When it rains, it pours.
At the same time as Hurricane Ian decided to make life a challenge for Southwest Florida residents, the PayPal controversy erupted that blindsided the Treehouse.
As most of you know PayPal has been the primary processor for financial contributions to the Treehouse to help pay for a wide variety of site costs including server hosting, data processing and container costs, proprietary commenting systems, site engineers, software licensing fees etc.
As it directly relates to our conversation CTH has never had an issue with PayPal, even during our site deplatforming from WordPress/Automatic. However, that said, the initial terms of service changes that PayPal announced, then retracted, that begin November 1st was beyond ridiculous. It is not surprising that everyone was shocked at the proposed change in terms, and many want an alternative.
Moving forward, the critical issue for CTH extends beyond the actual processing of financial support and into the sphere of privacy. One of the reasons CTH costs so much to operate is the foundational stance we take on user engagement and privacy; it’s not something I can ever, or will ever, compromise upon.
Almost all funded websites contract payment and subscription services to third party providers. CTH does not like the security window this approach creates. If we need to switch financial processors, now is the time to use this opportunity to close any security vulnerability.
From the outset of the CTH 2.0 construction we began with the focus of keeping control over all data and site content. I am thankful for your support and the technology team that accepted the challenge two years ago. They worked tirelessly to create a discussion & research site where your participation is as secure as the site itself.
When CTH 2.0 was created there was a parallel emergency beacon created in the event that I was ever directly targeted because of the research content provided. The beacon system contains the ability to quickly crowdfund resources in my defense. However, with the PayPal issue now leading to numerous subscription cancellations, I have asked the tech team behind CTH to see if they can modify the preexisting emergency payment processing system to support the functions that are being handled by PayPal.
Again, the issue is a system that provides locked-down privacy. Not for my privacy, but for the privacy of those who participate and support CTH. The example of the donors to the Canadian Truckers being compromised when the GiveSendGo donor list was made public is an example of what I think about first and foremost. I cannot and will not allow that type of risk, therefore CTH requires stringent proprietary control.
I have been told there is a way to modify an existing payment processing system (provide me an encryption key, and only a transaction id for the contributor) that will eliminate any files, lists or registration identities of CTH contributors. The drawback is: (a) it’s expensive; and (b) I have to accept all legal liability for the transaction. After much forethought, I am going to accept that risk.
As a result, I have given the approval for the tech team to construct a proprietary financial system for CTH, and I anticipate it being completed within about 10 days (+/-) after beta test. Once active it is likely CTH will drop PayPal as a processor and proceed with our own proprietary system. Yes, it would be easier and more convenient to go with a third-party provider; however, speed and convenience is not my overriding priority – privacy is.
Additionally, I continue to remain STEADFAST in the belief that information should be free, open, accessible and transparent with citations for everyone. Everyone should be able to see the source data, review the interpretations and make their own decisions. In this era of information control, I consider CTH the opposite. The truth has no agenda.
I will provide updates and lots of information as soon as the payment processing system is live and tested. I will also share more details once things are ready. I am optimistic we will meet the deadline established to be complete before November 1st.
In the interim you do not have to have a PayPal account to use the PayPal processing system to support CTH – and your support is especially appreciated right now during these simultaneous challenges.
Our assembly is a fellowship. This website is a conversation. You are the important part.
I remain a faithful steward to the integrity of information you have come to expect. I will always work diligently to deserve your fellowship and support.
Love to all,
~ Sundance
Done Sundance. $25 isn’t much I know, but if everyone contributes a little bit it will help. Even thought I don’t agree with your position on Ukraine/Russia, the value of the Treehouse transcinds the disagreement.
“…the value of the Treehouse transcinds [sic] the disagreement.”
Spot on, any way you spell it!
We’ve been looking for a secure alternative to PP. When the new system is in place, we will add CTH to our monthly giving.
I totally understand this dilemma. I have personally deactived and canceled my PP account. It makes it harder to donate to different places.
The same happened to The WalkAway Campaign when they were booted from all platforms two years ago. They have worked hard and recently started their own platform where people can donate, no third party involved that can cancel you for not being ‘woke’ enough.
Good luck with this task. This site is a must read.
paralleleconomy.com
Have you tried GabPay?
Oh looky here,
We are up here in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia.
As many will be aware law abiding Canadians were denied access to banking privileges and in many instances had their accounts frozen.
Many missed rent/Mtg payments etc.
Simply for donating to a political entity ( the truckers freedom convoy)
The wife and I are extremely reluctant to e-transfer, over the phone or visa payments etc.
We are big on cash, cash and more cash.
Could we mail a money order/draft to a location in U.S. funds.
We feel like leeches at the minute.
Cheers!
The US Postal Service photographs every item and puts it in a database. So that is a no-go unless you hide the return address on the envelope.
Thanks for the info…we will
figure something out.
Cheers!
Don’t they x-ray to see what’s in it?
Wrap the check in aluminum foil. The Xray will show a big black rectangle……
Mycroft, they scan it because several (what I would consider) foolish people signed up for the Informed Delivery service where they receive an email telling them what’s in their mail. (Geesh) When it first came out in 2014, I was super suspicious. Justifiably so. What happens to all that meta data??? Hmmm.
The things you learn…
Informed Delivery® by USPS®Digitally preview your mail and manage your packages scheduled to arrive soon! Informed Delivery allows you to view greyscale images of the exterior, address side of letter-sized mailpieces and track packages in one convenient location.*
* Images are only provided for letter-sized mailpieces that are processed through USPS’ automated equipment
Did you look into Gab Pay or Parallel Economy, the service Dan Bongino set up?
Re: PayPal, everyone should have expected weapons grade slimeball from them, they kicked firearm dealers off the service in 2003, and locked them out of what funds they had in their accounts. PP has also made a regular habit of deplatforming dissident right wing voices.
Had a pi$$ing contest with PP about 2 years ago, and never went back. They are leftards in overdrive!
I have heard both Gab and Bongino use third party payers. People have been kicked off, not by them but the third party.
From the way I read it, GabPay uses their own payer, in-house. I think I would check them out if I were Sundance.
Can you cite your source re Gab? My understanding is they developed GabPay inhouse, no third party.
Gab was completely financially deplatformed years ago, not by just one provider, but by the whole finanicial system including credit cards. Before developing GabPay, Gab had been relying on checks, cash and I believe bitcoin. What third party are you referring to?
I don’t have a Gab account and am not selling GabPay —-although I would trust them to give that a try –because I trust the transaction is limited to me and Gab and no middlemen.
We need to be careful to not throw dirt esp erroneous dirt on others who are trying to build a parallel economy to survive the left’s purge.
Not by ParallelEconomy.com. Check your sources.
Sundance … Honored to contribute … used PayPal again today but will cancel PP account once you’ve hardened off with a new financial system. We all love you right back! — Ryn
Sundance: As always, thank you for your unending commitment to CTH and we Treepers.
Sundance… you can email those of us who sent you guys donations, right? So please email us the instructions (*)
Now then… you do realize that what you are doing here could easily be extended as a stand alone business to provide a service to other sites?
Personally, I use Paypal, but if I could use an alternative service I would. As it now stands I have a specific credit card and specific bank account for Paypal use, both are locked down. So, Paypal is just a wrapper around them. I really don’t need it.
(*) To the rest, using a gmail, microsoft, etc.. email address is lunacy. Pay for your own domain name and hosting the mail server, it doesn’t cost much and it will give you an incredible amount of control and safety.
Some of us can’t afford even “not much”, unfortunately.
Thank you for that idea. I have been searching for alternatives to Google, gmail, microsoft, etc. I do not have a clue about how to even start down the path you recommend, but it’s intriguing and I will see if that is something doable for me.
Right after I get the toilet fixed and the water turned back on!
I have always used a paid local provider until they shut down because not enough people will pay for something they can get “free”.
I have thought about setting up my own mail server but I have too much on my plate as it is. I’m a casual Linux user and it looks like above my skill level even if I make time.
I’m now using Protonmail. Your thoughts please on Protonmail?
Or use Proton Mail. Encrypted, based in Switzerland, and they have VPN, storage, calendar, email, etc.
They have free accounts and really cheap accounts as well.
I have been using Zoho Mail, based in the UK. Two free email accounts, and lots of other business services if you want.
You are amazing and a great example for others.
It is all the more inspiring that you’re going above and beyond for us under the long shadow of hurricane recovery.
May you be blessed with the ability to get adequate rest in midst of everything.
Thank you sir.
I tried to cancel PayPal but it wouldn’t let me. Evidently, PayPal is blocking a lot of people from leaving if you believe PayPal forum posts.
I had a hard time canceling. Had to call them.
Unbelievable. But not surprised. Communist want people to stay on the reservation and rarely do they allow them to leave.
It was like a dentist doing a root canal operating through my rear end closing my PayPal account.
Writing “Fascist new policies” for reason for leaving may have sped up the process.
……a “rectal root canal”…….the image is seared into my mind forever……..
I had the same experience. But it worked the 3rd time. Keep trying! Hard way ’round that I was planning on is closing my bank account and opening a new one at a different bank, so their “fine” hits a dead end. Keep copies screenshots of all attempts to cancel though, in case they try to go after you anyway.
Weird, my experience (last week) with cancelling was exactly the opposite. Took about 2 minutes max. Mine wasn’t a big account though so maybe that is the difference
I wonder if some of it has to do with pending transactions?
My last transaction was on 10/5 which cleared my bank the next day; as recently as last Thursday 10/13 PP said that transaction was still pending so I wasn’t able to close my account (total BS). I was finally able to close it last Friday.
Sundance, thank you for acting so quickly for concerns I developed this past week. I will follow your solutions and hopefully we can avoid what happened in Canada. I had changed the few PP payments I had except for CH and Ancestry. I suspect ancestry will be part of a developing problem.
I haven’t renewed Ancestry in a long time since they’ve gotten so greedy, and also since they’ve made so many pointless changes. I think they ruined find a grave when they took it over.
PS, what’s “CH”?
PayPal Still Threatens $2500 Fines for Promoting “Discriminatory” “Intolerance” (Even if Not “Misinformation”)
“But it appears that the policy continues to be in effect for other speech, according to PayPal’s official Acceptable Use Policy, last updated Sept. 20, 2021:
Violation of this Acceptable Use Policy constitutes a violation of the PayPal User Agreement and may subject you to damages, including liquidated damages of $2,500.00 U.S. dollars per violation, which may be debited directly from your PayPal account(s) as outlined in the User Agreement (see “Restricted Activities and Holds” section of the PayPal User Agreement).
Prohibited activities:
You may not use the PayPal service for activities that … relate to … the promotion of hate, violence, racial or other forms of intolerance that is discriminatory or the financial exploitation of a crime ….
And the cited “Restricted Activities and Holds” policy makes clear that “Actions We May Take if You Engage in Any Restricted Activities” are determined based on PayPal making the decision “in our sole discretion,” if Paypal “believe[s] that you’ve engaged in any of these activities.”” https://reason.com/volokh/2022/10/09/paypal-still-threatens-2500-fines-for-promoting-discriminatory-intolerance-even-if-not-misinformation/
That could be anyone giving to a religious organization or the way they think any Republican political candidate.
Bingo! I think that’s the real intention.
Done, SD. Blessings!
I have tried repeatedly to enter a credit card number and it requires that I use my paypal account. How do I donate without using paypal?
I closed my paypal account over a year ago. I’ve always used a credit card to donate here. I never choose the paypal “option”. However, I did notice that the confirmation email I get is always FROM paypal. I’m not sure why but maybe it is because SD is using the paypal to receive the donation.
I just tried to contribute without using PayPal and it was a cluster gaggle.
It did not work.
I don’t want to use PayPal.
I hope this is fixed soon.
When I have contributed before I didn’t have this much trouble.
🌳🏡 Is very deserving of support. I am all in for contributions as soon as the new system is operational. God bless!
Sundance, you might check out Coinbase Commerce.
As an example, I once set this up – https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/0e0888cb-7458-4cc3-9935-dc8ffa3bf4eb
It allowed people to make anonymous donations to me with various types of crypto.
Just FYI!
Gotta love crypto! But don’t you think that the gubmint is not fixing to increase their iron grip on them as well. Still a good choice.
The gamblers really hurt Bitcoin, but it’s starting to level off. And every online payment method has risks, and government claws. All of em’. With Coinbase commerce, the setup was pretty easy and can be converted into USD later on, converted into different crypto, etc.
I’ll always be with you Dude
Gotten rid of PP for over a year. Just felt their pomposity and arrogance against free speech even back then. So happy SD has joined us in the MATRIX. We need to start doing things ourselves and create our own ecosystem. Love the move SD! Thank you!
Sundance been using pay pal for only one thing to water our tree the second you have an alternative i am there and looking foreword to it you you’re family and Ad rem are all in my daily prayers be well my friend stay strong . And THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR US TREEPERS
R.D.
Same thing here. CTH is the ONLY reason I didn’t cancel Paypal last week. The second there’s something setup with CTH, Paypal’s gone.
I sent a donation to CTH via Paypal in response to Hurricane Ian. Looking forward to learning how you “break away” from PP. What a crock of shit. How about an address where I could send a check?
I think it is funny to watch those who “go woke and go broke’ phenomenon unfolding. Stocks crashing etc. What the heck are these people thinking in terms of their business model? Not thinking enough, I guess.
Leftist is a cult, and as such logic goes down the drain.
GOOD ON YOU, SUNDANCE — THANK YOU!
——
“In the interim you do not have to have a PayPal account to use the PayPal processing system to support CTH – and your support is especially appreciated right now during these simultaneous challenges.”
We both cancelled our PayPal accounts in August/September 2021 when then teamed-up with the Marxist ADL & SPLC to announce they would cancel “hate & extremism” (i.e. patriotic, American-loving, conservatives) — but still had to use their “system” even via simply providing our credit card #s in order to donate to pro-liberty sites like CTH and Ace of Spades HQ.
——
“However, that said, the initial terms of service changes that PayPal announced, then retracted, that begin November 1st was beyond ridiculous.”
My understanding is that the “misinformation” “mistake” (yeah, all those high-priced lawyers missed it — it totally wasn’t intended or anything) may have been retracted after the YUGE backlash, but the “$2,500 liquidated damages”, put in place in 2021, still remains. Maybe next time they’ll use the Russian term “Dezinformatsia” instead of “Misinformation” — to fool the “irredeemable”, “deplorable”, “semi-fascist” rubes. #Soon.
Don’t forget recalcitrant 😂
Bless you. But as I read it, Paypal’s retraction only extended to misinformation. They kept the part about using Paypal to enage in any activity that “harms the community” (“community” not defined) or promotes whatever their sick little harts move them to call hate and/or intolerance. And it applies to anyone who uses the Paypal service, not just people with an account. I wish more people would follow this path and bypass the woke police.
And I guess it’s their call if our misinformation harms the community….
Dropped my paypal account quite a while ago.
What they are doing now is what they’ve been doing for a long time.
Here are a couple older articles; which highlight that they’ve been at it a long time now:
https://www.techdirt.com/2013/09/10/paypal-promises-that-its-changing-its-evil-ways-wrongly-freezing-legit-accounts-does-so-almost-immediately-again/
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/07/paypal-still-struggles-with-not-randomly-freezing-crowdfunding-dollars/
Thank you, Sundance for that illuminating explanation.
It sure was. I read it twice.
I learn something from every article I read on Conservative Treehouse.
Sundance is the best.
Time to start supporting TMTG and DWAC merger with payment systems one of the planned avenues of business for that juggernaut that is going to explode after the midterms when the SEC are brought into check by a new congress.
Everyone on here should be on board with supporting that project.
I sure hope you are right (as I watch DWAC’s waterfall).
Keep up the great work and God Bless
I will be sending support, thanks so much for all you do Sundance!
I just went over to the donate icon to do it as I usually do..by my credit card( I have a Pay Pal acct.I only used it a few times ages ago.)
now when I try to do it by my ccard..it wont let me…it just reverts to the Pay Pal “thing” I am not too PC literate..
so at this point, I am going to wait until Sundance gets a new thing set up..and then donate.
I have same problem. It keeps telling me it has an issue processing my payment. I also do not have an account, closed it years ago with some other nonsense they were doing.
Just tried again and this time they took it, even though I give a fake phone number and use “hide my email” feature.
Maybe they realized preventing people from using their service was hurting their business?
Perhaps a Post Office box, registered in your lawyer’s name, to which people may mail envelopes of cash?
Never mail cash.
There are criminal rings working to steal mail that may contain cash or checks. Check ‘WASHING” has become a thing, too. After the washing they write in whatever amount they want and cash it. Chicago is the worst. I believe they are inside and outside the USPO.
Dropping a brick with adhesive on the bottom, down into the postal collection boxes and fishing out the mail that sticks to it is also a thing.
Having a master key to the postal boxes in apartment entrances and fishing through the mail boxes and taking the packages waiting there is on one video I saw. The woman looked through the boxes and took out the mail she wanted, put it in her bag and left having used a MASTER key.
I had to cancel a graduation gift, a bank cashier’s check , b/c it never got to my granddaughter. You pay for that service! You also pay a $31.00 bank fee for lost checks in the mail. The cancellation only lasts 6 months and then the thieves can try to wash it and cash it after that time. Just look up mail fraud in Chicago. There are plenty of stories and videos. I know about Zelle but haven’t decided yet.
The USPO is not a safe mailing place anymore if it ever was imo..
My spouse made silver jewelry in his small retail shop. Over the years, his accumulated scrap silver was worth reclaiming (when scrap silver was very high) so he took the package to the local post office and mailed it, insured. When he didn’t get the acknowledgement, he had the post office trace it. Sure enough the package never left the origin post office. He was reimbursed.
Yikes. Thanks for the heads up.
If it takes a little longer Sundance no worries here. I’d rather your tech team build it bulletproof and stable as opposed to reaching a deadline.
I’ll put some $ in as a type of tithing from now on. The Paypal thing PMO a good bit + led me to start regular donations in a couple of places as well as the CT Court’s InfoWars penalty decision.
I dropped Paypal years ago because they froze my account a few times a year because I’d be in different cities + countries.
Sundance I just made a small donation to test the process again, and PayPal has sent a confirmation email and a suggestion that I create a PayPal account. That is the first time that has happened! I had an account years ago but never really used it so had closed it out. I have always chosen the credit/debit card option and I never save that info for convenience. I appreciate that CTH will be moving to another donation processor. God Bless.
Granny same thing happened to me an hour ago..
Best of luck with all of it, Sundance. Millions of patriots are in the same situation. We will stand or fall together.
Would the Conservative Christian folks at Give-Send-Go be able to securely handle your donations? They worked with the Trucker Convoy when GoFundMe declined to allow folks to fund them.
I won’t use GoFundMe due to their large % taken out of donations – plus they refused to allow funds for the policeman wrongly accused during the Michael Brown mess.
I just spent three days in Amsterdam. All food/Beverge/books/clothing items were transacted in Bitcoin. There are privacy protections using Bitcoin that you desire, suggest you set up a BTC PayServer to process your contributions. People can buy Bitcoin to donate using Azteco vouchers and a signing device (wallet) such as MUUN or Samourai.
Let’s go!
Our auto mechanic uses a system that’s end/end encryption so I know it can be done. Time and testing. And – personally I’ll be very happy when you’re not in thrall to PayPal – I used a credit car that will be processed by PP, but I still don’t trust the buggers. They still retained the right to penalize users for “stuff they don’t like.” They just called it something else.
AWESOME.
Am BELIEVING WITHOUT a SHRED of DOUBT that by the End of This year, much of the potential for Trouble from America’s opposition will no longer be creating troublesome issues.
But I also believe that takes plenty of Gumption by True American Heroes to make moves showing the True One of Heaven our Determination For Which We Stand.
Elvis is one of Millions who said it well – He Is Our Everything.
“…much of the potential for Trouble from America’s opposition will no longer be creating troublesome issues.”
They will be too busy pointing the finger at each other.
It’s also been reported that he prayed, “Send me some light–I need it,” before every performance. Gotta love that one! 🥰
Sundance, Bongino’s site: Home – Parallel Economies
The site provides links as well as advertises companies who are behind privacy and freedom.
Some sites have gone over to Stripe. No idea if they are trustworthy.
RUMBLE AND BonGino’s parallel economy processing.
Thank you for addressing this, especially at a trying time for you. Thank you for taking the time to explain how and what you are doing. Don’t fathom the liability you might face adequately, but hope you are covered as best you can.
That is the problem isn’t it. If this creates a legal liability some asswhole will try to exploit it!
PayPal may or may have not been told by its lawyers that a payment transaction-processing institution does not own the money that customers have on deposit with it: it holds these funds only “in trust.” It is entitled to its processing fees, but it has no legal power to “penalize” any depositor by diverting said depositor’s funds to itself. It must on demand promptly return all funds that are on deposit.
Further, it is required to hold its depositors’ identities and transaction history secret, except to comply with a valid search warrant.
A payment processor has obligations to report any suspected criminal activity, but it cannot, itself, take any adverse action of any kind. For its protection, it is presumed not to be “a party to” any criminal activity which from time to time will of course occur.
PayPal claimed not to understand any of this, and by its statement it showed that it does not care. Therefore, PayPal should no longer be in the business that it pioneered for so many people. And, I suspect, very soon it will not be. Buh-bye!!
While I agree with your sentiment tell that legal stuff to the J6 political prisoners or President Trump or …….
Good luck with the new system. I have never liked PayPal . I would rather just straight forward send a donation via card or check.
I want to keep financially supporting 🌳 🏡 . This is a necessity.
If this was a Company on the Right fining $2500 clams to any lefty you would see hundreds of lawsuits. Why is the Lawfare on the Right so weak?
There is no Lawfare on the right.
Sundance, other websites also want privacy and reliable payment processing. Test the market for your new system, and I bet you can at least get your investment back.
It’s emblematic of the lunacy of the uniparty. Their ideas are so good they have to cheat to attain their demented goals. The good news, PayPal is taking it on the chin and in time will be another failed tech firm who committed WWW suicide.
Truth is the enemy of these cretins. Sundance and the team at CTH excel in truth, American Patriotism and God are the trifecta of swamp sins, I couldn’t be prouder to participate.
Note: Same thing happened to Catturd and many others, you’re in good company.
You lead we’ll follow.
God Bless Sundance and team!
Just made a contribution with my late husband’s Paypal account.
I don’t know what the hell I am doing wrong. I just tried to contribute $200.00 and could not get it to work. I have donated before with no problems. I don’t want a PayPal account. As soon as this new system is up and running — I’m in.
I have a dedicated credit card set up with PP. When having to use PayPal, they charge this one specific credit card. Should they decide that I’m undesirable as a customer and pop that credit card $2500.00 – I’m declining the charge and cancelling the credit card. PP will NOT get their theft money.
Thank you for that update, Sundance!
I am delighted to learn your tech team can construct such a system! I am one of your subscribers that uses the PayPal service, and quite frankly I have not (yet) canceled my PayPal account because that is how I am able to support your services.
As soon as you are ready, I will happily move my payment to your system and cancel PayPal. Since the Canadian Truckers event, I have been very aware of how the banking/financial system is attempting to control us all, I resent it and will not submit to it!
Hats off to you and your team! I do hope that once this crisis is in your rear view mirror, that your payment service can be scalable and portable enough for other content providers to use (Patreon is another I would like to eliminate), and I can simply move everything over to a platform that will not try to control or extort me based on my beliefs.
God Bless you and the CTH community! You are part of my daily life. I would be more ignorant and more poor and frankly lonely, without you all.
“…If God is for us, who can be against us?” ~Romans 8:31
Dedicated, fierce, morally uncompromised, willing to stand in front of and take all the incoming, indefatigable, with an army of like minded troops to back him up.
We in the trenches behind you all working on this are overwhelmed with deep gratitude your efforts in taking a principled stand and telling these who would have us silenced it will not happen on our watch.
Thank you all, you armoured up Watchmen in the highest branches of this patriotic Tree.
” I have to accept all legal liability for the transaction.”
What legal liabilities are you speaking about?
Transaction disputes, fraud, etc. Mostly the ordinary stuff.
See my comment below, check donations several times to make sure no crazies out to just clog you up in court…..multi year process over end result in your favor. Better to refuse a sketchy donations than wind up in crazy land.
I can help with the fraud side of payment processing. Its what my company does.
That’s it, wearingsteel… amongst us is the knowledge and know how Sundance needs!
The things we have to insure and indemnify against when using credit card processors.
Sundance… check your business insurance. We enrolled in a rider to protect our business against fraud.
Where is your friendly business insurance agent? You can get insurance for CTH as I did for my business’s offering Patriot Academy training courses.
This is education… there is no difference and cost me about $1200/year… however your limits of liability would likely be much higher.
You can do this. Think outside the box!
Your friend,
JWoo
I think Treepers should get one of those reloadable/disposable (VISA) debit cards like Walmart offers.
People could open one with a small amount and keep a low balance.
That way they could pay with a certain degree of anonymity (it doesn’t require a lot of personal info like a bank account does) and it would limit Sundance’s liability. If somehow the site got hacked the MOST that could be exploited would be a card with a limited amount loaded onto it (like $50 for instance). If that got stolen I wouldn’t ask or expect Sundance to pay me back. Cost of doing business in a secure environment.
That type of card would protect both ends of the transaction.
to activate the disposable debit card you must provide personally identifiable information: phone number, email (which usually requires phone number) etc
it’s a sticky wicket for sure
if CTH starts taking (for example) bitcoin, the feds will be all over them
😡 Big Brother is watching!
What about a proxy email and a burner phone?
And his CPA will have an aneurysm.