coinbase froze my account

[profullstack]

I've been with coinbase since bitcoin was $32. I started buying through coinbase. Recently I moved some btc to my own wallet which I've always done. a few months later i login and it says my account is restricted and i need to contact support.

they got back to me and said i was no longer able to use their services but that i could still withdraw my bitcoin. I have no idea why, they said "We cannot give you any more information regarding this matter and that is a final decision". Not even a phone number to call and find out what happened. Everyone on reddit just assumes i was buying drugs or guns on the darknet. I use bitcoin to pay developers who work for me.

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[jackg]

What "wallet" was this? You're going to have to give us the site you used to host it with.

What have they given you? Do you have a file to send your bitcoins with?

[profullstack]

i use electrum and exodus. both are desktop wallets.

i would send from coinbase.com to my wallets.

they didn't give me anything. i can withdraw bitcoin but i can't buy or sell it anymore. maybe something to do with my bank but its been 2 years with this bank.

[jackg]

Have you verified ID? I think they stopped allowing you to send funds without it since about 2018? If that's where the funds are that is...

[profullstack]

yes. i verified years ago.

[gentlemand]

Depending on jurisdiction they're not legally allowed to tell you why they've given you the boot. Not exactly helpful. It's possible they followed the BTC you sent to other people and that BTC subsequently was spent on something naughty. They may not know or care that it left your hands.

[profullstack]

Depending on jurisdiction they're not legally allowed to tell you why they've given you the boot. Not exactly helpful. It's possible they followed the BTC you sent to other people and that BTC subsequently was spent on something naughty. They may not know or care that it left your hands.

yeah that has to be it. I'm in California USA

[gentlemand]

But you do hear of many cases where people seemingly haven't done anything at all with it and get the same. There's so much automation, and stupid automation, flying around these days maybe they themselves may not know, their program told them to do it.

I had my account frozen with one of these app based banks for no reason at all. Going on their rep I knew it was only a matter of time so never kept any money on there. I binned it and moved on. 

[profullstack]

i think you're right. the jurisdiction thing maybe i'm being investigated. lol

[Lucius]

profullstack, I'll just say that it's completely stupid and amateurish for a large company to behave in this way, towards someone who is a US citizen - so I wonder what users in other countries should expect, given that the US is in some kind of conflict with at least half the world. I don't know if you can ask for any legal help (hire a lawyer) who might be able to do something (which of course comes at a price), or that you simply forget everything and look for another solution. When I just remember that Coinbase has about 1 million BTC in its possession, I wonder what kind of surprises we can expect from them in the future.

Join the movement Coinbase the most anti-Bitcoin organisation. Make #DeleteCoinbase great again

[profullstack]

profullstack, I'll just say that it's completely stupid and amateurish for a large company to behave in this way, towards someone who is a US citizen - so I wonder what users in other countries should expect, given that the US is in some kind of conflict with at least half the world. I don't know if you can ask for any legal help (hire a lawyer) who might be able to do something (which of course comes at a price), or that you simply forget everything and look for another solution. When I just remember that Coinbase has about 1 million BTC in its possession, I wonder what kind of surprises we can expect from them in the future.

Join the movement Coinbase the most anti-Bitcoin organisation. Make #DeleteCoinbase great again

Thanks. yeah they are fucked. Back at $32 it was the only way to buy it.

[odolvlobo]

I've been with coinbase since bitcoin was $32. I started buying through coinbase. Recently I moved some btc to my own wallet which I've always done. a few months later i login and it says my account is restricted and i need to contact support.

...

In my opinion, if you have been around that long, you should have no need for Coinbase. I was banned from Coinbase many years ago and I didn't (and still don't) care..

[hilariousetc]

Maybe they got spooked by the amount of coins/value you transferred there or the coins you sent were 'tainted' somehow. I'm sure they use some sort of tracking software to analyse where the coins come from and if they see anything traced back to the darknet or maybe some scams or ponzi schemes etc they might just take this extreme action to try cover their backs. They probably should give you the reason though.

I've been with coinbase since bitcoin was $32. I started buying through coinbase. Recently I moved some btc to my own wallet which I've always done. a few months later i login and it says my account is restricted and i need to contact support.

...

In my opinion, if you have been around that long, you should have no need for Coinbase. I was banned from Coinbase many years ago and I didn't (and still don't) care..

Most people need to cash out their coins somehow. Coinbase might not be great but it's quick and simple to use, especially for beginners.

[Husires]

Coinbase are famous for tracking bitcoins after sending it from your accounts, and when they find that the currencies that you sent to your wallet have been used in an illegal way, they will freeze your account with the ability to withdraw your money, you can read more on this topic: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1759810.0

Withdraw your money, make sure you use mixing services in the future and there are lots of alternatives that you can use.

[stomachgrowls]

I've been with coinbase since bitcoin was $32. I started buying through coinbase. Recently I moved some btc to my own wallet which I've always done. a few months later i login and it says my account is restricted and i need to contact support.

they got back to me and said i was no longer able to use their services but that i could still withdraw my bitcoin. I have no idea why, they said "We cannot give you any more information regarding this matter and that is a final decision". Not even a phone number to call and find out what happened. Everyone on reddit just assumes i was buying drugs or guns on the darknet. I use bitcoin to pay developers who work for me.

Its odd that they dont give any reasons about such restriction of your account but luckily your still able to withdraw up your funds.I do somewhat agree on what those reddit

comments and to those who say that you might really be involved in illegal thing even though it isnt true but theres nothing we can do when these platforms/companies do really charge us out about
something.We dont have any options but to turn our back and move on.

Just like with my local wallet provider where they do just simply locked out my account because i do get involved with money laundering and gambling which i do presume out that those
coins were sent out to my local wallet might really be tainted.

[Findingnemo]

Probably you sent or received bitcoins from gambling sites or something related to such address which is the common case why coinbase account gets deleted, you are free to take your funds then don't wait for anything,just withdraw your funds and find some other good wallet and exchange which could be more secured.

[acquafredda]

They certainly used some sort of KYT to go back and forth with your bitcoin movements. If any hop between your UTXOs has indirectly touched some high-risk service (dark market, gambling, mixer ...) then you have been flagged and they don't have the time to do business with you because you are too risky. Please note that this applies even if you didn't perform those transactions but the possibility that others have used your UTXOs to do something they don't like still put you in a high-risk position.
It is not a coinbase thing, many exchanges are doing it right now. Good you can withdraw everything you have, just stop using it.

[mich]

I've been with coinbase since bitcoin was $32. I started buying through coinbase. Recently I moved some btc to my own wallet which I've always done. a few months later i login and it says my account is restricted and i need to contact support.

they got back to me and said i was no longer able to use their services but that i could still withdraw my bitcoin. I have no idea why, they said "We cannot give you any more information regarding this matter and that is a final decision". Not even a phone number to call and find out what happened. Everyone on reddit just assumes i was buying drugs or guns on the darknet. I use bitcoin to pay developers who work for me.

If coinbase wants to freeze your account they will do it even if its only a little suspect activity they think you are doing.

Maybe it could be something as simple as you sent Bitcoin to a devs wallet that was once used for a casino.  That Bitcoin wallet could be "flagged".  

Anything like this can make coinbase freeze your wallet.  At least they allow you to withdraw your Bitcoin.