So, I was about to make an account at an online shopping platform and was considering putting a fake name. Is this too much paranoia, or is it okay?
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I usually don’t.
Unless its a food delivery, then I just try to find a white male name, to avoid racial profiling/harassment.
I dont think that really do much in terms of privacy, the merchant is gonna know who you are. And sometimes they will reject an order if the name used in the order doesn’t match the name of the card holder.
Any card/bank transaction, anything that gets sent to your address, that’s not really something you can have privacy over. Unless you use cash payments and use someone else’s address. Its very difficult to hide financial activity.
I often do for digital items
Ok funny story about this. I tried this on Amazon because the first time I ever used it. It did not occur to me that it uses your account name on the shipping label. Boy was USPS confused when they got a package with the name “Pac-Rat” on it and it delayed it by a week. So not sure if I’d use a fake name but if you do don’t use your go to user name for online stuff.
It could also be delivered to a pick-up box in which case it’s at worst illegal or at least against ToS. “Billing address” just sounds like something potentially serious.
First thing that comes to mind would be issues with warranty or just normal returns. Maybe don’t do this with expensive purchases that would hurt your wallet if you couldn’t get the money back.
As a teenager years ago I used to do this for kicks. If you’re paying with a personal card, however, your name on the “billing address” must match the card your paying with. -This largely defeats most privacy concerns even if you’re changing the name in the “shipping address” field as payment processors as well as some merchants retain that billing information.
I don’t necessarily do it for all online purchases, but I definitely do it when I can pick it up myself.
in my country the generic package pickup points will want to see your ID card and write it up. they may also check if it’s the same as the recipient but I’m not sure about that
Where I am, to receive a package from mail or a private shipping company, you indeed have to show your ID. However, I always order to the online store’s own office directly (usually without even creating the account - instead asking an employee), and I’ve never been asked this. Is it stricter where you are?
Sorry, I didn’t mean package pickup. I meant like ordering from the supermarket, for curbside pickup, for instance.
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