Consumer complaint received 2022-10-09
Company: Winklevoss Exchange LLC
State: AZ
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Virtual currency
Issue: Other service problem

Complaint:
I have been wrongfully denied access to my funds deposited with Gemini Exchange ( XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX ). I need this addressed as I can not withdraw any of my funds despite my continued efforts to do so. A summary of events is as follows : On Friday, XX/XX/2022, I tried to withdraw Ether from my Gemini account and it stated there was a security hold. The portal stated that I needed to e-mail XXXX to fix this issue. This email address, and the support ticket submission form on Geminis webpage, are the only two ways for consumers to contact Gemini Exchange Trust Company, there is no telephone line. I emailed them on Friday, XX/XX/2022 at XXXX inquiring about how to remove the security hold. I was given ticket ID number XXXX in an autoresponder email. I received no response to this inquiry. 

On Monday, XX/XX/2022, I sent an additional e-mail to XXXX identifying ticket ID XXXX indicating that there was a security hold on my account and that I could not withdraw my funds. I again requested that the security hold be removed and inquired how to proceed with removing the security hold. I received no response to this inquiry. 

On Friday, XX/XX/2022, I sent a third e-mail to XXXX identifying ticket ID XXXX indicating that my prior two emails had received no response and requesting a response to same. 

on Friday, XX/XX/2022, in response to my third e-mail, a customer service representative named XXXX replied to my e-mail using ticket ID XXXX. He stated that an internal security review found that my e-mail address may have been used in an unauthorized sign-up attempt and indicated that my account was restricted as a precaution. He provided instructions on how to remove the security hold. I immediately followed all of the instructions to the letter including sending a photograph of my face, driver 's license, and a handwritten note. I also reset all my passwords and confirmed my settings on the two-step authentication application. As requested in the e-mail, I sent a follow-up e-mail confirming that I had completed all of the steps necessary and again requested that the security hold be removed from my account. XXXX Indicated in a subsequent XX/XX/2022 e-mail that he would confirm my information had been received and would get back to me. 

On the morning of Saturday, XX/XX/2022, a subsequent customer service representative named XXXX emailed me stating she was working with her team to remove the restrictions on my account and would follow up with me soon on the next steps. She would never follow up with me and the security hold on my account was never lifted. 

On Sunday, XX/XX/2022, I sent a follow-up e-mail to XXXX identifying ticket ID XXXX requesting information about the lift of the security hold. I received no response. 

On Tuesday, XX/XX/2022, I sent a further follow-up e-mail to XXXX identifying ID XXXX again requesting information about the status of the lift of the security hold on my account. I received no response to this inquiry. 

On XX/XX/2022, I submitted an informal inquiry on Geminis XXXX XXXX using ticket ID XXXX indicating that I had received no response or follow-up. The moderator for the forum indicated that this item was escalated for me by them. I never received any subsequent response from this escalation. 

Again on Tuesday, XX/XX/2022, XXXX hours after the prior e-mail, I sent another e-mail to XXXX identifying ticket ID XXXX asking why the security hold had not been removed and indicating that I had submitted all of the requested information to identify myself. I received no response to this inquiry. 

on Friday, XX/XX/2022, I went to Geminis website and submitted a new ticket request which would be assigned ticket ID XXXX. I indicated in this new ticket the former ticket ID XXXX and requested a status update as to the removal of the security hold. I received no reply to this new ticket. 

On Wednesday, XX/XX/2022, I sent a follow-up e-mail to XXXX identifying ticket ID XXXX requesting a reply to the submission of the second ticket. I received no response to this inquiry. 

On XX/XX/2022, I sent another e-mail to XXXX identifying ticket ID XXXX requesting information about why I was being ignored and why the security hold had not been lifted. 

On XX/XX/2022, Gemini customer service representative XXXX responded to my XX/XX/2022 e-mail stating that she was working with her team to remove the restrictions and that she would follow up soon. It is now apparent that this response was a form e-mail as it was the same email that I received from XXXX on XX/XX/2022. I received no follow-up from XXXX or XXXX at Gemini. 

On Tuesday, XX/XX/2022, I sent a final e-mail to XXXX identifying ticket ID XXXX indicating my intent to file complaints with appropriate governing authorities if the freeze was not lifted by Friday, XX/XX/2022. I received no response to this e-mail and the freeze was not lifted. 

To date, I am unable to withdraw my funds. My funds are being wrongfully withheld by Gemini and I have been overtly ignored. My review of XXXX 's Gemini forum suggests this is not an isolated matter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation