For many, this month is when gift-giving season officially begins in the United States (and several other places, I presume) thanks to Black Friday, which is quickly consuming most of November in many cases. As a result, even though online shopping is something most of us engage in year-round, now it’s particularly important to discuss how to safely shop online. Below is my now-annual updated online shopping tips, reflecting techniques and strategies I’ve picked up in the last year.
Yes, but even things like Bitcoin or Litecoin are much easier to use privately than bank cards. You can swap from Monero to them if Monero is not accepted, for example. You can buy them without KYC if you know where to look. With a bank card or something like Paypal, you’d need to use a “drop” (a random person to KYC your accounts) if you want anonymity, which is illegal so a normal person wouldn’t risk it.
That said, while I use crypto for digital purchases like domains, I would rather use cash for physical ones. Or gift cards if available (where I am, they’re almost-nonexistent and the only ones I’ve seen can only be bought with another bank card).