Joker’s Stash, trading since 2014, received more than $100,000 in Bitcoin from SSNDOB. According to research from Chainalysis, SSNDOB received “$22 million worth of Bitcoin across over 100,000 transactions” since 2015. We’ve noted the gradual emergenceof Bitcoin ATMs in scams previously; here, cryptocurrency ATMs are more popular as a payment method to SSNDOB than other dubious online services. SSNDOB advertised its services on dark web forums and offered customer support for buyers. Digital payment methods such as Bitcoin were used to preserve the operator’s anonymity. Congratulations on completing this ultimate guide on how to buy cryptocurrency without SSN!

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For example, one post tells users to avoid buying driving license information belonging to someone convicted of drunk driving or involved in a hit and run. A clean license will make the assumed identity “more attractive and professional,” it said. According to BleepingComputer, a large portion of the data was harvested through breaches at hospitals and other healthcare settings. SSNDOB was pretty user-friendly — a login screen led to a URL which directed to the darkweb marketplace. SSNDOB operators got their data in part by infiltrating LexisNexis, Dun & Bradstreet, and Kroll Background America.
It is essential to be aware of these risks and take necessary precautions to protect yourself and avoid falling into legal trouble. Services like SSNDOB enable several different kinds of digital fraud by giving cybercriminals access to stolen PII. Not only can this stolen information be exploited to target victims for scamming, it can also be used by cybercriminals to set up online accounts that can’t be traced back to them, which can then form the backbone of other cybercriminal schemes. We saw a particularly serious example of the latter when the Russia-based Internet Research Agency used social media accounts created with stolen information to spread disinformation in the leadup to the 2016 U.S. elections. Crypto exchanges are heavily regulated so they need to protect your data and ensure the highest security standards to operate.

Making The Purchase

According to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, SSNDOB started receiving bitcoin payments as early as 2015 and had revenue of over $22 million. Moreover, it seems to have had a close partnership with defunct darknet marketplace Joker Stash, to which it sent a payment of $100,000. Fees can vary widely between cryptocurrency exchanges, and can significantly impact the value of your investment. Look for exchanges with transparent and reasonable fee structures, and be aware of any hidden fees or charges. A cryptocurrency exchange’s reputation can tell you a lot about their reliability and trustworthiness.
Conclusion: The Future Of Crypto Exchanges With No SSN
Some of these platforms provide different security measures to prevent such scenarios, but overall, the risk is higher. Because you have to trade directly with people, you need to accept their prices, which will be worse than the market price. For this service you don’t have to provide personal details but this needs more work from your side. You cannot easily buy and sell Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies like altcoins. These security measures bring safety to you as a user as well, but it also means that by providing personal details, authorities can track your transactions, too.
Instant File Download After Payment Conformation
However, a .org domain with the same name is currently operational, purporting to offer the same services. The site feature blog posts in broken English helping the potential customer in picking the right information to buy. Cybersecurity firm Advanced Intel told BleepingComputer that much of the collected data was obtained through healthcare and hospital data breaches. With Changelly’s stellar team, we have developed a unique system to ensure exchanges are fulfilled in the fastest possible time and with immediate customer support.
The blockchain acts as a public ledger so all transactions can be traced easily. If they can also be connected to your identity, then you lose all your privacy. Therefore, you shouldn’t use crypto blindly, but with as much caution as you can. Every country will have different regulations requiring more or fewer documents depending on how strictly they want to control the money system.
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That cost increases by 2-5x when it involves attacking a government or bank website. Yes, you can buy bitcoin safely and anonymously by using P2P (Peer to peer) exchanges like Bisq, Paxful and LocalSwap. Depending on the payment method, it could take anywhere from a couple of minutes to days for the funds to arrive at the exchange. EToro offers a state-of-the-art, fully-managed cold storage Custody as a Service (CaaS) solution. EToro is a legitimate broker and trading platform and are regulated in Europe by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). I obviously didn’t believe him at all but the thing that freaked me out is that he knew my name, exact social security number and date of birth.

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But this will heavily depend on the platform you are using and the country you live in. You can use peer-to-peer exchanges like LocalBitcoins or ShapeShift, or you can use an ATM to buy Bitcoin. It is difficult because governments are trying to regulate digital currencies. As an aside, I’m not sure that “metadata”, as you wrote above, is the right word either. Domain ownsership was tranferred, and I don’t think that the jargon word “metadata” quite hits the spot there, at least not in plain English.
- According to BleepingComputer, a large portion of the data was harvested through breaches at hospitals and other healthcare settings.
- If you’re looking to buy bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies without providing your SSN, there are several options available.
- This allows them to access funds illegally and engage in activities such as money laundering and embezzlement.
- If you’re considering buying cryptocurrency, you may be wondering whether or not you should provide your SSN.
Buying an SSN on the Dark Web also puts you at risk of becoming a victim of scams. Many fraudulent individuals or groups operate in these illicit marketplaces, offering SSNs that they do not possess or luring unsuspecting buyers into traps. They may promise complete anonymity, but in reality, they may be gathering information to use against you at a later date. Falling victim to a scam on the Dark Web can not only result in financial loss but also expose you to blackmail or extortion.
- To begin buying bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies you will need to link a bank account or credit card to the exchange.
- This would damage the reputation if an exchange would plan to become one of the big players in the market.
- You also have to use your own wallet instead of having one on the exchange, which is safer but requires more knowledge.
- By prioritizing anonymity and financial sovereignty, you can participate in the digital asset market while maintaining control over your personal information.
- The potential short-term gains or anonymity of the dark web are outweighed by the long-term legal and ethical implications.
Even if you have to provide these details, they also can help to protect you and the platform from fraud. You don’t have to deal with other people and you can just buy or sell crypto directly. Bitcoin ATMs sometimes require that you open an account with them and provide KYC, so inform yourself before you use it.
You also have to use your own wallet instead of having one on the exchange, which is safer but requires more knowledge. This will take time because you don’t want to trade with someone who maybe tries to scam you. You first have to search manually for buyers and sellers and do your research about them. Do they have an excellent reputation and reviews, how long is their trading history on this platform and so on. This is the same principle as a crypto exchange, but without the exchange acting as an intermediary.
Exchanges require ID or SSN verification because they are regulated by governments. The country you are living in will be a factor in which documents you will need. The U.S. investigation was led by the IRS – Criminal Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit and the FBI – Tampa Division, with assistance from the IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. Substantial assistance was also provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attaché Offices responsible for Latvia and Cyprus, the Latvian Police, and the Cyprus Police. The company added that SSNDOB’s Bitcoin payment processing system has been active since 2015, and received nearly $22 million of Bitcoin over 100,000 transactions.