Bittrex disabled account - Can't withdraw - Refuse to accept my ID

Like many others before I have experienced problems with the Bittrex exchange and my funds are locked and I am unable to withdraw them.

I don't find their support was helpful and I don't know what to do anymore.

Here is what happened:

I opened an account in 2017. At that time KYC requirements weren't as common as they are today. I don't live in any of the banned countries like Iran.

They don't ask for ID verification just to fill out a form with personal details. I just want to test the exchange a bit not use it for serious trading so I quickly fill out the form with inaccurate personal info. Discover that once entered personal details they can't be changed anymore.

Don't experience any problems.

I deposit some crypto, worth $2000 today. They allow it. No warnings nothing. Back then when I made the deposit it was less than $2000 USD.

I trade a bit never withdraw.

Last year I discover my account has been disabled and I am asked to complete verification and provide my ID. They claim that I can't withdraw unless I send them a photo of my ID. Feels like they are holding my crypto hostage.

I really don't like sending them my documents as exchanges can be hacked and IDs can be stolen.

I tell support that I would like at least update my personal info first to have it match with my documents. They tell me that can't be done I must complete verification first. I have a bad feeling about this. I fear that if I send them my ID they will not accept it or ask for more and then I didn't lose just my crypto but also gave away my IDs for nothing.

Turns out that my suspicion was correct. I upload a selfie and a screenshot of my ID. As expected verification fails and now they want more information.

I am now expected to provide 3!!! pictures. One screenshot of a government issued ID. Another screenshot of a different government issued ID and a selfie holding both government issued IDs plus a paper with Bittrex, current date and my birthdate written on it.

I posses only 1 government issued ID. The ID is valid and perfectly fine and has never been rejected nationally and internationally.

I have never in my life been asked to provide 2 different IDs and never experienced any verification problems with my ID. I have opened bank accounts and stock trading accounts without any problems.

I tell them that I don't want to trade with them or do fiat withdrawals. I tell them I want to terminate my relationship with their company and ask them to close my account and allow me to withdraw.

They tell me that my account can't be closed because i still have crypto in it.

I tell them that I can't give them what they want but I am of course willing to provide multiple selfies of me holding my ID and a current date and a bittrex sign so that they can be really sure that I don't use a stolen ID.

Support doesn't answer anymore just close my ticket and mark it as "resolved".

They ask me to upload all my documents to their Zendesk support which doesn't look secure and where all support people may have access to. I ask them if they will delete my documents after verification and they give me a vague response that they need to retain information and don't explain in detail what they are doing. I guess that means they can do what they want and they intend to keep all my documents.

Support isn't cooperative. It's a either do what you are told or your account will remain locked.

At this point I don't know what to do anymore.

I can't give them 2 IDs because I have only 1. I also fear that even if I did what they want me to do they won't be satisfied and ask for more documents that I won't be able to provide either and I still won't get my funds back.

I think what they are asking me to do doesn't make any sense. I can see why they need to do KYC but it's just $2000 USD. How could that be money laundering, terrorism financing etc.? I also offered them to close my account permanently so I couldn't abuse the account in the future.

They also had no problems accepting my funds first. So when I give them money they take it without hesitation but when I want it back they discover that they need to do KYC??

I also understand that they need to confirm that my ID wasn't stolen. If I show them a selfie with my ID, (I am willing to provide it from different angles) and my ID and the current date and a bittrex sign how can I not be the owner of the document?

It doesn't make any sense that they want 2 different IDs.

I want to avoid making accusations and I want to believe they are acting in good faith but the whole thing also feels like a trap.

First they make the user provide personal info that can't be updated. Then they allow the user to make a deposit. Then they lock the account and ask you to verify.

Then when there is a discrepancy, they refuse to accept traditional KYC procedures and make exaggerated demands that are hard or even impossible fullfil and your funds are lost.

Any ideas or suggestions? The support isn't flexible. They have very rigid KYC procedures even when you offer them reasonable documentation they ignore it if it doesn't follow their protocol exactly. They also close my tickets without answering them.

Bittrex started to force KYC on its users some time ago.

Too bad you weren't following the news. $2k is not small money but it is not big enough to hire a lawyer neither.

I suggest you to do whatever they ask and if they still don't give you your money, that's your life lesson you bought for $2k.

Lesson one: Don't leave your coins on exchanges
Lesson two: If you are not going to follow lesson one, check your balance every day.

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Bittrex started to force KYC on its users some time ago.

I know but that was after I made the deposit. When I made the deposit there wasn't forced KYC yet.

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I suggest you to do whatever they ask and if they still don't give you your money, that's your life lesson you bought for $2k.

I want to but I can't as I own only 1 personal ID.

They claim that they need 2 different personal IDs which is BS in my opinion. Even opening bank accounts doesn't require 2 different personal IDs.

If they refuse to accept valid IDs what can I do?

Don't you have a passport? I think that would be your second national ID.

Send them scans both of your passport and your national ID

Your driver's license is also your ID. Send that too.

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Don't you have a passport? I think that would be your second national ID.

Send them scans both of your passport and your national ID

Your driver's license is also your ID. Send that too.

I don't have a car so I don't need a driver's license. Where I live national IDs are not required. You can use a passport for identification.

I sent them my passport but they claim that's not enough which is BS. You can open a bank account with a passport.

Quote from: cryptocurrency2020 on March 08, 2020, 08:46:03 AM

Some of these exchanges give procedures which and it can be frustrating especially if one is not willing to do KYC. Since they requested for a second Government issued ID my advice is do whatever you can to get that Government ID, send it to them and get your money back.

The complications could have risen from the wrong names that you first saved in your account and you should partly blame that on yourself Wink

Quote from: cryptocurrency2020 on March 08, 2020, 08:12:00 AM

If they refuse to accept valid IDs what can I do?

Then try to keep things easy, just go to some of your countries' dept so you can apply another ID.

Quote from: cryptocurrency2020 on March 08, 2020, 08:46:03 AM

I don't have a car so I don't need a driver's license.

Is it really necessary to have a car so you can apply a drivers license? How about a motorbike or motorcycle?

If you really need to get the money, you need to follow everything they required even it cost you or even it takes time.

Exchanges are really sh*t, they are more strict and needs lot of requirements than banks.

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Then try to keep things easy, just go to some of your countries' dept so you can apply another ID.

Who says they will give me my funds back if i give them another ID?

Remember they already received a valid ID from me and have no reason to refuse it and refuse to explain why they can't verify with one ID.

The first time they had a at least a secure third party site for uploads. This time they basically ask me to upload my documents to Zendesk where everyone has access to. Not a secure site. They also refuse to delete my files after upload and verification.

If I comply I might get cheated again.

That's your risk. Either way, you'll lose something. Your money or your identity. It's your choice.

Complaining that they're a shit exchange doesn't give a better result most of the time. And I'm talking about 99% of it. Exchange care no shit.

Platforms tend to "hold" on clients ’money if they feel they have broken the rules or done something wrong and then take advantage of that wrong thing in order not to send your money back.

What is the language in the ID card? I remember that one of the banks asked me more than a document because of the language, generally you need to upload a copy of the "valid" passport with an explanation of your real name and personal information.
It is better to try to communicate with one of the management teams using Twitter or Reddit

Quote from: cryptocurrency2020 on March 08, 2020, 07:48:33 AM

I opened an account in 2017. At that time KYC requirements weren't as common as they are today. I don't live in any of the banned countries like Iran.

They don't ask for ID verification just to fill out a form with personal details. I just want to test the exchange a bit not use it for serious trading so I quickly fill out the form with inaccurate personal info. Discover that once entered personal details they can't be changed anymore.

In 2017, I already verified my account to level 3 without any problem, and all runs smoothly, and I don't have a problem until now. I don't take too long to get a verified account in bittrex. Yes, in that year, KYC is not required, but they suggest all of their members upgrade their level to level 2 or level 3 because they can withdraw in a large amount.

I think if you need that money, you need to follow their instruction to get your account verified. Maybe you can use another identification like a social number, any bills, internet bill, telephone bills or else.

Maybe you need to ask more to them about verifying your account, or if you can withdraw your crypto and send it to another exchange, you can do that right away. I think it's no problem if you cannot withdraw in a large amount as long as you can withdraw the coin to another wallet, so you don't have to think about the exchange anyway.

Update:

After several inquiries I have been able to get support to verify my identity and re-enable my account and withdraw my crypto deposit. Thank you Bittrex.

Apparently sometimes one has to complain first so that requests are taken seriously and not ignored.

I still don't agree how some exchanges handle KYC.

I would recommend having patience and keep trying you may succeed eventually.

Quote from: cryptocurrency2020 on March 15, 2020, 11:18:52 AM

good thing you are able to get back all the funds and accept your kyc .
Since the issue is already fixed you can now lock this thread .