<p>I believe you are undoubtedly the victim of a scam.</p>

<p>It is extremely unlikely you will be able to trace the money to any identifiable individual. Bitcoin is designed to make this very difficult.</p>

<p>I suggest you firstly report to police that you are the victim of a fraud, secondly accept that the money is irretrievably lost and move on with your life.</p>

<p>You will receive private messages from people telling you that they, or someone they know, can recover your money. They also are fraudsters. I strongly suggest you ignore them. You will be tempted greatly but it can only lead to further loss.</p>

<hr>

<p>Some reasons why this is the case:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I commenced trading with an online Bitcoin trader called Assetgates, who had contacted me via my mobile phone. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Unsolicited contact by people using disposable phones (or by throwaway account on Facebook) claiming to be a broker/trader/miner or other expert is a sign of fraud.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>My broker then informed me that my money was with the Miners </p>
</blockquote>

<p>This is not the way Bitcoin works. Miners do not hold investor's money. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>the Miners who would give it back if i forwarded 17%</p>
</blockquote>

<p>This is not the way Bitcoin works. Miners cannot reverse transactions.</p>

<p>Anyone who had previously received your "investment" money could create a new Bitcoin transaction to return it to you for a cost of a few pennies. If they were greedy enough to want to keep 17% of your money they could simply send you the other 83% directly without needing any up-front fee from you. The up-front fee is another clear sign of dishonesty.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>the miners would divide the money between themselves</p>
</blockquote>

<p>This is not the way Bitcoin works.  Miners cannot take control of money that is under the control of other people.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-11T14:33:52.270Z
Well written response.
Claris
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-11T14:26:18.260Z
2020-05-11T14:56:46.353Z
2020-05-11T14:56:46.353Z
RedGrittyBrick
<p>In 2019 I commenced trading with an online Bitcoin trader called Assetgates, who had contacted me via my mobile phone. 
Money was transferred from my bank to a Kraken account, then to Assetgate in the form of Bitcoins to trade. a broker contacted me daily and transactions were made be the said person. 
By March I had accumulated $160,000 which I decided to withdraw.My broker transferred me to another person who took me through the process of transferring the said monies to my Kraken account. In the process of the transfer the Kraken bank account number had the K missing off the end. 
My broker then informed me that my money was with the Miners who would give it back if i forwarded 17% (£22500) which was money I did not have.
I was then informed that the miners would divide the money between themselves, and I would receive nothing.
Can you advise me if there is any way I can trace this money to see infect where it ended up? </p>

<traceability>
Bitcoins missing following wrong bank account number entered
Leslie Broomfield
# Bitcoins missing following wrong bank account number entered

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-05-11)

In 2019 I commenced trading with an online Bitcoin trader called Assetgates, who had contacted me via my mobile phone.
Money was transferred from my bank to a Kraken account, then to Assetgate in the form of Bitcoins to trade. a broker contacted me daily and transactions were made be the said person.
By March I had accumulated $160,000 which I decided to withdraw.My broker transferred me to another person who took me through the process of transferring the said monies to my Kraken account. In the process of the transfer the Kraken bank account number had the K missing off the end.
My broker then informed me that my money was with the Miners who would give it back if i forwarded 17% (£22500) which was money I did not have.
I was then informed that the miners would divide the money between themselves, and I would receive nothing.
Can you advise me if there is any way I can trace this money to see infect where it ended up?

**Tags:** traceability


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-05-11. Score: 6

I believe you are undoubtedly the victim of a scam.

It is extremely unlikely you will be able to trace the money to any identifiable individual. Bitcoin is designed to make this very difficult.

I suggest you firstly report to police that you are the victim of a fraud, secondly accept that the money is irretrievably lost and move on with your life.

You will receive private messages from people telling you that they, or someone they know, can recover your money. They also are fraudsters. I strongly suggest you ignore them. You will be tempted greatly but it can only lead to further loss.

---

Some reasons why this is the case:

> I commenced trading with an online Bitcoin trader called Assetgates, who had contacted me via my mobile phone.

Unsolicited contact by people using disposable phones (or by throwaway account on Facebook) claiming to be a broker/trader/miner or other expert is a sign of fraud.

> My broker then informed me that my money was with the Miners

This is not the way Bitcoin works. Miners do not hold investor's money.

> the Miners who would give it back if i forwarded 17%

This is not the way Bitcoin works. Miners cannot reverse transactions.

Anyone who had previously received your "investment" money could create a new Bitcoin transaction to return it to you for a cost of a few pennies. If they were greedy enough to want to keep 17% of your money they could simply send you the other 83% directly without needing any up-front fee from you. The up-front fee is another clear sign of dishonesty.

> the miners would divide the money between themselves

This is not the way Bitcoin works. Miners cannot take control of money that is under the control of other people.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Well written response.  

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