just transferred the Bitcoins at the address you provided.

I am not familiar with Bitwallet, but I guess that, like any other wallet software, it probably creates a wallet for you at first run.
A wallet contains at least one private key and it corresponding address. The private key is your key to the money, without it you cannot access spend it.
Normally the wallet software contains in itself this information (on the storage of the device it's installed on) and it may only need a password for safety.

Newer (HD) wallets, at install, also give you a seed, which you should have to keep safely; with that seed you can restore your wallet any time, because the private key(s) is/are created based on that seed.

Questions:
Do you try to access your money from the same device as where you first got the address from?
If yes, did you reset/reinstall this wallet software?
If no, do you have the seed?

[jay7777]

Hi NeuroticFish, thanks for getting back to me.

Yes, I think you are right, Bitwallet just created a wallet for me. I don't have a password for the app. They never sent me a seed.
I am using my iphone so the same device.
I haven't reinstalled the software.
Bitwallet support did tell me to see if I could restore from one of my iCloud backups. I have 2. I tried both but neither seem to have the private key.

Do I have any hope of rescuing this money?
Thanks again mate

[Rickorick]

How did you create the wallet in bitwallet app? did you just download it and a wallet popped up? did they give you a set of 12 words? whats the transaction id for the transaction?

[bob123]

Seems crazy to me - both sides telling me to talk to the other one and not really offering any help.

Coinbase has nothing to do with your current situation.
They have send you the coins to the address you have provided (from your mobile wallet).

The problem is on your mobile wallet's side.

How can I provide the private key to Bitwallet if I never had it?

You had the private key. At least your wallet had (if it is a non-macious, functional wallet).
Wallets do manage private-/public- keypairs for you.

How did you setup your wallet ? Did you get a 12/24 word seed to backup (most wallets do) ?
Or what kind of backup did you make (e.g. seed words, random string, backup file, etc.. ) ?

Is there any other way of transferring this money on from this app.

The only way is to either use the app (which should have he private key stored) or use the seed/backup method to restore your wallet on a different device or a different wallet (preferably on a desktop computer).

Without a seed (or any other form of backup) and without your mobile wallet holding the private key, there unfortunately is no other way to access your coins.

[NeuroticFish]

I am using my iphone so the same device.
I haven't reinstalled the software.
Bitwallet support did tell me to see if I could restore from one of my iCloud backups. I have 2. I tried both but neither seem to have the private key.

Something sounds fishy, normally the wallet software has a file with the private keys.
So you installed this wallet, got an address from it, used it at coinbase to withdraw Bitcoin, seen the Bitcoin in the wallet afterwards, and now, without any change, you cannot send out your money?!

Or did you try to create a new view wallet with your address only?! (Then there's a chance you may have lost the private keys of the old wallet if the program is not well-thought.)

Do I have any hope of rescuing this money?

I don't understand yet what could have been going wrong, but you need, in a way or another the access to those private keys (which should be in the wallet); the private keys are the only way you tell the Bitcoin network that money is yours to spend/move away.
From what I see, the chances you get access to your money are not too good 

[jay7777]

hi, yes just downloaded it and a wallet popped up. No set of 12 words.
how do i find the transaction ID? would this be in the Bitwallet app?
In the ledger in Bitwallet I can see 3 inputs, a Block number, Confirmations, Size, Weight and a long hash number.
Is it the hash number?

Thanks again

[jay7777]

Thanks Bob. I just downloaded the app.
I don't think there was any back up made when I installed it. No word seed / back up file that I know off.

[bob123]

hi, yes just downloaded it and a wallet popped up. No set of 12 words.

And what kind of backup did you create ?
Without any backup, your chances are almost zero. You'll need to get that wallet 'working somehow'. But i doubt that will work.
I hope you didn't have too much BTC stored inside of this wallet.

how do i find the transaction ID? would this be in the Bitwallet app?

For example, yes. But also on coinbase.

In the ledger in Bitwallet I can see 3 inputs, a Block number, Confirmations, Size, Weight and a long hash number.
Is it the hash number?

Yes, the hash is the transaction ID. You can enter it into a block explorer and view the transaction.
But this won't help you at all.


For me it seems like this might be a scam wallet.
Usually each wallet does first create a seed and tells the user multiple times to back it up.

Only then addresses are being generated.
The fact that the wallet is from iran/irak/whatever AND that it only has 1k download AND only ~10 ratings might also lead to this conclusion..


For the future, only use reputable wallets.
Mycelium, Electrum, Coinomi and Samourai are the most frequently used / talked about. I'd rather go with one of these mobile wallets than with any other one.

[jay7777]

Hi Bob, no backup that I know off. I think the wallet automatically back ups to iCloud but I have 2 back ups in the Cloud and I have tried restoring both and neither of them seem to have the private key I need to access this Bitcoin

[bob123]

Hi Bob, no backup that I know off. I think the wallet automatically back ups to iCloud but I have 2 back ups in the Cloud and I have tried restoring both and neither of them seem to have the private key I need to access this Bitcoin

First: Any app backing up sensitive information via a cloud, should instantly be uninstalled and never be used again. That's a horrible approach.

The whole use of a backup is to have private keys stored in a safe environment. If those 'backups' of this app do not contain private keys, they aren't real backups.


I heavily suspect the App to be malicious. You might try to generate a new wallet and see if you can somehow export a seed/private key.
If you can't, the wallet definitely is scam.
In case of the wallet being malicious, make sure to uninstall it and make an anti virus scan of your mobile phone. Your coins are lost in this case, unfortunately.

[jay7777]

thanks for your help everyone, seems I have lost this money.

please avoid Bitwallet

[Lucius]

thanks for your help everyone, seems I have lost this money.

please avoid Bitwallet

You did not post any link to that wallet, but I suppose it's about this application https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bitwallet-bitcoin-wallet/id777634714?mt=8

According to some reviews this app have problems with basic settings, there is no private key or seed when user install app. Do you remember is there private key under your public address in time when you use this address to transfer coins from Coinbase? (Keys tab/check picture)

Also check do you use latest version which is 2.6.3 from 2 October 2018. If you have transaction ID or just address you send coins from Coinbase post it here, maybe we can see whether your coins are still in that address or they are moved on new address.

[Theb]

Mind telling us why your account got locked in the first place? Did you forgot your password or pin and has reached the maximum number of tries? Because it's weird that Bitwallet is asking for your private key first, usually when your account is locked like what you have said account and password recovery usually is done via email and I have never encountered a wallet where they asked for the private key right away. Your situation is still not adding up for me maybe you are missing some important information you are not yet telling.

[bob123]

Mind telling us why your account got locked in the first place? Did you forgot your password or pin and has reached the maximum number of tries?

He had no 'account'. And no account 'got locked'.
OP is NOT talking about a web wallet, but a mobile wallet. There are no maximum attempts when opening a local mobile wallet.

Because it's weird that Bitwallet is asking for your private key first, usually when your account is locked like what you have said account and password recovery usually is done via email and I have never encountered a wallet where they asked for the private key right away.

No account = No account can be locked.
No proper wallet does offer 'password recovery' via email (or any other medium). Simply because there is no way to recover a 'password' with a proper wallet.

And if you only have imported an address (watch-only wallet), most wallets tell you to import the private key to be able to spend them.

Your situation is still not adding up for me maybe you are missing some important information you are not yet telling.

I guess you didn't read carefully enough. For me this makes sense.
And the most plausible thing what happened (for me) is that OP has downloaded a scam wallet (which shows addresses, but doesn't hold private keys).

For me it doesn't seem like information is being held back / missing.

[Reid]

Just like they said, something really sound fishy here.

Look, before you could even create a wallet address (which you use to transfer from Coinbase to your Bitwallet or whatever is that) they will provide you a seed already or a private key.
That is first and mandatory of a bitcoin wallet.
Now if that is a local wallet then it must be just Gmail or a phone number. It may not be a private key but just a security number which they need.
If not. It will be another problem. Just do not lose your bitcoin wallet address. Somehow if the company is legitimate they will give it back or else they will stain their name.

Next time use the better one.
Do not just click pop up advertisements.

[bob123]

Look, before you could even create a wallet address [...] they will provide you a seed already or a private key.
That is first and mandatory of a bitcoin wallet.

That's correct.

Now if that is a local wallet then it must be just Gmail or a phone number. It may not be a private key but just a security number which they need.

Nope. That's horribly wrong.

If you don't have a private key / seed, you don't have control over your coins.
Any other 'security number' lets just assume that you are talking about some kind of 3rd party hosted (web-)wallets. Those are NOT considered real 'wallets'.

The ONLY way to access / use your BTC is to sign a transaction with the correct private key. 

If not. It will be another problem. Just do not lose your bitcoin wallet address. Somehow if the company is legitimate they will give it back or else they will stain their name.

If you rely on another company to give you the money back, you are doing something terribly wrong.
No other person except for the wallet owner should have access to the private keys. If the 'company' has access to your private keys, you are not using a proper wallet.