Paypal-like services with a pseudonym?
November 14, 2010 11:09 AM Subscribe
Is there a paypal-like service that has the option to display a pseudonym in the transaction, while allowing a bank account to be under the real name? My girlfriend does art commissions for the internet, and she'd like to accept payments, but avoid the stalkers.
Best answer: All you have to do is sign up for Paypal merchant services and then you can specify basically whatever you want as your company name, while still receiving payments to the same account affiliated to your real name and bank account. People making purchases will never see anything but the company name and whatever e-mail you choose to associate with it.
posted by 256 at 11:27 AM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by 256 at 11:27 AM on November 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: To answer kmennie:
1. "for the internet" means "for people on a forum, on the internet".
2. As far as we can tell, PayPal requires you to give your real name publicly in order to transfer funds out. She has no problem giving her real name to the payment processor, it's just that she doesn't want it revealed to the general public.
3. She doesn't have a business registered, since these commission are of small dollar value and rather infrequent. If you're suggesting she set herself up as a "business" on paypal, that's certainly an idea, thanks.
4. Most of her fans are decent folk, but there's always the worrisome outlier that sends her creepy messages, she'd like to avoid them knowing her real name.
5. It's not critical that the buyers name be hidden.
6. It's certainly on the up-and-up, she's not dealing drugs or anything, just art commissions. :)
posted by koudelka at 11:34 AM on November 14, 2010
1. "for the internet" means "for people on a forum, on the internet".
2. As far as we can tell, PayPal requires you to give your real name publicly in order to transfer funds out. She has no problem giving her real name to the payment processor, it's just that she doesn't want it revealed to the general public.
3. She doesn't have a business registered, since these commission are of small dollar value and rather infrequent. If you're suggesting she set herself up as a "business" on paypal, that's certainly an idea, thanks.
4. Most of her fans are decent folk, but there's always the worrisome outlier that sends her creepy messages, she'd like to avoid them knowing her real name.
5. It's not critical that the buyers name be hidden.
6. It's certainly on the up-and-up, she's not dealing drugs or anything, just art commissions. :)
posted by koudelka at 11:34 AM on November 14, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks 256, that sounds like what kmennie is suggesting too.
posted by koudelka at 11:38 AM on November 14, 2010
posted by koudelka at 11:38 AM on November 14, 2010
I dont' understand why you can't use Paypal.
You can receive payments to any email address you have registered with Paypal. the buyer can only see the email address. Paypal then allow you to transfer those funds into your personal account.
The buyer does not know or see any of this secondary transaction. (In my experience anyway).
posted by mary8nne at 3:16 PM on November 14, 2010
You can receive payments to any email address you have registered with Paypal. the buyer can only see the email address. Paypal then allow you to transfer those funds into your personal account.
The buyer does not know or see any of this secondary transaction. (In my experience anyway).
posted by mary8nne at 3:16 PM on November 14, 2010
i remember seeing names as well as email adds, mary8anne
posted by 3mendo at 3:38 PM on November 14, 2010
posted by 3mendo at 3:38 PM on November 14, 2010
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Flesh this out a bit for better answers; as posted this does not really make the situation clear. What sort of circumstances are making people want to give her money anonymously? Does she want her name hidden but not the buyers', or are both buyer and seller meant to remain anonymous? Is this on the up-and-up; if not, why not just have people mail in money orders; if not, why doesn't she set herself up as a business?
posted by kmennie at 11:26 AM on November 14, 2010