If i’m using a virtual card to conceal my payment information, i think it would be great if i could also use a virtual (anon) name and address.
I use an anonymous email address and virtual card, but then i have to give my billing name and address for 3dsecure, even for digital products and services.
Obviously for physical goods i’d need to provide a real address (or a locker) so i can receive it.
This will never happen - it’s an open invitation for fraud, not to mention that merchants would be very unlikely to accept payments from it.
Regarding fraud this would never hide your real identity, the authorities would just request your real information from monzo linked to the virtual card.
Yes merchants might be more likely to block virtual card BINs, which seems to already have begun.
I like this idea, but as @mikez points out, it’s unlikely to happen.
I never use my real identity when purchasing anything trivial. It’s absolutely none of their business who I am (or where I live if they’ve not got to deliver anything!). I never use my real name - even groceries and definitely not when using the fast food lot. The names, e-mail address and phone numbers rotate each time, too! Even going back to the days when I had social media, never would I use genuine details. The only time genuine details are used is for formalities - banks obviously being one of them.
It isn’t against the law, namely fraud by false rep, simply to provide a false address. It becomes a slippery slope based upon the intent of a person, of course. And also be particularly careful when you have a legal duty to disclose.
That said, quite often I’d provide alias addresses too. I know sometimes this is asked for under the payment section, but it’s not always used. Besides, I think the security check require postcode only. I usually fill out nonsense on
This page but get the postcode correct and it works.
I still think it’s possible for Monzo to include, as they will know your genuine address and therefore meets KYC. They could use another address as correspondence, a bit like a PO Box address.
It’s doable, provided that Monzo aren’t left feeling too scared by the fine they got recently.
For the reasons of it being technically possible, and given the topic is around online privacy, I’m going to vote for it. Well, I would, but the option isn’t there as it’s in the wrong place! [EDIT: Now voted as category ‘Feedback’ added]
Best of luck and keep up the great work around privacy! Thank you for raising the topic!
Why on earth would you want to give a false name and address? Even suggesting it makes you sound like a crook.
Because it’s none of anyone else’s business what my name and address is. Unless, of course, it’s pertinent by way of necessity.
That’s exactly the sort of talk the data brokers and totalitarian governments want people to think.
It’s not illegal to want to remain private. In fact, it’s your right.
@RSheff Because small online merchants might have the willing but not the resources to keep their customer details safe, large online merchants have a big target on their backs as a large source of genuine personal information ripe for the picking.
Virtual cards do a little to mask people’s real data and give them a chance to “burn” them if they notice suspicious activity on their account, but your name, email, address etc are still there, popping up in breach after breach after breach.
I wish I could like this post/thread repeatedly.
Absolutely! Look at all the organisations that have data breaches and customers then at risk!! Then look at account takeover frauds and identity thefts. I touched on that in the ‘Going Cashless’ thread.
This is also where privacy meets security and complement each other.
Yes, and don’t forget about your phone number. The same number used to receive ludicrous OTPs in 2FA 
. How organisations are still doing that, I’ll never know. It’s a fraud enabler. Always always always provide a false phone number where possible. Or another number (and e-mail) that is NOT linked to your bank at the very least. I have another number for such occasions and also make use of online throw-aways. (And I never use the same e-mail twice. Ever).
Of course, my banks/council/work and so on all have my genuine detail and documents. But that’s about the extent of organisations that do. Oh, Tesco know where I live for deliveries, but they don’t know my real name. And the clubcard card I use in store is not the card I use for home deliveries.
I wish i had done this earlier, my name, address and yes phone number is everywhere. I have in the last few years started using anon email (33mail) and phone numbers (quackr).
SIM swapping is a real concern these days.
You said that 3dsecure only uses postcodes? Is this on a payment processor basis? I have not tested that further than only giving my real initials for name and surname, i’ll have to try it cheers.
No harm in getting started now!
That I’m not sure on. Some ask for postcodes only linked to the account, some ask for full billing detail. See how you get on…
It just sounds ridiculously paranoid to me, tbh. I do use alias email addresses (and I have at least 150 now) but that’s more about battling spammers. I accepted a long time ago when I worked in IT security that total privacy and anonymity is a losing battle so, now that I’m retired, I don’t pay too much attention to it and enjoy the time I’ve got left in this vale of tears without making life difficult for myself.
I wasn’t bothered with it much either as i was too busy, but now that threats are becoming more sophisticated, a more convincing email/call/letter can be crafted with modern tech and available info.
I think it’s only a matter of time before my savvy and their cunning converge. I have to be on it all of the time, they only need me to fail once.
As you have the technical ‘know-how’, take a look at your DNS settings - particularly on your mobile device - to see not only the trackers on websites and e-mail links, but also mobile apps. Look at the data brokers. Then re-affirm its ridiculous paranoia…
“Total” is a slog. It’s largely unavoidable but preventative measures, particularly privacy, go a long way.
I actually quite enjoy it and don’t find it too difficult. Alias e-mail addresses is a very good idea, as is unique passwords for each sign-in. This is great for security. However, doesn’t do as much for privacy in isolation where other identifiers can be linked.
Right now, John and Jane use their payment card at a lingerie store for some battery operated merchandise and check in to a hotel for a ‘private’ rendezvous. However, their bank knows where they’ve purchased and where they’ve been and where they’re staying, the store knows what they’ve purchased and provide a receipt to their e-mail address. Their devices know every intimate detail. In fact, depending on where they met and how they communicate, other organisations will know what they talk about and certainly how often they’re in touch. Whose business is it what John and Jane get up to?
So true. Fraud from AI is huge and it can only get worse! Then when you look at future-proofing with quantum computing, look at the exploitation opportunities. Thankfully, companies are getting ahead with it for things like communication (iMessage/Signal etc).
Currently, Ofcom and U.K. networks aren’t doing enough about CLI spoofing either. Then you have the additional issue of anti-spam apps that may purport to be ‘doing good’ but actually helps fraudsters. Spoofing/quantum is kinda a whole other story here and probably not what the OP has stated their use-case. Explicitly anyway.
Do all you can with best efforts. You’ll struggle to get “Total” but that’s okay.
They point at my own BIND 9 DNS servers (one on my home network and the other on a VPS with BitFolk). My iPhone and Pixel use those when I’m on WiFi but, yes, unless I use a VPN I’m going to be at the mercy of whatever EE choose to do with my DNS requests. It’s not something I worry about, though, but that’s just me. (I won’t say that I’ve nothing to hide, because I know that it makes privacy advocates’ blood boil 
)
This is an interesting topic and feature request.
I think @RSheff makes a good point here:
This is good example of optics. I disagree that taking proactive privacy (and security) measures should make you sound/look like a “crook”. But that’s because perception/culture/society hasn’t adapted yet. Or it’s slowly becoming apparent. Thankfully, the likes of Facebook (and others) and what the U.K. government are currently doing is making more and more people realise what is really going on around them. It does require a mainstream media shift. So I’m always grateful when they publish articles around misuse of data and also the patently clear attempts by the government for more control and monitoring.
But @RSheff has a great point. Particularly for banking. As more and more people will inevitably get better with online security and privacy, financial institutions should be aware that their traditional red flags might need tweaking. In fact, some of those red flags might even be green flags. Those wanting to protect themselves actually mitigates financial risks to the financial institution. These people should be rewarded, not punished nor treated with suspicion/contempt.
Love this set up!!
It’s fine to say it. If you really mean it. I don’t have anything to hide either. But I have everything to protect. That includes my privacy.
That is if they use the OS DNS config and don’t have their own DNS hardcoded. Not all apps or hardware obey. I found this out while running my own PiHole, half my apps stopped showing ads and some didn’t even notice.
I won’t say that I’ve nothing to hide
You have money don’t you? they don’t care about you, they care about your money.
That’s true, but I can see from DNS logs and monitoring network traffic that the devices that I have definitely use the DNS servers that they obtain via DHCP.
Depends who “they” are. If you’re talking about governments and LEAs then I’m not terribly worried but if you mean thieves and scammers then, yes, do what you can to protect yourself.
No no no i’m not wearing my tin hat trying to hide from governments, in that respect i too have nothing to hide. I just want to avoid being scammed or phished and those around me from the same via my info (Grandparent Scam etc)
Apple are terrible for this, although from what I can see it’s solely their own background processes. Some VPNs are better than others and allow re-routing. The one the U.K. government really don’t like and have tried to suppress so many times is a good one!
Hmm, I’ll happily wear a tin foil hat for this one. The U.K. government is a direct threat to its citizens privacy and security. Their actions over the past year in particular is rather telling. Whilst, of course, they can understand my income for taxation purposes, their other sneaky tactics are utterly flawed and create huge risks. Whether they balance them correctly over the coming months ahead will be very interesting. If they don’t get it right, and continue lying to the public about the reasoning behind their decisions, it will have serious ramifications.
Agreed - it’s the one I recommend to people when they ask. Regarding the article itself, I’m also annoyed at the UK government’s interference with iPhone security. Fortunately I had already enabled Advanced Data Protection before Apple removed the option from UK iPhones.