How do I accept money or gifts online while anonymous?

November 21, 2018 12:47 PM

I will be receiving money transfers online, and I want to keep my identity a secret. What payment services allow me to remain anonymous from funders? Also, will providing an Amazon wishlist to them be securely anonymous? Bonus: what options let me be anonymous from the payment processor itself?
posted by davidstandaford to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

Follow the online scammer playbook, they don't seem to get caught very often. Bitcoin, Western Union, Green Dot, iTunes/ other gift cards - the numbers for them anyway.

Banks have to 'know your customer', so they will need to know your identity, and I think some of Bitcoin exchanges are starting to follow that as well.
posted by TheAdamist at 1:04 PM on November 21, 2018

I don't have any direct links to offer, but what you're asking about is extremely common in online porn/sex-worker circles -- I don't necessarily mean open a camsite or something, but seek out forums of phone-sex-workers and findoms and cam-operators and you'll likely find some tips and tricks.
posted by AzraelBrown at 1:46 PM on November 21, 2018

CheddarUp lets you keep your identity a secret but you do have to tell them who you are.
posted by bleep at 1:55 PM on November 21, 2018

As far as I can tell, an Amazon wishlist exposes:
The name your set on the wishlist (which doesn't have to be your actual real name?)
Your birthday (which you can set to anything, obviously)
Your city (taken from the delivery address, nothing you can do to hide this I don't think)
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:06 PM on November 21, 2018

I do art commissions on Deviant Art sometimes, anonymously. You can have people email you an Amazon gift card for an agreed amount. That way they don't see anything but the email address you've chosen to use.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 6:27 PM on November 21, 2018