<p>No, there is no way to block people sending you bitcoins.  You could, however, send the bitcoins back to the sender.  In fact, you can redeem the transaction output created by the sender in a new transaction, created by you, back to the sender.  This would show that precisely these funds (not just funds to the same amount) were transferred back to the sender.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-17T12:29:19.123Z
Sending coins back is NOT recommended.  There is no guarantee that they still have their private key and then the coins would be lost forever. This is the reason why the Payment Protocol has a refund address.
Jannes
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-18T04:05:08.027Z
@jannes: If you didn't want the coins in the first place, what do you care whether the sender is able to redeem them or not?
Nate Eldredge
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-18T17:28:45.017Z
Because 10 minutes after you returned (potentially destroyed) them, someone is going to politely email you to apologize for the mistake and kindly asking you to refund it (to another address). Anyway, I'm just saying _in general_ refunding should not be done to the sending address. It's also against the general best practice of never re-using the same address.
Jannes
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-17T08:53:52.653Z
2014-02-17T08:53:52.653Z
popstack
<p>I know I should be thankful for free money. But sometimes it might come from an undesirable source. Is there a way of preventing unwanted credits?</p>

<p>I suppose I could look at the block chain and pay it straight back...</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-17T07:52:35.177Z
Don't let the other party see your address. Keep it hidden. If there was any easy and simple way to prevent receiving coins we would have suppressed the "enjoy sochi" spam.
John T
<payment>
Is there a way to stop someone from giving me bitcoins to an address that I own
AndyM
# Is there a way to stop someone from giving me bitcoins to an address that I own

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-02-17)

I know I should be thankful for free money. But sometimes it might come from an undesirable source. Is there a way of preventing unwanted credits?

I suppose I could look at the block chain and pay it straight back...

**Tags:** payment

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Don't let the other party see your address. Keep it hidden. If there was any easy and simple way to prevent receiving coins we would have suppressed the "enjoy sochi" spam.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-02-17. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

No, there is no way to block people sending you bitcoins. You could, however, send the bitcoins back to the sender. In fact, you can redeem the transaction output created by the sender in a new transaction, created by you, back to the sender. This would show that precisely these funds (not just funds to the same amount) were transferred back to the sender.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Sending coins back is NOT recommended.  There is no guarantee that they still have their private key and then the coins would be lost forever. This is the reason why the Payment Protocol has a refund address.  
> **username_4**: @username_3: If you didn't want the coins in the first place, what do you care whether the sender is able to redeem them or not?  
> **username_3**: Because 10 minutes after you returned (potentially destroyed) them, someone is going to politely email you to apologize for the mistake and kindly asking you to refund it (to another address). Anyway, I'm just saying _in general_ refunding should not be done to the sending address. It's also against the general best practice of never re-using the same address.  

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