Best way to create a relatively private Amazon account

Questions
1

Hey everyone, wanted to get some advice on the statement in the title.

I want to create an Amazon account for online shopping with a focus on privacy. I understand whole-heartedly that such a thing could be considered oxymoronic, but if I could get such a thing to work long-term, it would make my life a lot easier. My goal isn’t to be completely anonymous - I just want to avoid tying this Amazon account/purchases to my personal identity, and instead tied to a fake alias of someone who doesn’t exist.

I DON’T want Amazon to have, in order of importance:

  • Government ID (especially non-negotiable)
  • Bank/(Real) Card Details
  • Home Address
  • Personal Phone Number
  • Real Name/Birthday/Other minor PII

The obvious high-level solution for each of these is of course lying, but the root of the conundrum is this: How do I make this account without triggering Amazon’s verification system?

I tried this once with the whole privacy rigmarole (Tor, email/name/birthday alias, virtual debit card, online free SMS verification, etc). This obviously did not end up working. After trying to order something <5$ super small as a test, I was locked out and asked to provide ID.

Now obliviously it’s hard to say exactly what tripped the wire, but that’s why I’m here. What environment setup wouldn’t be seen as suspicious and be less likely to trigger a verification check?

I’m stretching my knowledge here, so any advice is appreciated. My plan, and reasoning for each:

  1. Use a Windows VM (base machine is Linux)
    a. As I understand it, using Linux won’t screw you over on its own, but it could tip the scales towards verification in combination with other factors.
    b. Tor is also probably a no-go; too suspicious.

  2. Use Google Chrome to interact with the service (or base Firefox, instead of Librewolf). Never use the mobile app
    a. Same point as above; Firefox and more specifically Librewolf could also tip the scales.
    b. I might need to also build up a fake profile of cookies overtime and such to make my browser not look as much as a clean-slate and unintentionally become more suspicious that way.

  3. Get a static or residential VPN instead of a data-center VPN
    a. Maybe even public WiFi with no VPN?

  4. Use dedicated burner phone-number (non-VoIP)
    a. Buying a physical burner phone could work, which would give me a phone number in my country. I could also do one of the paid dedicated online services (like crypton.sh). In my experience these don’t have number in my country; would that matter too much?
    b. VoIP is usually always flagged for big services, so a dedicated number/device is likely the best shot.

  5. Use card alias/virtualization service (Privacy.com, for example)
    a. Not sure if these virtual cards have any identifiers which could trigger anything, but if I can’t use these, this is probably all for nothing.

  6. All orders will go to Amazon Locker or other non-identifying locations
    a. Self explanatory. Don’t want to give my actual address.

  7. Disable all tracking/privacy settings (after account creation)
    a. Also self explanatory. I’ve been told before that doing this too quickly after creation is also suspicious , so might have to wait and let the account sit for a few days after creation.

This is likely a sisyphean task and not worth it, and if anyone thinks that this still wouldn’t be enough, then I obviously will have to look towards ordering directly from vendors instead of through Amazon. That is obviously always a option, but I would be lying if I said the convenience of Amazon is why I’m tempted to do all of this in the first place.

Thanks everyone; let me know your thoughts.

2 Likes
2

Here is a workaround:

3

can you really trust the vendor? How can you prove they’re reliable among other things

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4

The way I have used in the past is use an alias email, buy and load my account with Amazon credit via a gift card I purchased via cash at a large local retailer where they sell them, and use that to order to a locker near me.

This way works well but it’s been a while since I tried this so not sure if this still works. I see no reason for it to not. Try making the account without a VPN at a coffee shop or something so it atleast won’t flag your account immediately even if you use/sign in with a VPN at home later.

That’s my best advice. Give it a try. Hope this helps.

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5

No, what I do have is more information:

I cannot answer questions about extending trust to third-parties, nor can I prove that any of them are reliable, whether in the past or present, since they are subject to unreliability in the future.

6

This is another one. There are seemingly well rated services by people who believe in the same privacy and freedom things we do and these people can also act as a proxy between you and your purchase. Getting it delivered to an address you can receive is the only hindrance. If your local PO can accept packages at your PO Box, then see if the proxy can get it delivered to your box directly. PO Box as far as I know is not PII.

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7

I already know about them and other workarounds.

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8

I was also commenting for OP’s reference.

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9

then clarify that, don’t treat is as the solution (or “workaround”)

there are better ways to solve this.

for example yes, alias phone number, email and opt to use lockers if you can open them with say the pincode sent to you in some form like alias email. and you cna use s virtual card for payment without needing to enter a real billing address unless amazon gets suspicious enough

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10

Last thing to add:

I think you may be going too overboard with shielding yourself from Amazon with all your measures.

There is no need to use Tor or a VM. Simply using a VPN + jmp.chat number + privacy.com card/Amazon gift card is enough to obfuscate Amazon from knowing or attributing you/any PII to your purchases.

Keep things simple. It’s still possible today.

2 Likes
11

Good luck with your endeavour.

12

this here is what I wanna see.

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13

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I understand I might be going a bit overboard with the suggested process, but I suppose I wanted to err on the very far side of caution so I don’t waste money and time on the creation process.

I’ll stick with the tried and true simple method (as suggested), and I’ll follow-up here if necessary.

Thanks again!

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14

In online shopping, fraud systems evaluate trust scores based on device/browser fingerprint, behavior, IP, session consistency, cookies, etc.

Virtual machines, especially poorly configured ones, leave clear traces of virtualization (virtual hardware, etc.), which these systems detect and lower your score.

There’s an entire market for this, including anti-detect browsers that alter the fingerprint to simulate different users. I believe their main focus is managing multiple accounts, not just privacy. I avoid using them because I don’t trust them enough.

The same applies to extreme privacy browsers or very advanced configs: over-obfuscating your identity makes the system see you as less trustworthy, since you deviate from normal user patterns. This topic is kind of taboo, as fraudsters use the same privacy tactics.

I think the safest solution for online shopping in general, and to ensure some level of privacy, is a dedicated device just for purchases (e.g., a cheap/refurbished phone), with a clean account and no mixing with daily use. This keeps the fingerprint consistent.

Michael Bazzell, in older editions of Extreme Privacy, recommended VMs for isolation, but in more recent versions he no longer does. VMs are still mentioned, but not as a priority for sensitive activities like payments and banking.

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15

Is this why I can never get online payment to work on my Qubes desktop…

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16

I have a little testimony on this, hoping to help you.

I try to pay for all my products physically to avoid Amazon and support the “smaller” ones (bookstores, short circuits, etc.). I went through https://anonshop.app/ once: the process itself was short but delay was long because the people behind it have to manage a lot of orders, but I received my items physically in an Amazon locker in Paris, in France. Some lockers (you can find the list) have less verifications than others and only require a six-digit code that Anon Shop will provide you. Anon Shop and Amazon had no information on me apart from the locker and my products. It was really good.

Don’t be in a hurry: It took three weeks in total while the locker was in the capital. Maybe it was exceptional, I don’t know. And I haven’t even talked about the fees to get XMR + the tax that Anon Shop takes. And it was in early 2025, that may have changed.

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17

Right, Anon Shop does not use Amazon Prime for orders by default, and any expedited shipping options cost extra.

18

This is what I did:

I created the Amazon account at home over a vpn with the name Lex Luthor. Why the account wasn’t shut down right away I can’t say.

A safer way is to create the account without a vpn away from home, maybe a library, coffee shop, whatever. Wait a week before putting any funds in the account. Buy a $10 Amazon giftcard and apply it to your account and put a cheap item in your cart but don’t order it. Wait another week. At this point it’s safe to add more funds to your account. This is roughly what Michael Bazzell does for his clients when they are doing a full reboot.

I buy giftcards at the grocery store and have purchases sent to an Amazon locker.
Amazon doesn’t have my name, phone number, credit card, or home address.
I used the Amazon app to open the locker (lockers here don’t have the pin pad).

This was fine until I bought something that couldn’t go to a locker. I used my real name ( it’s very common so I’m not too concerned ) and had the purchase sent to the post office. I show the clerk my id (it’s not scanned) and the email containing the barcode.

Amazon having just my name, city, and purchase history is private enough for me.

Edit: I live in Canada so that may change PII that I have to give to Amazon.

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19

Not necessarily.

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20

If you want to receive at your house, you could consider this advice from the OPSEC Bible.

In addition, remember that you should use your real name. Using a fake name at a delivery address where you normally receive packages under your real name can raise suspicion — not just with the postal service, but with the authorities as well. Furthermore, avoid sending illegal items to a location where other people, especially those who are responsible for you, live. If a package is discovered by the authorities, they may be held liable instead of you.

Using a fake name is a weak tactic on its own. Packages are routed by delivery address, not by recipient name.

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