Silly and scary questions, and what would you do if that were you.

[roller33]

Even if you gave them your keys, I doubt that they will keep you alive. Cause they already got what they want, so what's the point of keeping you alive? Once they can have access to your Bitcoin, it means that they'll have enough money to protect themselves even if they kill you. They're bad guys so how can you trust them to keep you alive after giving them your Bitcoin? Also, if other trusted family members know your Bitcoin, and you got killed by not giving it to the kidnappers, they can target your family as well. In this kind of situation where money involves, you can't be sure that you'll be safe even after giving them what they want.

The best thing to keep you and your Bitcoin safe is to keep it private. The bigger the amount, the more private you should be. No matter if it's a relative or a close friend.

Yeah, I think you brought some good points.

If they are evil, they'll kill you anyway. But in a hipotetical scenario where you could choose, maybe getting out alive would be a better option.

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[darkangel11]

Even if you gave them your keys, I doubt that they will keep you alive. Cause they already got what they want, so what's the point of keeping you alive? Once they can have access to your Bitcoin, it means that they'll have enough money to protect themselves even if they kill you. They're bad guys so how can you trust them to keep you alive after giving them your Bitcoin?

I've read a case few years where a rich bitcoin investor who showed off driving expensive cars and living in apartments disappeared. They found his car parked and from what the police had found he probably drove off with someone in that person's car, but there were no witnesses, only tire marks. They never found his body and it's been years, so probably they tortured him to get his bitcoin and then killed him to avoid being recognized. Most likely these were people he knew because from the looks of it he parked his car and got out to talk to them.

Anyway, I can't say what I'd do. It's easy to say that I wouldn't give them my money, but what if they started to torture me. After a few hours I'd be to tired to resist them. The only thing is that I don't have my bitcoin with me and I can't access it from anywhere, so they'd have to take me home and there are cameras so it wouldn't be easy for them. Either use multisig, or hold your hardware wallet in a bank deposit box. Make it impossible for them to get it from you and you'll have a chance to survive it.

[oktana]

So I think we should follow his steps too and be anonymous. And you know there’s a mentality around Bitcoin in which people think that anyone who has a Bitcoin wallet has a lot of money, even when many normal people are worth way more than that. Don’t let anyone know.

If you're use a centralized exchange, you're no longer anonymous.

None of us is forced to use centralized exchanges so technically it’s our choice. Secondly, this doesn’t have anything to do with centralized exchanges because it’s the company that knows who you are, and not the other users. have you heard of any centralized exchange that posts people’s identity online? Binance for example has a lot of users and I can bet that there’s that user who transacts millions of dollars on the platform but doesn’t let anyone know it’s all around Bitcoin

[Samlucky O]

There was a recent thread about this case, looking at the answer, it's either you create a multisig wallet, extended passphrase, or just having more than one wallet.

But if someone getting kidnaped when he only have one wallet and the attacker know about that, well it's better to let your money go than your life.

You are correct. It's better to let go off your wallet for your life to be speard. If no life no Bitcoin. So when your life is speard you have more chances of investment in the future, and learn from that experience on how to have different wallet and not only one. Sothat that one wallet wouldn't be a threat to you.

[AakZaki]

not just foreigners, it's the locals that are more dangerous. since they can pretend they are from the same city and send you a friend request on social media. i think this will actually be a common crime one day just like the divorced women scam who are targeted because they are lonely and some hunk befriended them and asking for money.

i would actually want to create a dummy account and post some edited photos like i'm a miner, i think i will be getting lots of hotties sending me pms.  of course they are also men pretending to be chick.

Yes, there are more fake accounts circulating and pretending to be someone who looks like they have an established life and job. But in reality they are only setting traps that will eat their victims when they start to enter and believe. So it is important to do research or observation first before trusting anyone on social media, because social media is full of tricks and deception.

[red4slash]

not just foreigners, it's the locals that are more dangerous. since they can pretend they are from the same city and send you a friend request on social media. i think this will actually be a common crime one day just like the divorced women scam who are targeted because they are lonely and some hunk befriended them and asking for money.

i would actually want to create a dummy account and post some edited photos like i'm a miner, i think i will be getting lots of hotties sending me pms.  of course they are also men pretending to be chick.

Yes, there are more fake accounts circulating and pretending to be someone who looks like they have an established life and job. But in reality they are only setting traps that will eat their victims when they start to enter and believe. So it is important to do research or observation first before trusting anyone on social media, because social media is full of tricks and deception.

Many people end up experiencing the same story where they are deceived by their online friends because they are careless and too trusting of new people they know even though we do not know what someone's purpose is close to us because it could be like what happened in several cases of fraud that also happened to us in the end.

It does not mean that we are anti-social and do not want to be approached by anyone on social media but we also have to be able to limit ourselves because if it is not too important for us why should we always be forced to try to be in the scope of new friendships that are not too tested in trust. Because after all, vigilance must still be emphasised because this is an important condition to keep ourselves a little awake from things that are not too desirable.

[electronicash]

not just foreigners, it's the locals that are more dangerous. since they can pretend they are from the same city and send you a friend request on social media. i think this will actually be a common crime one day just like the divorced women scam who are targeted because they are lonely and some hunk befriended them and asking for money.

i would actually want to create a dummy account and post some edited photos like i'm a miner, i think i will be getting lots of hotties sending me pms.  of course they are also men pretending to be chick.

Yes, there are more fake accounts circulating and pretending to be someone who looks like they have an established life and job. But in reality they are only setting traps that will eat their victims when they start to enter and believe. So it is important to do research or observation first before trusting anyone on social media, because social media is full of tricks and deception.

Many people end up experiencing the same story where they are deceived by their online friends because they are careless and too trusting of new people they know even though we do not know what someone's purpose is close to us because it could be like what happened in several cases of fraud that also happened to us in the end.

It does not mean that we are anti-social and do not want to be approached by anyone on social media but we also have to be able to limit ourselves because if it is not too important for us why should we always be forced to try to be in the scope of new friendships that are not too tested in trust. Because after all, vigilance must still be emphasised because this is an important condition to keep ourselves a little awake from things that are not too desirable.

just be careful with everyone you talk even the old friends you have.  you never know how much a person envies you especially if you show how successful you are in life on social media.  it's those guys that are more dangerous because they already know you.  the new ones like the users who send friend requests can easily be ignored.
people above just advised to keep it to yourself iff you have an amount of BTC.

[Lorence.xD]

Even if you gave them your keys, I doubt that they will keep you alive. Cause they already got what they want, so what's the point of keeping you alive? Once they can have access to your Bitcoin, it means that they'll have enough money to protect themselves even if they kill you. They're bad guys so how can you trust them to keep you alive after giving them your Bitcoin? Also, if other trusted family members know your Bitcoin, and you got killed by not giving it to the kidnappers, they can target your family as well. In this kind of situation where money involves, you can't be sure that you'll be safe even after giving them what they want.

The best thing to keep you and your Bitcoin safe is to keep it private. The bigger the amount, the more private you should be. No matter if it's a relative or a close friend.

Yeah, I think you brought some good points.

If they are evil, they'll kill you anyway. But in a hipotetical scenario where you could choose, maybe getting out alive would be a better option.

That's the main point of the discussion, what would you choose then? since you just repeated it. What's best is to just give it to them if you really value your life 'coz no one would really be making use of it if ever you die due to them heartless. You won't also bring your assets to afterlife therefore no valid reason will be enough to validate and support the claim of those who will choose not to. It is a life or death situation and it would be okay choosing your life over the consequences of them getting what you've work out with. It will just be illogical being 'tough' and eventually dying because of 'money'; give it up and just invest again or take a break from this industry. According to my mentor, once you finally reached an amount money, you will always find a way to again be back into it and reach it again or even cross it.

It would be indeed unfair and frustrating but always choose to live 'coz life means another chance to be back on your feet. Let's say maybe it would be tiring to again be back to zero but what's a better choice then? Be tough and still avoid them to run with it or to just know that money will still be money, which is something you will to purchase.

[romero121]

When you're not in a situation to fight back and overcome the situation, it is good to surrender your wallet. Life is more important than money, maybe with the bitcoin holdings we could've lived in a much more comfortable manner, with no money, it could've been very difficult, and we need to start from scratch. Life won't be the same forever, based on our efforts, there will be rewards, and somehow, with our hard work, it is possible to reach a good position. If such an incident takes place, it needs to be a learning experience, and we should be careful handling our cryptocurrency holdings. Certain things need to be very confidential.

[dunfida]

I became worried and found it difficult to answer after my friend asked me scary and ridiculous questions about Bitcoin ownership.
he asked. If friends, new acquaintances, or other people find out that you have a sizable amount of Bitcoin, and you don't tell them. Then you are kidnapped with several people covering their faces, with the aim of getting your wallet address with the risk that if you don't give it you will be killed.
And another reason, you have given your wallet address to members you trust, such as family members or your wife and children.

And I want to know, what are you going to do.
Aren't you going to give the bad guy your wallet address, and you let him get killed. However, your Bitcoins remain safe because you have given your wallet address to someone you trust.
Or you will give it away because you still want to live, and you don't have any more Bitcoins.

And it was just a casual conversation with a friend of mine who both owns Bitcoin, and I was just wondering what other people's answers to this dreaded question made me want to create a thread.

If you are on a life and death situation then most likely people would really love to live on which giving out their coins would really be that their main choice but there would really be people who would really be fighting for that certain situation yet they dont really like to lose all of the coins that they were accumulating hard for how many years which they dont really like ending up on that way. This is why its really that important that you should really that be secretive on what you are really that dealing with. If you do know that you are holding a considerable or huge amount of coins into your wallet, no matter how trusted your friend is or colleague, it wont really be still that an assurance that you would really be completely safe from those risks of abduction or something that talks about forcibly getting your privatekeys or making those bitcoin transfers.

In to this kind of situation then it would really be just giving you the choice, whether you do love your money or would really be loving your own life? 

[_BlackStar]

-snip-

If you are on a life and death situation then most likely people would really love to live on which giving out their coins would really be that their main choice but there would really be people who would really be fighting for that certain situation yet they dont really like to lose all of the coins that they were accumulating hard for how many years which they dont really like ending up on that way.

There are options to get around this so you don't lose all your bitcoin - I mean, don't store all your bitcoin in one wallet. This advice has been mention thousands of times on this forum and some people may still ignore it. I'm sure some of your bitcoin will safe in any case as the OP fears or in the event of a hack - so of course the advice is very useful.

The main point is - don't keep all your eggs in one basket, this advice will save you from losing all your bitcoins due to unwanted cases. So we may need to practice it in our daily life.

[Bitco55]

Sorry, I don't get why they are asking for your wallet address if it requires your public key and seed phrases to gain access to your assets. Can this please be explained?

And, if I was in this situation and they really wanted my wallet address then I'll give it to them, and tell them to send a nice amount of bitcoin to my wallet  .

But please, if I'm wrong please, I'd like to know how wallet a dress would pose such a risk.

[Odusko]

Will the kidnappers be patient enough to ask for your wallet or they will just instruct you to get the Bitcoin transferred to their own wallet, and if it becomes a choice for you to choose from, then I will always advise that you let go of your money instead losing your life.
After all, you worked for the money and at that, you can still make more money if you keep being alive and well, but most times, such attacks take place because there must be an insider informant who has arranged the kidnapping incident, that is why, it is important to leave a private and low key life in the environment to avoid attracting people to us unnecessarily.

[acener]

Just give them your money or crypto, you could earn that amount again while your alive.
No amount of money would be enough for our life, at least that is how I see it.
But we are aware that people's life would also meet it's end with the right price on a hitman.

[edy_58]

Will the kidnappers be patient enough to ask for your wallet or they will just instruct you to get the Bitcoin transferred to their own wallet, and if it becomes a choice for you to choose from, then I will always advise that you let go of your money instead losing your life.
After all, you worked for the money and at that, you can still make more money if you keep being alive and well, but most times, such attacks take place because there must be an insider informant who has arranged the kidnapping incident, that is why, it is important to leave a private and low key life in the environment to avoid attracting people to us unnecessarily.

Life is indeed a more valuable thing than anything we have, because many of us have seen that people who are sick will be willing to spend all the money they have to get the best treatment so they can recover as usual and in this case it would certainly be better to give them than us. must lose our own lives.

Yes, when we can survive this, we will be able to reproduce what other people have stolen from our lives and still have a normal life. It is very important in our daily interactions to choose the people closest to us and not let people those close to us have evil intentions towards us.

[Nothingtodo]

It's a tough decision where someone will kidnap me just for my bitcoins while I won't reveal the password or security of the wallet holding my bitcoins to anyone. It is very secretive that if someone has a huge amount of bitcoins in their wallet then they must maintain their privacy. In no way can his bitcoins be disclosed to the public because such a situation can happen in the life of a bitcoin holder if he reveals his stashed bitcoins to the kidnappers.

[kotajikikox]

Best to never tell anyone about your Bitcoins instead just your super close people that will learn that so you are safe from anything like this because in my country there is an incident where the victim was kidnapped and ask for crypto ransom but even the family paid the ransom yet the kidnappers killed him , that is why we should not give them our address and let the crypto died with you.

[Blitzboy]

Your friend's query is terrifying and fascinating; it explores human ethics and digital asset security. I would put my safety first in that risky situation. Its about safety, not Bitcoin. Life is more valuable than wealth in such situations. Knowing my family had access, I would likely give the wallet address to secure assets.

Bitcoin security must be strong. Use multi-signature wallets and teach your family emergency wealth management. A safety net lets you compromise.

Accepting and planning for Bitcoin risks is crucial. The extreme situation of your friend emphasizes privacy, security, and backup. Bitcoin empowers and controls finances. Making educated decisions safeguards our assets and health.

[gabbie2010]

Best to never tell anyone about your Bitcoins instead just your super close people that will learn that so you are safe from anything like this because in my country there is an incident where the victim was kidnapped and ask for crypto ransom but even the family paid the ransom yet the kidnappers killed him , that is why we should not give them our address and let the crypto died with you.

The issue is not about telling anyone about you possessing Bitcoin there are instances or cases where you live fine and modesty  yet suspicious would arose by some kidnappers thus might become source of target, I read a real story of a similar case of a victim who was a profitable and successful forex trader and live comfortable unfortunately was attacked by some kidnappers at gun point in his apartment his phone was checked and was forced to transfer all his crypto asset on Binance immediately else he would be shot dead, of course sensing the danger ahead he had no option than to succumb to their demand that is how he lost all his crypto asset, infact his attackers left he contacted Binance for a possibility of tracking the hoodlums.

[bobbybkk]

Best to never tell anyone about your Bitcoins instead just your super close people that will learn that so you are safe from anything like this because in my country there is an incident where the victim was kidnapped and ask for crypto ransom but even the family paid the ransom yet the kidnappers killed him , that is why we should not give them our address and let the crypto died with you.

The issue is not about telling anyone about you possessing Bitcoin there are instances or cases where you live fine and modesty  yet suspicious would arose by some kidnappers thus might become source of target, I read a real story of a similar case of a victim who was a profitable and successful forex trader and live comfortable unfortunately was attacked by some kidnappers at gun point in his apartment his phone was checked and was forced to transfer all his crypto asset on Binance immediately else he would be shot dead, of course sensing the danger ahead he had no option than to succumb to their demand that is how he lost all his crypto asset, infact his attackers left he contacted Binance for a possibility of tracking the hoodlums.

What is the conclusion here??

Don't have all crypto assets on 1 device. If the guy had just maybe 10 % of his cryptos on his phone, and the rest on a hardware wallet or a different device he would have lost only the 10 %.....

Maybe he learnt something.  If you are too lazy to properly take care of your stuff you have to learn from experience.....