Not strictly crypto related, but clearly relevant to
online anonymity....
www.internetcash.com
It appears to work like this:
The consumer purchases a card - similar to a phone card -
for cash from a retail location (mostly in NY at this time).
Cards come in denominations from $10 to $100. Apparently
the vendor gets a commission on each card.
You can also purchase cards online with a credit card.
The consumer exposes the card's hidden serial number,
goes to the internetcash web site, and activates the
card, along with a user-supplied PIN.
Using the card and the PIN, the user can then purchase
items online, with payments as low as 50 cents accepted.
Note that at no point has any information linking the
purchaser of the card to a real world identity been passed.
Of course, if you're buying something made of atoms, the
vendor will need a shipping address.
I'm not sure where internetcash.com gets their profit -
perhaps from float and unredeemed fractions left on
cards.
Peter Trei
Disclaimer: This has nothing to do with my employer,
though I should note that Jim Bidzos and Ron RIvest
are on the board. I have no relationship with Internetcash
of any kind.
