Consumer complaint received 2022-10-27
Company: Winklevoss Exchange LLC
State: TX
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Virtual currency
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
Gemini took control of my account without permission, prior authorization, or explanation. My Gemini account was frozen indefinitely. Gemini provided no basis or transparency regarding the process or when they would return my money. 

I can log in, and that is all. Gemini can sell my securities and use the cash, as demonstrated when the problem began on XX/XX/2022. 
That day I logged into my account to discover {$800.00} had been taken from my account. They did that without any communication with me. Based on the transaction history, there were XXXX returned deposits, XXXX for {$300.00} and the other for {$500.00}. That left {$1100.00} in XXXX XXXX cryptocurrencies in the account. I was about to make a trade when I realized my account was also frozen. 

A notification said to unfreeze the account, I had to sell securities or make a deposit, I did both, and neither worked. Usually, when I deposit money into the account, the money is immediately available and reflected in the transaction history. On XX/XX/2022, when I saw the above notification, I attempted to transfer {$600.00} into my account. The {$600.00} was not reflected in my account balance or history, though it was pending in my bank account. 

A support ticket was accelerated on opening DMing @ GEmini on XXXX, and my account was unfrozen. However, I started to have problems trading. 

Either XX/XX/XXXX or XXXX, I noticed the {$600.00} had cleared my bank but was still not in my Gemini account. ( Please note earlier in the year, I transferred XXXX from XXXX to Gemini. The XXXX left my XXXX account but never made it to Gemini. I ate the loss as both exchanges pointed the finger at each other ). Gemini did not respond to my concern so I called my bank to dispute the transfer. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I logged into my account and found they had frozen it indefinitely. Again, Gemini did not communicate their actions to me. Had I not logged into my account on XX/XX/XXXX, I would not know there was a problem. 

I again opened a support ticket and was informed my account was frozen because of XXXX returned deposits. There were XXXX, and Gemini debited my account for both. I canceled the {$600.00} transfer because there was no transaction history, and the money never made it to my account. 
I provided Gemini with proof of identity, as they requested. Yesterday, one of their representatives issued a subtle threat that if I wanted the account unfrozen, I had to explain, and he would see. Despite complying with the interrogations, my account remains frozen with no explanation for when it will be unfrozen or the process involved. 

At this time, Gemini has taken control of my account and will not continue to do so indefinitely. I filed this complaint as a documented XXXX person with memory, organizational, and processing challenges plus chronic medical illness. Since XX/XX/XXXX or XXXX, I have been unduly stressed by Gemini 's actions and refusal to provide an explanation or transparency for their activities. 

Traditional exchanges do not freeze one 's account without explanation. Gemini misrepresented what happened to take over my account. They will not provide a response as to when they will return my money. Their actions has led to a deterioration in my health status.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation