Law Enforcement Requests

Send requests to: [email protected]
Release form: Authorization to Release Information (PDF)

This page is for police and other law enforcement agencies that need records from Bitcoin4U. It explains where to send a request, what we need before we can release a customer's records, and what we can provide.

Bitcoin4U is operated by Innovative Horizon Technologies Inc. DBA Bitcoin4U, a money services business registered with FINTRAC (registration number M19742234). We sell cryptocurrency at Bitcoin4U ATMs (for cash) and online, and buy cryptocurrency online. We don't hold coins or balances for anyone.

HOW TO SEND A REQUEST

Email your request, order or signed release to [email protected] from an official law enforcement email address. Requests must be in English. We acknowledge requests within one business day.

Paper orders can be mailed to:

Innovative Horizon Technologies Inc. DBA Bitcoin4U
3250 Bloor Street West
East Tower, Suite 600
Toronto ON M8X 2X9

Innovative Horizon Technologies Inc. was previously named Bits&Bytes Mobile Software Inc. and Bitcoin4U Inc. It is the same organization and holds the same records.

WHAT TO INCLUDE

• your name, rank, badge number and police service;
• your occurrence or file number, and a phone number where we can reach you;
• the identifiers you have, such as a phone number, email address, wallet address, transaction ID (TxID), receipt number, Bitcoin4U ATM location with the date and time, or Interac e-Transfer details;
• the records you need and the date range.

WHAT WE NEED BEFORE WE RELEASE RECORDS

Canadian privacy law protects our customers' personal information. Without one of the following, we can't confirm or deny whether someone is a customer, and we can't release their records:

• a production order (for example, under section 487.014 or 487.018 of the Criminal Code), a search warrant, or another Canadian court order; or
• a release signed by the customer, on our Authorization to Release Information form (PDF) or your police service's own release form. The customer must sign it. A release covers the signer's own records and any account opened with their verified identity.

We produce only what the order or release covers. If you need more, please send an amended order or a new release.

Emergencies are covered in the next section.

EMERGENCIES

We want to help when someone is in danger. If a person's life, health or safety is at risk, email [email protected] with "EMERGENCY" in the subject line. Please tell us clearly what the emergency is, for example a threat to someone's life or a risk of serious harm, and why the information is needed right away.

Canadian privacy law lets us share information without a court order in an emergency that threatens the life, health or security of an individual. The same provision, section 7(3)(e) of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), requires us to tell the person, in writing and without delay, that we shared their information, if they are alive.

PRESERVING RECORDS

If you need records kept while you obtain an order, email a preservation request to [email protected] and we will preserve them until your order arrives.

We keep customer and transaction records for at least five years. SMS and email logs are kept for one year, so please ask us to preserve them early.

RECORDS WE CAN PROVIDE

Depending on the order or release, we can provide:

• identity verification records: name, date of birth, address, occupation, the ID verification report, and ID and selfie images;
• contact and account details: verified cellphone number and email address, and sign-up and closure dates;
• transactions: date and time, amounts, cryptocurrency, destination wallet address, transaction ID (TxID), Bitcoin4U ATM location, and the Interac e-Transfer reference and sending bank;
• logs: IP addresses, device data, SMS logs and email logs.

We email records to the requesting officer as PDF documents and spreadsheets. Times are in Eastern time. We don't charge for producing records.

TIPS FOR FINDING THE RIGHT RECORDS

• Ask for all of the customer's transactions over a date range, not only the ones you already know about.
• If you need ID and selfie images, name them in the order.
• Online transaction numbers typically start with B, C, W or F, Bitcoin4U ATM receipt numbers typically start with R, and Interac e-Transfer references typically start with CA or C1.
• Bank records may show e-Transfers sent to an address ending in @bitcoin4u.ca or @b4upayments.com, or our legal name, Innovative Horizon Technologies Inc.

CRYPTOCURRENCY AND WALLET ADDRESSES

Bitcoin4U is non-custodial: we don't hold coins or balances for anyone, and cryptocurrency goes to the wallet the customer gives us. We can't freeze, seize or return cryptocurrency that has already been sent.

If a wallet address was used in a scam, email it to [email protected] and we will block our customers from sending to it.

REQUESTS FROM OUTSIDE CANADA

We serve Canadian residents only. Requests from agencies outside Canada will likely require Canadian law enforcement involvement.

FINTRAC

We can't discuss reporting to FINTRAC. Questions about FINTRAC information should go to FINTRAC.