Help with Electrum?

[AlexTheBlank]

Hi there!

I am new to Bitcoin and could use some help. I recently downloaded electrum (yes from electrum.org) and set it up. I used LocalBitcoins and imported them from escrow into my account and everything seemed hunky-dory. Then a day or so later i noticed a notification and didn't read it too extensively. But now I look at my balance and it says i have 0 bitcoins. I didn't send any to anyone. I am legitimately confused. I used a site to convert my seed into a root key. I downloaded the .html file to store it locally. Other than that I am at a complete loss and any help would be appreciated. If i lost the money no worries I can buy more. If I lose all my money in future transactions i will be seriously upset.

Sincerely,

Alex the _______

Edit: I will try to make a new wallet.

[1715203037]

1715203037

[AdolfinWolf]

I used a site to convert my seed into a root key. I downloaded the .html file to store it locally.

Likely why you lost your bitcoin. NEVER copy paste your seed in anything that's online. Always download the source code and run it offline, or just avoid it in general if you don't have to.


Couple questions though as i don't fully get your story. Let me reconstruct. It might be better if you could tell us exactly what you did with your "root key" and seed, and how your imported the coins from localbitcoins, as i don't fully understand those parts.

Hi there!

I am new to Bitcoin and could use some help. I recently downloaded electrum (yes from electrum.org) and set it up. I used LocalBitcoins and imported them from escrow into my account and everything seemed hunky-dory. Then a day or so later i noticed a notification and didn't read it too extensively. But now I look at my balance and it says i have 0 bitcoins. I didn't send any to anyone. I am legitimately confused. I used a site to convert my seed into a root key. I downloaded the .html file to store it locally. Other than that I am at a complete loss and any help would be appreciated. If i lost the money no worries I can buy more. If I lose all my money in future transactions i will be seriously upset.

Sincerely,

Alex the _______

1. You buy bitcoin from LBC - Correct?
Now comes my confusion;

2. You imported your coins from the LBC escrow? Is that actually a thing? Doesn't LBC send a transaction to an adress you give? I'm confused... (I haven't used LBC in a long time though.)
3. to import your coins you transferred the private key of LBC (see, this doesn't make sense..) into what? (Although i haven't used LBC in a long time, i can't imagine they would give you any sort of seeds....?)
What you need to do the next time is the following;
A. Make sure your computer is not infected. (duh?)
B. Download & verify your electrum.
C. Create a new Electrum wallet seed. write it down. DO NOT GENERATE/IMPORT A SEED FROM ANYWHERE ONLINE.
D. Request a payout from localbitcoins to an adress listed in your wallet. (Again, make sure you don't have any clipboard hijackers etc.)

[AlexTheBlank]

I used a site to convert my seed into a root key. I downloaded the .html file to store it locally.

Likely why you lost your bitcoin. NEVER copy paste your seed in anything that's online. Always download the source code and run it offline, or just avoid it in general if you don't have too.

So does this mean I should set up a new wallet?

[AdolfinWolf]

I used a site to convert my seed into a root key. I downloaded the .html file to store it locally.

Likely why you lost your bitcoin. NEVER copy paste your seed in anything that's online. Always download the source code and run it offline, or just avoid it in general if you don't have too.

So does this mean I should set up a new wallet?

Yes. If the seed is compromised, your entire wallet/(all the adresses in that wallet) is compromised.

But, reading your story, this is just what i think is most likely what happend. There could be a number of other factors at fault too.

What site did you put your seed in? (and why did you do so in the first place? Did someone tell you to?)


Also, can you check if you actually lost the money? Is there a transaction you didn't authorize, or perhaps your electrum is just not connecting properly?

[AlexTheBlank]

I used a site to convert my seed into a root key. I downloaded the .html file to store it locally.

Likely why you lost your bitcoin. NEVER copy paste your seed in anything that's online. Always download the source code and run it offline, or just avoid it in general if you don't have too.

So does this mean I should set up a new wallet?

Yes. If the seed is compromised, your entire wallet/(all the adresses in that wallet) is compromised.

But, reading your story, this is just what i think is most likely what happend. There could be a number of other factors at fault too.

What site did you put your seed in? (and why did you do so in the first place? Did someone tell you to?)

I was asking how do i check my balance with electrum as i can be dumb sometimes.

[AdolfinWolf]

I used a site to convert my seed into a root key. I downloaded the .html file to store it locally.

Likely why you lost your bitcoin. NEVER copy paste your seed in anything that's online. Always download the source code and run it offline, or just avoid it in general if you don't have too.

So does this mean I should set up a new wallet?

Yes. If the seed is compromised, your entire wallet/(all the adresses in that wallet) is compromised.

But, reading your story, this is just what i think is most likely what happend. There could be a number of other factors at fault too.

What site did you put your seed in? (and why did you do so in the first place? Did someone tell you to?)

I was asking how do i check my balance with electrum as i can be dumb sometimes.

Should be in the left corner, and make sure your electrum is connected (Green dot in the right corner..) (ignore the electrum version in the picture below, but the GUI still looks the same.)


http://bitzuma.com/images/posts/20140311/receive-tab.png

Or, go to your receiving tab, copy & paste the adress you used to make the withdrawal on localbitcoins, and copy and paste that into a block explorer to check your balance.
Such as : https://www.blockchain.com/explorer

[AlexTheBlank]

I used a site to convert my seed into a root key. I downloaded the .html file to store it locally.

Likely why you lost your bitcoin. NEVER copy paste your seed in anything that's online. Always download the source code and run it offline, or just avoid it in general if you don't have too.

So does this mean I should set up a new wallet?

Yes. If the seed is compromised, your entire wallet/(all the adresses in that wallet) is compromised.

But, reading your story, this is just what i think is most likely what happend. There could be a number of other factors at fault too.

What site did you put your seed in? (and why did you do so in the first place? Did someone tell you to?)

I was asking how do i check my balance with electrum as i can be dumb sometimes.

Should be in the left corner, and make sure your electrum is connected (Green dot in the right corner..) (ignore the electrum version in the picture below, but the GUI still looks the same.)

https://bitzuma.com/images/posts/20140311/receive-tab.png
http://bitzuma.com/images/posts/20140311/receive-tab.png

Or, go to your receiving tab, copy & paste the adress you used to make the withdrawal on localbitcoins, and copy and paste that into a block explorer to check your balance.
Such as : https://www.blockchain.com/explorer

Yeah i figured out how to see my balance now. Also to answer your other questions:

1. Correct.
2. Apparently? I forgot but i will try again with a new wallet.
3. Into electrum.
4a. It shouldn't be infected. I recently did a reformat.
4b. i downloaded it from electrum.org
4c. Will do.
4d  I don't know how but it's 100 dollars so i won't sweat it. If it happens again I will. But I am creating a new wallet.

[bob123]

After reading this, i still have a few questions:

• How did you 'import' your BTCs ? Did you import a private key ? A mnemonic code ?
• What do you define as a 'root key' ? AFAIK, the only wallet which uses this term is armory.
• Which site did you use to convert your seed (are you talking about the 12-/24- word mnemonic code) into a 'root key' ?
• Is there an outgoing transaction from your wallet?

[AlexTheBlank]

After reading this, i still have a few questions:

• How did you 'import' your BTCs ? Did you import a private key ? A mnemonic code ?
• What do you define as a 'root key' ? AFAIK, the only wallet which uses this term is armory.
• Which site did you use to convert your seed (are you talking about the 12-/24- word mnemonic code) into a 'root key' ?
• Is there an outgoing transaction from your wallet?

1.I ended up putting my seed into localbitcoins and transferring it that way. 2. basically a long string of letters and numbers. 3. I used https://bip39.info/electrum/ 4. I don't know. I ended up getting a new wallet and buying 100 dollars more worth of bitcoin from the same seller on localbitcoins (although it says 91.04?). Although it says 4 conffirmations so I don't know.

[bob123]

But.. you bought bitcoins? Why did you paste your seed into localbitcoins.com ?
Did the seller expect you to give him your seed so he can 'put BTCs on it' ? If so, that's a scam.

Can you give us your (receiving) address of the first and second trade ? It will be way easier for us to investigate it this way.

[AlexTheBlank]

But.. you bought bitcoins? Why did you paste your seed into localbitcoins.com ?
Did the seller expect you to give him your seed so he can 'put BTCs on it' ? If so, that's a scam.

Can you give us your (receiving) address of the first and second trade ? It will be way easier for us to investigate it this way.

So i bought them. Then in the wallet tab on localbitcoins i put my address into the recieving bitcoin address slot. And i just made a new wallet. And no i didn't give him my seed.

[AdolfinWolf]

After reading this, i still have a few questions:

• How did you 'import' your BTCs ? Did you import a private key ? A mnemonic code ?
• What do you define as a 'root key' ? AFAIK, the only wallet which uses this term is armory.
• Which site did you use to convert your seed (are you talking about the 12-/24- word mnemonic code) into a 'root key' ?
• Is there an outgoing transaction from your wallet?

1.I ended up putting my seed into localbitcoins and transferring it that way. 2. basically a long string of letters and numbers. 3. I used https://bip39.info/electrum/ 4. I don't know. I ended up getting a new wallet and buying 100 dollars more worth of bitcoin from the same seller on localbitcoins (although it says 91.04?). Although it says 4 conffirmations so I don't know.

Why? Why? Why?

But.. you bought bitcoins? Why did you paste your seed into localbitcoins.com ?
Did the seller expect you to give him your seed so he can 'put BTCs on it' ? If so, that's a scam.

Can you give us your (receiving) address of the first and second trade ? It will be way easier for us to investigate it this way.

So i bought them. Then in the wallet tab on localbitcoins i put my address into the recieving bitcoin address slot. And i just made a new wallet. And no i didn't give him my seed.

So, you got your receiving adress from your electrum wallet, and used that to withdraw the bitcoins from LBC, right?
Question remains: who did you give your seed? AFAIK, there's no way on LBC to "import" your "seed"..?

[Pmalek]

AFAIK, there's no way on LBC to "import" your "seed"..?

There wasn't one in the past, I seriously doubt they have that option now. Besides, LBC is an online wallet. You have no control of your private keys and you only have the one address provided by LBC.

This is how I remember that the account page looked like. @OP where exactly did you insert your seed?

[AlexTheBlank]

AFAIK, there's no way on LBC to "import" your "seed"..?

There wasn't one in the past, I seriously doubt they have that option now. Besides, LBC is an online wallet. You have no control of your private keys and you only have the one address provided by LBC.

This is how I remember that the account page looked like. @OP where exactly did you insert your seed?

https://localbitcoins.com/cached-static/img/guides/faq/howto_send_001.87121bde6fd7.png

I meant I put it in the receiving bitcoin address section. It could have been that site I used that was a scam? That is the only logical reasoning I think.

[Abdussamad]

electrum can generate a seed on your own pc. you don't have to use some random website for that. idk why you did it like this but this is likely the source of the compromise.

did someone tell you to do it like this? blame that person.

[AlexTheBlank]

electrum can generate a seed on your own pc. you don't have to use some random website for that. idk why you did it like this but this is likely the source of the compromise.

did someone tell you to do it like this? blame that person.

Yeah someone PM'ed me on Reddit. If it happens again I will be suspicious. If not then it's no biggie.

[AdolfinWolf]

electrum can generate a seed on your own pc. you don't have to use some random website for that. idk why you did it like this but this is likely the source of the compromise.

did someone tell you to do it like this? blame that person.

Yeah someone PM'ed me on Reddit. If it happens again I will be suspicious. If not then it's no biggie.

Someone on reddit told you where you should generate your seed? Okay... Like in a private PM or something? If so, he's likely the culprit.

Mind giving us the site you used?

[AlexTheBlank]

electrum can generate a seed on your own pc. you don't have to use some random website for that. idk why you did it like this but this is likely the source of the compromise.

did someone tell you to do it like this? blame that person.

Yeah someone PM'ed me on Reddit. If it happens again I will be suspicious. If not then it's no biggie.

Someone on reddit told you where you should generate your seed? Okay... Like in a private PM or something? If so, he's likely the culprit.

Mind giving us the site you used?

Yeah... And yeah in a PM. https://bip39.info/electrum/

[AdolfinWolf]

electrum can generate a seed on your own pc. you don't have to use some random website for that. idk why you did it like this but this is likely the source of the compromise.

did someone tell you to do it like this? blame that person.

Yeah someone PM'ed me on Reddit. If it happens again I will be suspicious. If not then it's no biggie.

Someone on reddit told you where you should generate your seed? Okay... Like in a private PM or something? If so, he's likely the culprit.

Mind giving us the site you used?

Yeah... And yeah in a PM. https://bip39.info/electrum/

Yup. That's more than likely a phishing site. It's a copy paste of - https://iancoleman.io/bip39/ (Which is the only site that you should use, and offline!)


You can check for yourself. If you generate a seed using the site mentioned above; it sends a POST request to the server, saving your seed.
https://gyazo.com/0c9cbe04de96af3abf48d9d8e79211f5

[AlexTheBlank]

здpaвcтвyйтe пoмoгитe пoжaлycтo нeзнaю кyдa oбpaтитьcя вoбщeм ceгoдня peшил пepeвecти биткoины чepeз oбмeнник бecт чaнгa нa кapтy cбepбaнкa я cдeлaл 4 зaпpoca нa вывoд  тaк кaк y мeня нeпoлyчaлocь пepeвecти пытaлcя 4 paзa дeлaю пepeвoд нa кoшeлёк yкaзaный для пepeвoдa в бecт чaнгe ввoжy cyммy нaжимaю oтпpaвить нeoтпpaвляeтьcя выxoдит oшибкa cвязaнaя для oбнoвлeния кaшeлькa элeктpyм  дo 4 вepcии я oбнoвил ввёл aдpec пoлyчaтeля и cyммy 0.016 для пepeвoдa нaжaл oтпpaвить и вce мoи 0.032 биткoинa  cpeдcтвa cпиcaлиcь мгнoвeннo  a нoмep пoлyчaтeля пoчeмy тo дpyгoй cтaл пoмoгитe кyдa oбpaтитьcя кaк тeпepь вepнyть cpeдcтвa

Sorry I am still learning Russian. I translated that and it showed nothing. What?

[AlexTheBlank]

electrum can generate a seed on your own pc. you don't have to use some random website for that. idk why you did it like this but this is likely the source of the compromise.

did someone tell you to do it like this? blame that person.

Yeah someone PM'ed me on Reddit. If it happens again I will be suspicious. If not then it's no biggie.

Someone on reddit told you where you should generate your seed? Okay... Like in a private PM or something? If so, he's likely the culprit.

Mind giving us the site you used?

Yeah... And yeah in a PM. https://bip39.info/electrum/

Yup. That's more than likely a phishing site. It's a copy paste of - https://iancoleman.io/bip39/ (Which is the only site that you should use, and offline!)


You can check for yourself. If you generate a seed using the site mentioned above; it sends a POST request to the server, saving your seed.
https://gyazo.com/0c9cbe04de96af3abf48d9d8e79211f5

Fuck. Welp. At least i (hopefully) found the issue and only lost 100 dollars.

[TryNinja]

Sorry for your lost, OP. :/

But if it's any consolation, I'm spamming his website with fake wallets so if other people fall for it, he at least can't find them in the list of thousands of seeds.

[AlexTheBlank]

Sorry for your lost, OP. :/

But if it's any consolation, I'm spamming his website with fake wallets so if other people fall for it, he at least can't find them in the list of thousands of seeds.

No worries and haha good idea . It was only 100 dollars. I am not too heartbroken about it. I am not even sure if I got phished but the evidence does suggest it. I am still all new to this. I just hope no one else falls victim. I reported him to the mods of the subreddit and I am pretty sure he got banned.

[Pmalek]

Not the best first experience, sorry you got scammed but at least the amount is not a significant one for you.
In the future please don't trust random people PMing you over social media, telegram or elsewhere. Especially for money matters. It is better to be a bit paranoid and consider that everyone will try to trick you than to think they are your friend who are trying to help.

The help you get on this forum is pubic, posted for everyone to see and chip in with their ideas and suggestions. That is the only way it should be.

[Abdussamad]

electrum can generate a seed on your own pc. you don't have to use some random website for that. idk why you did it like this but this is likely the source of the compromise.

did someone tell you to do it like this? blame that person.

Yeah someone PM'ed me on Reddit. If it happens again I will be suspicious. If not then it's no biggie.

Do check your browser history to confirm that you downloaded electrum from download.electrum.org. Add a bookmark in your browser to https://electrum.org and always use that when downloading electrum.

Then you should remove that wallet file from your file system to prevent accidental use: http://docs.electrum.org/en/latest/faq.html#where-is-my-wallet-file-located

When you next run electrum it should let you create a new wallet. This time follow this guide.

[AlexTheBlank]

Not the best first experience, sorry you got scammed but at least the amount is not a significant one for you.
In the future please don't trust random people PMing you over social media, telegram or elsewhere. Especially for money matters. It is better to be a bit paranoid and consider that everyone will try to trick you than to think they are your friend who are trying to help.

The help you get on this forum is pubic, posted for everyone to see and chip in with their ideas and suggestions. That is the only way it should be.

No worries and yeah I usually don't. I guess we can all be stupid sometimes. And true.

[AlexTheBlank]

electrum can generate a seed on your own pc. you don't have to use some random website for that. idk why you did it like this but this is likely the source of the compromise.

did someone tell you to do it like this? blame that person.

Yeah someone PM'ed me on Reddit. If it happens again I will be suspicious. If not then it's no biggie.

Do check your browser history to confirm that you downloaded electrum from download.electrum.org. Add a bookmark in your browser to https://electrum.org and always use that when downloading electrum.

Then you should remove that wallet file from your file system to prevent accidental use: http://docs.electrum.org/en/latest/faq.html#where-is-my-wallet-file-located

When you next run electrum it should let you create a new wallet. This time follow this guide.

Yeah I think I got it. But yeah thank you.