[tor-talk] BitPay seems to be rejecting payments via Tor

[Moritz Bartl]

On 17.03.2017 11:01, Mirimir wrote:
> I've checked a few VPN and VPS providers that use BitPay, and payments
> are being rejected. No CAPTCHA, just a message to check with the
> provider. I've heard similar reports from others.

As Zwiebelfreunde/Torservers, we registered a Bitpay 'merchant' account
on 16.11.2016, and they shut us down on 31.1.2017.

I set it to accept payments instantly, and I configured that 'customers'
don't have a fill out the customer information form (since for us, it's
donations, and I don't care about double spending).

I did a first test "payment" on 18.11., of course via Tor. On
23.11.2016, they sent us a first "inquiry" regarding that transaction:

=================================
During a routine review of your merchant account associated with
[WEBSITE], we noticed some recent invoices, on which we need some
additional information by 30 November 2016. This type of transactional
inquiry is sent on an ongoing basis to all our merchants as part of our
routine monitoring program.
[...]
Could you please provide us with the following:

  * Copy of the invoice for the good/service provided (you can redact
the shopper information if you wish to do so);
  * Without relaying any confidential personal information, could you
let me know what type of information you obtained for this transaction
(e.g., shopper name, address, ID if any, etc.)?
=================================

I told them it was exclusively donations towards our non-profit, and
that we don't have any invoices or customer information. I pointed them
(again) at the donate.html page. The person wrote back "Thanks for the
follow-up! I don't have any other questions at this point."

We received donations on 6.12., 3.1. and 7.1, each without "customer
information".

Then, on 24.1.2017, we got this:

=================================
Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that your business presents
a higher risk for us and therefore we will no longer be able to service
you. More specifically, we have seen a number of higher risk
transactions during our routine monitoring program and this has led to
the decision to close your account. Your pending funds will be fully
settled per your normal settlement instructions.

In order to give you the opportunity to take measures such as informing
your customers or looking for an alternative solution, the termination
of services will become effective as of 31 January 2017.

Please be sure to obtain any information that you might need from the
merchant dashboard within a week, as your account will be deactivated on
31 January 2017.

Please note our decision is final and a re-instatement of transaction
capabilities after 31 January 2017 is not possible.
=================================

-- 
Moritz Bartl
https://www.torservers.net/