Lost $20,000 to exchanger Prime_EX found on BestChange (4.9★ rating). Fake AML block, broken refund promise, 4 months of silence. Full receipts.

Back in December 2025 I sent $20,000 worth of USDT to an exchanger called Prime_EX that I found through BestChange — the biggest crypto exchange aggregator used across Russian-speaking countries. The exchanger had a 4.9 out of 5 rating, which felt like a strong signal of reliability.

Before sending, I asked the operator whether any verification would be required. He said no, everything would be fine. I sent 19,968 USDT TRC20. It arrived — confirmed on-chain. The exchange was never completed.

What followed was a textbook fraud playbook:

They claimed the transaction failed an AML check due to "high risk." Their own AML tool showed a risk score of 40% — labeled MEDIUM — with every specific category (sanctions, dark market, terrorism financing) below 0.01%. Their own data contradicted their story.

They asked me to record a video of myself holding my passport and a handwritten note saying "Bankoro AML Verification." Bankoro is not a real compliance organization. It has no registration, no website, no regulatory status. This was a document harvesting attempt.

One of their operators put in writing: "We will refund the funds to the original address." He didn't.

When I pushed back, their admin said the funds were held by a third-party "payment system" — but they wouldn't say which one. They also told me all their operations run through OKX, apparently trying to borrow credibility from a real exchange's name.

I reported everything to BestChange in December with full evidence. Over the next three and a half months, Prime_EX kept operating on their platform with its 4.9 rating intact. BestChange sent periodic replies saying they were "checking with the exchanger" and "waiting for the custodial service to respond." In March 2026, Prime_EX quietly disappeared from BestChange. Their website went to maintenance mode. No refund, no explanation.

I sent BestChange a formal legal notice. No response.

TxID: 43fe9b44e91495571b0f7fc72a876478aaa26848ace8aec0f81c4a219f932649 Their wallet: THQ2nexrWAVYwp7tD51gopioXuDDJmuU5Y

I've filed complaints with law enforcement, contacted Tether Legal to request a wallet freeze, and reached out to TRON security. Sharing here because Prime_EX will reopen under a new name. The "Bankoro AML Verification" angle and the "payment system is holding it" line are their signatures. If you see those, leave immediately.

Contact if you have a similar experience: [tutulnik4den@gmail.com](mailto:tutulnik4den@gmail.com)