[SERIOUS] Changelly Scam; withholding 5k USD since AUGUST

I made the mistake of using Changelly from the Ledger Live interface back in August 2023. Yes, I know, it's my fault for being stupid and using a known scam exchange (if I'd just googled I'd have known immediately).

They asked for KYC & AML. I immediately complied and the documents were accepted, well the KYC at least. The AML documents they messed me about with for a few weeks not replying to the documents, repeating themselves, etc etc etc. In the end, they finally acknowledged they'd received my employee contract which had been digitally signed and could be verified as legitimate through EverSign. By this point, my former boss had also been in touch with them.

They wouldn't tell me what the issue was. Just kept saying they were "investigating".

I then found out that my former boss was being sued by an investor. This disgruntled investor was targeting many of his small-scale investments to shake loose some cash; turns out he'd borrowed the money and needed to return it. Even thou he'd signed a contract with us that his investment was a 6-year thing, (by last year we're up to 1.5 years). We also found out that the SEC was on his ass. Our agreement with the investor, what we'd built, what had been promised — everything imaginable around a business and a project — was accessible to the public.

So, this investor had emailed all exchanges with a list of addresses to "blacklist".

Upon providing my documentation to every exchange except Changelly my address was deemed mine and I received an APOLOGY. Changelly on the other hand did not give a single fuck.

Fast-forward to November and there's a settlement. By this point I'm thinking that Changelly just doesn't have a leg to stand on, what are they going to pretend like the issue they've been leaning on isn't over? YEP. I don't think I've even received an acknowledgement of the proof of settlement, no updates, just the same bullshit "We'll be in touch".

It's a tricky spot because a lawyer will cost quite a bit, and it's not that much money – but, being scammed by an exchange, I'd have stood my ground for 100$. A couple of people have been in touch re joining forces and getting a lawyer together, but I feel like I need to verify stories to make sure I tag team with people that have all their paperwork in order like I do.

Goes to show that 10 years in the crypto trenches means naught, one late night and choosing "conveniency" over DYOR is all it takes to scam a veteran. Fuck me, do I feel stupid.