Rippex Recovery?

[Armyjosh]

I finally decided to venture into ripple today after months of going the easy route and sticking to BTC, ETH, and LTC through Coinbase. I set up a Rippex account, transferred and exchanged some ETH through Binance, and sent back to my Ripple wallet. Sounded easy enough until the last step. 

When I signed up for my Rippex wallet, a screen came up and showed my password, Rippex wallet address, and Secret Key. I actually have a screenshot of that window so I know I have my addresses right. 

I sent the XRP to the address, it processed and went through. I logged into my wallet and that's when it all went wrong. It says account not activated until I deposit 20 XRP, no big deal I knew this was a thing. So I thought maybe it was going to take a while. A long time later and still nothing, I started to look closer and I noticed the address it wanted me to deposit the 20 XRP to was not where I sent my transaction. I double checked my screen shot of my account setup and I did not mess up. I sent it to the right address but at some point in the process Rippex changed my wallet address, I have a screenshot confirming this. I'm not claiming malicious intent but maybe some error. 

I can view my address and account through a cold wallet search on the Rippex desktop program and the XRP is there, but my login keeps taking me to a different wallet.

I went back through the wallet creation process and created one using the secret key hoping it would pull the Ripple out of the first account into a new one, but no luck. I have two wallets created by Rippex on my computer, neither of which are the address of what Rippex originally gave me and what I sent my XRP to. 

If I have the screenshot, address, and secret key to where my XRP is sitting, is there a way to manually pull it out. Right now, the Rippex interface isn't helpful at all, except to prove that my XRP are in the right place where I sent them. Can anybody provide any advice? 

[RecentChange]

35 minutes ago, Armyjosh said:

When I signed up for my Rippex wallet, a screen came up and showed my password, Rippex wallet address, and Secret Key. I actually have a screenshot of that window so I know I have my addresses right

How did you create the keys? 

Where did you download the wallet from? 

[Armyjosh]

I used the Ripple Desktop Wallet from Rippex. The Windows version. It just walked me through and created everything for me, including the wallet itself, but the address to the wallet changed from what they originally told me it was and I have the screenshot and data to prove it

[Armyjosh]

I've never thought of this before but can the same secret key be used by two different addresses?

[Guest]

This is not advice.  Do your own research.  I could be wrong.  

First up..   screenshots of secret keys might have security implications depending on your picture backup and sharing settings.  

Next to check the wallet contents independently you could use bithomp explorer.  

Your zerps are not in that Rippex Wallet.   They are only ever on the XRP adistrubted ledger...   The wallet file on the computer just holds the secret key.  

Im not sure what is going on in your case....  but if I was unsure of the secret key and address combination I would use Theworldexchange website to login and look to see what's what.  If you are concerned about the site you can download the webpage and use it while offline.  Then delete all cache etc if concerned   

If the secret key logs in ok and gives the public address you expect then all is probably ok.  

If you have lingering doubts but can transact then maybe start again and move most of your XRP to the new address.  Movements should always happen in seconds.   

[Armyjosh]

Thank you for the assistance. I'll try it out. I use an old digital camera that doesn't have connectivity for my screenshots, and then I have procedures from there. I'm hoping this is just some mistake because I have visual proof that my secret key was assigned to two different addresses 

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, Armyjosh said:

because I have visual proof that my secret key was assigned to two different addresses 

I'm not at all certain but I thought XRP unlike other coins does not need or have multiple public address to the one wallet.  

Are you certain that you have one secret key with two different public addresses?

You look at the S string and it is identical in both cases including capitalisation?  If so then you need more expert help than I can provide I'm afraid.  

[Guest]

Actually you could try putting both public addresses into bithomp and if they truly are the same wallet they both will have same balance and transactions.  

To be honest (and I mean no offence) I think this must be a tiny error that you are making somehow.  

[Armyjosh]

I hear your concern and I myself have thought I was going crazy too. But I have the screenshots to prove it. Rippex created a wallet with my secret key and password. I took a screenshot. I transferred Ripple to that address. I went to login to my wallet through Ripple desktop wallet, same password and secret key, and it is empty with a different wallet address. 

Im hoping this is something minor like you say because I can't get any response from their customer service. I can see the Ripple in the first account when I search it but my secret key, though I have a screenshot proving it's linked to that account, won't let me in to it 

[Armyjosh]

I explored both accounts on bithomp...only the original address has my balance in it. The second address is empty. 

I have this horrible feeling that my secret key was migrated from my original account and is now associated with a different account. I don't even know if that's possible as I am definitely not the expert at the techicsl aspects of crypto currency. 

 

[Armyjosh]

 Theworldexhange will only let me login to the account with zero balance. It does not associate my original address with my secret key. This is mind boggling. How is this possible as I actually have screenshot proving that my secret key is associated with the first address? So frustrating

[Guest]

So sorry to hear this.   It sounds as though your secret key is correct for the second empty wallet.  

As far as I know there is a unique one to one relationship between secret and public.  

To be honest I think the situation is pretty grim.  If the XRP are at an address you don't have the key for then I think they are maybe permanently out of reach.  

I have always advised sending 23 or so XRP then sending one or two back to prove the send and the receive before commiting more funds.  I do hope I am wrong and you can recover.  

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Armyjosh said:

horrible feeling that my secret key was migrated from my original account

I'm not an expert but I believe that whatever has happened... it isn't that.  

There is an algorithm that cryptographically calculates the public address from the generated secret key.  There is no backwards function.  So if Theworldexchange comes up with an address after you login using the secret key then that IS the one associated with that particular secret.  

Ive never heard of this issue arising with the Rippex wallet. I might be confused but I thought the bignumber issue was with Jatchilli.    So I don't know what is happening but perhaps some real experts might comment?

@pftq @Sukrim @nikb might know?

Sorry other experts...   my internet connection won't let me look your names up...   these are the ones I could spell...  

 

Edited December 25, 2017 by Guest
Fix call outs

[pftq]

Someone posted about a similar issue with Rippex before.  It seems like this is an easy problem to have with that wallet software for some reason.

There is a way to use the same secret for two addresses if you set up one address as the RegularKey of the other (it's basically account delegation), but it shouldn't be something set up by accident as it's a pretty complicated feature.  However, if entering both address and secret on theworldexchange.net doesn't work, then this isn't the case because the site supports this feature (you have to be online though because it has to connect to Ripple ledger to know you assigned a RegularKey).

Can you share the public addresses? We can take a look at the account flags.

Below is documentation I have on TheWorldExchange.Net explaining RegularKey under Advanced Settings:
https://www.theworldexchange.net/#advanced

Quote

     The third major setting is the "RegularKey." Setting this field to the public address of another account allows you to also use the secret key of that other account to login. In other words, you can now login using either of two secret keys (passwords) instead of one. The main secret key you start with is known as the "MasterKey" and is unchangeable, but a "RegularKey" can be changed constantly. Some users feel better protected if their main, unchangeable "MasterKey" is rarely used, and setting a "RegularKey" essentially lets them use what is otherwise a disposable password for the majority of the time. Another use case might be delegating access to your account to another user, who you want to maintain the ability to cut off, such as with a large company. An additional setting "disableMasterKey" is also available should you wish to only use the RegularKey going forward, but be careful as you can permanently lock out your account if you both disable the MasterKey and set the RegularKey to an account you don't have the secret key to.

 

Edited December 25, 2017 by pftq

[Armyjosh]

Thank you guys for continued help. 

The first address Rippex gave is: rUMTFzt2FVJpp8APmXX9zwhm2A6ves8jcC

I have the screenshot of my account setup page and that's the account I sent XRP to. 

When I logged in with my password to view my Ripple, it was now assigning me this address: rNnZZJWMfcho3jrpEKuLTntSnbrzaJQ5it

I understand the issue that seems to be emerging with my secret key only linking to the second address and the possibility it's all gone. But I also haven't heard back from Rippex customer service yet and I'm holding out hope since I can prove what I'm saying. 

That being said, if they can't help me at all, I'll post the screenshots here for everyone to see showing that I was assigned an address with a secret key and then it changed on me. I'll be damned if it's simply "gone forever" because I'd rather somebody who is very smart about this stuff have the opportunity to recover it and keep it in circulation. 

Edited December 25, 2017 by Armyjosh
Accidentally submitted first time