Hi,

In short, since the crackdown on fiat-to-monero started, the only way to get monero that I could figure out was:

  1. Purchase Bitcoin using fiat.
  2. Purchase Monero using Bitcoin.
  3. Change Monero back to Bitcoin.
  4. Pay using Bitcoin for services that don’t accept Monero.

Could someone tell me if doing step 2 and 3 still ensures my privacy, or is it pointless? I don’t see any other way to use Monero for payments which don’t accept Monero.

Thanks.

      • shortwavesurfer
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        1 year ago

        Same company, but yes. Bitcoin fees are high so best to avoid bitcoin entirely when possible.

    • MigratingtoLemmy@lemmy.worldOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      Didn’t the FBI crack down on someone who was doing a lot of these transactions? I’m a bit afraid of being tracked this way, since that person had all of his contacts listed and the government likely has the names and addresses of everyone who sent him money

      • shortwavesurfer
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        It is not illegal to buy crypto or sell crypto. Where the problem occurs is when you make a business out of it then you need money transmitter crap. But that is only for sellers and if you only need to sell a couple times a year then no problem.

  • monerobull
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Obviously buying with fiat using localmonero is the most anon option but if you don’t care about 100% anonymity:

    Trocador.app has a payment mode. You could buy litecoin on a regular CEX and swap it to Monero with trocador and then pay services that don’t accept Monero via the payment mode.

    • MigratingtoLemmy@lemmy.worldOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Hi, thanks for your comment. I would like to use localmonero, it’s just that I’m a bit scared of getting tracked since the government caught someone who used to engage in a lot of these trades, and now his entire customer list is with the government.

      • monerobull
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        1 year ago

        If you send someone cash via mail, the only thing the feds can get by busting your trade-partner is your localmonero username.

      • Blake
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        I read about the guy, crosslinking here: https://monero.town/post/2251 I don’t think there’s evidence that his client list is with the feds, only speculation in the thread. Thread includes a good debate on opsec with localmonero etc. worth looking though.

        • MigratingtoLemmy@lemmy.worldOP
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          Thanks, I hope this is at best, an isolated incident.

          When you mail someone a money order/cash, do they get your details too? Or just your localmonero username (which I assume most of us utilise TOR to access)?