How to Stay Pseudonymous on the Internet: Part 1 - Crypto
This is a working guide on how to stay Pseudonymous on the internet. These parts have no chronological order. These instructions will not make you anonymous. I won’t be talking about how obvious it is that using a vpn, crypto, using social media, etc provides signals for tracking you.
Get yourself bitcoin or another cryptocurrency so that you can make payments online.
Back when bitcoin first came onto the scene localbitcoins.com was easily the safest way to purchase bitcoin.
So what are the other options?
- Bitcoin ATM - Deposit cash -> Get bitcoin
- Sometimes these require ID, phone #.
- Obviously almost all of these have face cameras
- High fees
- Only do this in a safe area. Unsavory people may be watching these atms
- Purchase crypto with visa/mastercard gift cards
- Buy the giftcards in cash, then use a service to purchase the crypto with them
- Look locally: Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, localcoinswap
- Risk of getting robbed is high
- Cash By Mail: Bisq, Paxful, Agoradesk
- https://bisq.wiki/Cash_by_mail
- I have not tried this but people do use these services