Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00241
The previous owner had sold the phone without disabling their Google account.
BlockedCase description
A user who maintained a secondary wallet on a second-hand Android phone found in July 2015 that the phone had been remotely wiped by its previous owner using Android Device Manager. The previous owner had sold the phone without disabling their Google account. The wallet was destroyed in the remote wipe.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Device loss |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2015 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
The wallet existed only on that device. When the device became inaccessible, there was no other way back in. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Evidence link
Related cases involving device loss
This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents.
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Framework references
Where Bitcoin Custody Intersects Legal and Fiduciary Authority
Where custody creates gaps in estate planning, fiduciary duty, and professional responsibility.
Professional Scope Boundary Matrix
What each professional or product covers, what they do not, and where gaps form between them.
The Independent Assessment Layer in Bitcoin Custody
How independent diagnostic layers emerge when multiple parties depend on shared infrastructure.
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