Bitcoin Emergency Kit

⏳ Transaction Not Confirming

Immediate Tools

What's Happening?

Your transaction is in the mempool (waiting area) competing with other transactions for inclusion in a block. Miners prioritize transactions with higher fees.

• Check Transaction Status

  Look up your transaction ID (txid) on a block explorer like mempool.space. This shows if it's been broadcast and its position in the mempool.

• Determine If It's Really Stuck

  Transactions with fees above 1 sat/vB usually confirm within 24-48 hours. If your fee is competitive, just wait.

• Options If Truly Stuck

  Option A - Wait: The mempool eventually clears. Your transaction will either confirm or be dropped (usually after 2 weeks), returning funds to your wallet.

  Option B - Replace-by-Fee (RBF): If you enabled RBF when sending, you can bump the fee. Check your wallet's "advanced" or "transaction details" options.

  Option C - Child-Pays-For-Parent (CPFP): If you're the receiver, you can spend the unconfirmed transaction with a high fee to incentivize miners.

• Prevention for Next Time

  Always check current fee rates before sending. Enable RBF (Replace-by-Fee) in your wallet settings for future flexibility.

Lost Wallet Access

Recovery Decision Tree

• Do you have your seed phrase?

  YES: You can recover! Proceed to Step 2.

  NO: Skip to Step 4 for limited options.

• Restore Using Seed Phrase

  With seed phrase, you can recover in any compatible wallet:

  • Download a reputable wallet (Sparrow, BlueWallet, Electrum)
  • Select "Restore from seed" or "Import wallet"
  • Enter your 12 or 24 words in the correct order
  • Your Bitcoin will reappear once wallet syncs
  ✓ Success: This is why "Not your keys, not your coins" matters. Your seed phrase IS your Bitcoin.

• Forgot Password (But Have Seed Phrase)

  Wallet passwords only protect the app, not the Bitcoin. Simply restore from seed phrase in a new wallet instance and set a new password.

• No Seed Phrase? Limited Options

  Without your seed phrase, options are extremely limited:

  For Custodial Wallets (Exchange, Cash App, etc.):

  • Contact customer support immediately
  • Go through account recovery process (email, 2FA, ID verification)
  • They control the keys, so they can help

  For Self-Custody Wallets:

  • If you have an encrypted backup file + password, you may recover
  • Some wallets save backups to cloud (check iCloud, Google Drive)
  • Check for paper backups in safe places
  • Professional recovery services exist but are expensive and not guaranteed

Prevention

• Multiple backups: Write seed phrase on metal, store in safe deposit box
• Test recovery: Practice restoring with small amounts first
• Inheritance plan: Ensure trusted person can access if you're incapacitated

❌ Sent to Wrong Address

Situation Assessment

• Check Transaction Status

  Look up your transaction on a block explorer. Has it confirmed yet?

  Not confirmed (0 confirmations): There MAY be options. See Step 2.

  Confirmed (1+ confirmations): Transaction is final. See Step 3.

• If Not Yet Confirmed

  Option A - Replace-By-Fee (RBF):

  If you enabled RBF and the transaction hasn't confirmed, you MAY be able to replace it with a transaction sending to the correct address. This requires technical knowledge - consult your wallet documentation or a Bitcoin expert immediately.

  Option B - Double-spend (Advanced):

  If RBF wasn't enabled and fees are very low, some wallets allow creating a competing transaction. Success is not guaranteed and requires technical expertise.

  Time Sensitive: Act within minutes. Once a transaction confirms, these options disappear.

• If Transaction Confirmed

  Outcomes depend on who controls the receiving address:

  • Sent to your own wrong address: If you control it (typo in your own address book), your Bitcoin is safe. Access that wallet.
  • Sent to someone you know: Contact them and politely request they return it. This relies entirely on their honesty.
  • Sent to a stranger/random address: Funds are effectively lost. You can try contacting them if it's an exchange/known entity, but they have no obligation to return it.
  • Sent to invalid/non-existent address: Most wallets won't let you send to invalid addresses. If you somehow did, funds are lost forever.

• Learning Experience

  This is painful, but remember: Bitcoin's irreversibility is a feature, not a bug. It prevents fraud and chargebacks. Moving forward:

  • Always double-check addresses before sending
  • Send small test transactions first
  • Use QR codes instead of typing addresses
  • Save verified addresses in your wallet's address book
  • Be extra careful with large amounts

🏦 Exchange/Service Down

Immediate Actions

• Verify the Outage

  Check multiple sources:

  • Exchange's official Twitter/X account
  • Status page (e.g., status.coinbase.com)
  • DownDetector.com
  • Reddit: r/Bitcoin, r/CryptoCurrency, exchange-specific subreddits

  If many users report issues, it's likely a temporary technical problem.

• Determine Outage Type

  Technical Outage (Common):

  Site down for maintenance, high traffic, or technical issues. Usually resolved in hours. Your funds are safe.

  Security Incident (Rare but Serious):

  Exchange pauses withdrawals due to suspected hack or security breach. Monitor official communications closely.

  Insolvency/Exit Scam (Very Rare):

  Exchange suddenly disappears or announces bankruptcy (e.g., FTX, Mt. Gox). See Step 4.

• What You Can Do While Waiting

  • Document everything: Take screenshots of your balance, transaction history, emails
  • Contact support: File a support ticket (response may be slow during outages)
  • Be patient: Most outages resolve within 24 hours
  • Stay informed: Follow official channels for updates
  • Don't make rash decisions: Avoid panic selling when access returns

• If Exchange Fails/Goes Bankrupt

  Critical Situation: If an exchange becomes insolvent, recovery is uncertain and may take years through bankruptcy proceedings.
  • File a claim in the bankruptcy case (monitor official announcements)
  • Join creditor groups for collective action
  • Report to authorities (SEC, FBI IC3 in US)
  • Consult a lawyer specializing in crypto cases
  • Set realistic expectations - full recovery is rare

Prevention

• Self-custody: Only keep on exchanges what you're actively trading
• Use reputable exchanges: Stick to well-established, regulated platforms
• Diversify: Don't keep all funds on a single platform
• Regular withdrawals: Move long-term holdings to your own wallet

⚠️ Scam Response Checklist

Immediate Actions

• Stop All Contact with Scammer

  Cease all communication immediately. Block phone numbers, emails, social media accounts. Do not engage further.

• Assess What Information Was Compromised

  If you shared your seed phrase or private keys:

  CRITICAL: Your Bitcoin is at immediate risk!

  • Create a NEW wallet immediately (different seed phrase)
  • Transfer ALL Bitcoin from compromised wallet to new wallet as fast as possible
  • You're in a race against the scammer - act within minutes

  If you sent Bitcoin to scammer:

  Transaction is likely irreversible. See "Sent to Wrong Address" section, but set realistic expectations.

  If you gave personal info (but not keys):

  • Change passwords on all related accounts
  • Enable 2FA everywhere possible
  • Monitor for identity theft
  • Consider credit freeze if SSN/ID was shared

• Document Everything

  Gather all evidence:

  • Screenshots of conversations
  • Transaction IDs (txid)
  • Scammer's wallet addresses
  • Website URLs, social media profiles
  • Emails, text messages
  • Any promises or claims made

• Report to Authorities

  United States:

  • IC3.gov - FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
  • FTC Fraud Report

  United Kingdom:

  • Action Fraud

  Canada:

  • Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

• Warn Others

  Help prevent others from falling victim:

  • Report scammer's accounts (Twitter, Telegram, etc.)
  • Share experience on r/Bitcoin, r/Scams (without doxxing yourself)
  • Report fake websites to Google Safe Browsing
  • Warn friends/family if it was a social media scam

Common Bitcoin Scams

Transaction Fee Too Low

Quick Tools

Your Options

• Option 1: Wait It Out (Recommended if Not Urgent)

  Timeline: Low-fee transactions typically confirm within 24-72 hours when mempool clears (weekends, low activity periods).

  Pros: Free, no technical knowledge required, usually works

  Cons: Unpredictable timing, could take up to 2 weeks in extreme cases

  Tip: Check mempool.space to see if fees are trending down. Your transaction will confirm when fee market cools.

• Option 2: Replace-By-Fee (RBF)

  When available: If you enabled RBF when sending (check transaction details)

  How it works:

  • Go to your wallet's transaction history
  • Find the unconfirmed transaction
  • Look for "Bump Fee," "Increase Fee," or "RBF" option
  • Select new higher fee rate
  • Broadcast replacement transaction

  Cost: You pay the difference between original and new fee

  ⚠️ Note: Not all wallets support RBF. Popular wallets that do: Electrum, Sparrow, BlueWallet (advanced mode).

• Option 3: Child-Pays-For-Parent (CPFP)

  Who can use: The recipient of the stuck transaction

  How it works:

  • Recipient spends the unconfirmed Bitcoin in a new transaction
  • New transaction includes high fee to incentivize miners
  • Miners must confirm parent (stuck) transaction to get child's high fee
  • Both transactions confirm together

  When to use: If you're receiving payment and need it confirmed urgently, or if sender doesn't have RBF enabled

• Option 4: Transaction Accelerators (Last Resort)

  What they are: Mining pools that prioritize your transaction for a fee

  Options:

  • ViaBTC: Free accelerator (limited slots, resets hourly)
  • BTC.com: Paid acceleration service
  • Mempool Accelerator: Auction-based acceleration
  ⚠️ Caution: Many "accelerator" services are scams. Only use well-known mining pools. Never pay upfront to individuals claiming they can accelerate transactions.

Prevention

• Check fee estimates: Use mempool.space or your wallet's fee estimator before sending
• Enable RBF by default: Gives you flexibility if fees spike
• Don't cheap out on important transactions: The few extra sats are worth peace of mind
• Time your transactions: Send during weekends or low-activity hours for cheaper fees