We should know that accessing public WiFi connection is very dangerous, if not secure, it is not safe, hackers can use it to access someones device's sensitive information, we should depict public WiFi as insecure means of connecting online. Assuming you have your bitcoin wallet sensitive data or even banking details on your phone, or you save your password while accessing a website on browsers, all these can be compromised if the WiFi connection is not secure and not safe, and most likely that the connection is not safe and should not be trusted at all.

The means of connections are service provider, but due to some reasons which I can not begin to explain, it is not highly safe too, hackers can still try to hack someone's sensitive accounts that require because of knowing the IP address of the person, although, only in some cases. Also, the service provider providing the data connecrion can still access someone's privacy.

VPN is also good, but there are many VPN that keeps the log of users, but ExpressVPN has been the best so far,  VPN can be reputed but the VPN provider can still access someones privacy.

The best is to use Tor, it is slow but it is the best as the connection is proven to be secure and safe from any party.

Christie’s auction house has announced the sale of a digital portrait of the Bitcoin code for more than $130,000. It marks the first time a non-fungible token (NFT) was auctioned at a major auction house, and the price exceeded expectations.

According to the auction house, an unknown buyer purchased "Block 21," comprised of a physical piece of art and an NFT representing Satoshi Nakamoto for $131,250 at Christie's on Oct. 7 as part of its “Post-War and Contemporary Day Auction.” Bidding started at $22,000.

The artwork, created by Ben Gentilli with the Robert Alice project, is one of 40 creations in a series, and holds exactly 322,048 digits of Satoshi’s original Bitcoin (BTC) code. The series, titled "Portraits of a Mind", shows the cryptocurrency's 12.3 million digits of original code individually engraved and painted on 40 different circular panels stretching more than 50 meters in length.


Portraits of a Mind, Block 21. Image: Robert Alice/Ben Gentilli

A portrait of Satoshi Nakamoto, in 40 parts
The artist behind this painstaking process, Ben Gentilli of the Robert Alice project, has called this collective piece Portraits of a Mind. Described as a digital fingerprint carved out of paint, each of the 40 individual pieces contains a chunk of the original code. Taken together, they represent a global portrait of Satoshi Nakamoto—Bitcoin’s anonymous founder, who first released the cryptocurrency’s original code in January 2009.
“Bitcoin’s original codebase is like a historical document, and I wanted to celebrate it and preserve it in the same way as a document like the Magna Carta,” Gentilli told Decrypt. “But I also wanted to try and answer the question of how one might make a portrait of Satoshi Nakamoto, when there is no image of him.”

Portraits of a Mind, he argues, depicts Satoshi through his work. “For me, this work is a portrait of Satoshi, decentralized around the world, in the same way that Bitcoin itself is,” he explained.

“I wanted to try and answer the question of how one might make a portrait of Satoshi Nakamoto, when there is no image of him.”
Ben Gentilli

The works themselves are canvas discs, 50.59in in diameter, layered with suspended pigment, and graphite and aluminum paint, with each digit individually engraved. Dotted here and there are gold digits—a metaphor for mining—arranged in a constellation-like pattern of decentralization.


The series consists of 40 discs. Image: Robert Alice/Ben Gentilli


The artwork depicts the complete codebase of Bitcoin. Image: Robert Alice/Ben Gentilli


Portraits of a Mind artist Ben Gentilli, of Robert Alice. Image: Robert Alice/Ben Gentilli

https://decrypt.co/42581/a-massive-bitcoin-artwork-is-being-auctioned-at-christies?amp=1
https://cointelegraph.com/news/crypto-art-piece-sells-for-130k-at-christie-s-auction-house/amp

So far customer support has replied you not to worry, that means your funds are safe, no issue of any hack yet, which means BitMaxz is right. You should wait until this is over, it can happen on exchanges due to one reason or the other, but for this case, there is nothing to be worried about.

Hey guys, I know that Crypto altcoins and Defi is a huge hype at the moment

Many altcoins can be a kind of hyip as some DeFi projects are definitely scam, but unlike bitcoin which is well known and well established than to be dumped like altcoins. DeFi seemed more of an ICO in an advanced way, there was one I remembered that happened recently that pulled an exit scam after just foundation whitelisted it and legitimized by tron until the DeFi project was known to be scam, there are many other cases like that, greediness has made people to only just think one side way and be scammed. I will like you to correct that statement, change the crypto to altcoins because bitcoin does not take part of any scam, only some altcoins do.

You are right, and despite the kyc for anti money laundering and counter-terrorism financing, this has not stopped exchanges to be hacked, there are exchanges that are hacked and closed down, and not able to refund customers funds, and no compensation in such a way nothing the governments will do.

How about the real scam exchanges also that having nothing to do but only one thing, to scam. People need to know more about cryptocurrencies  before starting to invest in it, and as for the centralized exchanges, they are not safe and secure by design, if cryptocurrencies can be hacked on the exchanges like the way we are seeing, how about data beaches that would have led to phishimg attacks that may not be disclosed.

No matter how successful the exchanges are, we should know that they are not safe by design, and should let us remember that not his key, not his coin.

I was shocked as I read on crypto news that 75 crypto exchanges have closed down so far, in 2020 alone. And as we all know that the reasons why the exchanges will be closed down will be due to hacks or scams while some were reported to leave without unknown reasons. It is also known that not only exchanges that are disappearing, but altcoins too are included, almost 2,000 altcoins and tokens are no longer existing.

---

According to the Crypto Wisser Exchange Graveyard five of the exchanges were labelled as scams, and four including Altsbit, and Nerae, were flagged as being hacked. In total 31 were shut down voluntarily while 34 were labeled as ‘MIA’ for disappearing with no explanation. Dutch exchange NLexch, and Chilean Chilebit were the only two flagged as being shut down by their respective governments in 2020. There are some macro trends which help explain why so many smaller exchanges are failing. The growth of DeFi and the rise of decentralized exchanges in 2020 has put the final nail in the coffin for many smaller operations. Regulatory pressure has also increased since the early days of the industry and many exchanges simply haven’t been able to keep up with the requirements. Hacks and scams are also cited as growing issues for exchanges. Crypto exchanges are not the only entities disappearing however. According to the user-generated content site deadcoins.com there are almost 2,000 altcoins and tokens that no longer exist.

Crypto exchanges are disappearing at a fast rate this year.
https://cointelegraph.com/news/75-crypto-exchanges-have-closed-down-so-far-in-2020

---

With this news alone, we can draw out that many people have been scammed, and it is because they do not know much about bitcoin, altcoins, wallets and exchanges. Not your key not your coin is the rule, exchanges are often hacked, and there are many fake exchanges and wallets that are only owned by malicious actors, anyone that find such wallet or exchange will only be a victim of fraud and be scammed if deposited into such accounts, people just invest on altcoins and lost investment capital(s). Crypto is not what we can just start dealing with, we need to study and know about it very well in order not to be scam victim(s) like in pump and dump projects like in wolf of wall street, fake exchanges and fake wallets and through phishing and other scam means of defrauding people.

With your new rank, it is evident to know clearly how you have contributed good to this forum, with your experience, you will know a lot about bitcoin and crypto market in general, I will like Zasad@ to even interview you, so you can share us your experience in the journey of crypto. All I could comment now is that you have really tried, and happy seeing you ranked up. You are an example and one of the role models of this forum that new members should emulate, they should not have such bad and poor mindset that it is difficult to rank up on this forum, they should know about this forum, know the norms of posting, they will also rank up one day.

Congrats.

No, this is a misconception. That means you do not know how bitcoin and its price works. Bitcoin is decentralized to everyone, it is not a shady currency but it is available to people to learn about it, invest it and trade it. People are invesring in bitcoin more than before, people are now very well trading it, people sell and buy and the rate of buying and selling is high, bitcoin is not about paying old investors with new investors money, we all know about bitcoin, and not a must to trade it, but depicting it bad is wrong.

Bitcoin serves the money purpose
For now, bitcoin is serving the money purpose, I can use it to trade just like money is used to trade, I have used it to buy from people, I have used it to make profits, and still I am my own bank, bitcoin is fully decentralized.

If bitcoin is a ponzi then fiat is more than a ponzi
Although, neither bitcoin nor fiat are ponzi, but can be used to pay for scammers. But, fiats always devalue and its worth is becoming lesser all the time, in undeveloped and developing countries, the policians will buy houses abroad like in UK and USA, have assets in such developed countries but devaluing their countries money, is that not a ponzi -like of a thing where politicos gain but devastating their country while the less privileges are suffering from governmental money devaluation. The world is not balance at all.

Bitcoin not a ponzi.

You are right, but I want to include one to it, which is DeFi, there are scam in DeFi projects now, some people will not know about it but onl want to invest in DeFi. There was a time Tron even legitimize a project that pulled and exit scam recently, and there are many other DeFi scam. People will not know about what they are investing on, and be scammed, this is so common, it will be good for people to research very well before greed take from them but never give anything in return.

The deadliest thing someone should do is to click on ads, I made a topic recently to let people know how important privacy is important while online and how the privacy can be compromised by careless and unknown means of browsing https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5280274.0 As deadly as clicking on ads can be, it is just one part to avoid scammers, there are other parts to be known, some are revealed in the article, and will be helpful for beginners.

I was wondering why United State SEC in a statement last year, 2019 says bitcoin is not used in money laundering and terrorism financing, I believed criminal activities of 1.1% is very low and would be the reason.

Centralization has helped to an extent, but it is very surprising that they are not able to handle malicious activities, only few are heard about while plenty are happening, that is why fiats which is more centralized is used in illegal activities as of now than bitcoin, and that is why centralized authorities are not able to handle scam activities correctly. I do not know why governments only want to be chasing scammers when they can also teach people how to avoid it, this has never even been a course of study in school. They are more focusing on what should not be the prerequisites, focusing on scam avoidance should be the first move while the rest can follow.

I do not even know what the governments are doing towards big companies like google that are helping scammers indirectly. But, while scammmers are using transparent fiats, they are able to handle it effectively as governments are not able to handle the scammers effectively. I also do not like blockchain not to be transparent, transparency do matters, which bitcoin provides.

With the level of scam seen in fiats, governments may be making ineffective efforts if they did not educate people how to avoid it irrespecrive of using bitcoin with transparent ledger or using cryptocurrencies  like monero that has non-transparent ledger, imo.

1. Cryptotalk banned 7 countries, these countries can not access the site, it will display error 1020.
2. Cryptotalk do ban even legit accounts, not like this forum that you will have rest of mind that you will not be banned.
3. Information on cryptotalk is not quality like the ones on this forum
4. Cryptotalk members do spam, why won't they, they are posting 30 posts daily and now 20 post daily. It is not even spam at times because daily post requirement is too many.
5. You can not access cryptotalk with phone broswer version unless you convert it to desktop
6. There are more Russian members than the members in the rest of the world, that is why russian sections are more active. Are they implying Russians knows better than the rest of the world.
7. They are not paying in bitcoin again, there payment is complex. They pay in talk token while talking token is not yet tradable. There bitcoin payment is now one of the hardest.
8. Payment is not according to ranking, how would that work. Ranking in accordance to payments makes forum to have quality
9. In term of payment, I prefer hear. But you have to work hard.

Who is in cryptotalk should be afraid, and have alternatives means because they do ban people after they have used the person (evidence is the russian section that is more active with more members which was not like that before), if the person contributes not like before, and not russian, he will be banned with only just simple mistakes that is not spam, plagiarism nor having multiple accounts.

Although, I really specially specified on Tor again as the last part of the article, but, your comment gives more insight that VPN providers do claim to not save logs which is a lie. Only when goverments are in need of them to take down hackers are the time people will realized they are saving logs, this is 100% true. The worst part of it, is that after taking down the hackers, they will still claim they are not saving logs. That is why Tor is the best means to achieve most high level of privacy but it is slower than other means but the best.

That is correct, there are lots more to be reviewed, I noticed one thing, I have three devices and I used the same email on all the three devices before, I was using VPN on just one of the devices before, later I decided to use VPN on the three devices, all I noticed was that my password to login on the VPN just pop up when I wanted to sign in on the other two devices. Not only that, it happens to anything I am doing using an app I already have on one device but want to log in on another device having the same google email. I later knew google backs up my data. If one of the device is stolen by hackers, that will be the end as all my passwords will be known to the hackerss, because all my logging details are stored on google, I later have to delete all the login details. So now, I also deleted main google account on the two devices, and anytime I am registering for anything on my device, I do not save passwords again but only making back ups offlinne. You are very right.

You are right, VPN has its own issues, there are many VPN providers that indicated they do not save users log, but lies, I have noticed many case like that, about the ones you have just implied now, I found it now to also be true.

Table of contents
Abstract
Introduction
1. Privacy-based browsers
       Firefox
       Tor browser
       DuckDuckGo
2. Privacy Search Engines
       DuckDuckGo
       Qwant
Information Google and other big companies are tracking
Why is Google tracking an issue?
3. Encrypting Internet connection with VPN
       ExpressVPN Best VPN for Tor
       NordVPN Budget VPN
       Surfshark
       CyberGhost
       PrivateVPN’s
       IPVanish
4. Making your communications private
       Using encrypted email(s)
       Limiting information shared publicly
       Limiting information shared privately
5. Be vigilant of phishing attacks
6. Keep your device always locked
When to use Tor
Conclusion



Abstract
People are ignorant of online privacy, they do not know how careless online usage has reduce their online privacy, not knowing how big tech companies like google are integrating their data (online information) and selling it for data-hungery companies, even unkomwing selling it directly or indirectly to scammers. Any personal data online is not safe so far it is not offline, and while the data are collected and integrated by these big companies like google, possibly can lead to date breaches which hackers can use to track victims into stealing bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies from him. Being careful of the browsers, search engines, VPNs, emails and many others such as being careful of the social media and the data we are sharing while online are all requisites to high level of privacy we can have online which can effectively protect us from hackers that want to steal bitcoin from us.


Introduction
People store keys to digital assets like bitcoin on phones, tablets and computers, this should make people to be conscious of their privacy, there are mistakes that can make hackers penetrate into victims computers and steal the keys which will be used to unlock the bitcoin by hackers and be stolen. Also, stealing any other sensitive data is possible which can lead to damages for victims. That is why privacy is very important in this digital era in order to be safe from hackers.

Many people use computers, tablets and phones to go online without knowing about privacy which is very important for self protection especially from attackers (scammers). People are making use of search engines the way they want, download any browser they wish, expose themselves online, not even conscious of how harmful these could to. Peoples' negligence about privacy makes them go online and be scammed, or resulting to malware download that can later results to bitcoin or other crypto wallets being hacked by attackers. Total Internet privacy is impossible, but you can get close by adjusting your online behavior — and a few of your privacy settings.

Phones, tablets, computers and other devices used to access the internet should be carefully used, there are many softwares that can unknowing make people not to have privacy, these softwares are mostly owned by big companies like google while there are some softwares needed on devices in order to have privacy. How we handle our devices generally is very important in maintaining privacy also.


1. Privacy-based browsers
The first to focus on are browsers, there are some privacy browsers but some browsers are privacy invaders, a good example of privacy invader browser is Chrome which is owned by tech giant called Google. Your web browser is the vehicle that carries you around the Internet to your desired websites. As such, it knows precisely what sites you have visited, how long you spent browsing them, and what you clicked on (or almost clicked on). Anyone who has access to your web browser can have a window into your income, your political leanings, and even your sexual preferences. This is why it’s so important to only use browsers you know will protect and improve your internet privacy. Below web browsers are best in keeping your browsing history safe from data-hungry tech companies and advertisers.

Firefox


The open source Firefox is the third-most-popular browser on the Internet, behind Google’s Chrome and Apple’s Safari. Developed by Mozilla, the Firefox team has improved the browser’s privacy protections in recent years. They have introduced advanced anti-fingerprinting and Enhanced Tracking Protection features this year, both of which make it much more difficult for third-party trackers to follow you around the Internet. If you primarily browse the Internet on your mobile device, Firefox Focus incorporates automatic ad blocking.

Tor browser


Tor is the best option if privacy is your utmost concern. The Tor browser is based on Firefox, but it has been stripped down and specially calibrated to run on the Tor network. When you use Tor, your traffic is encrypted three times and bounced between three Tor servers before it reaches your desired website. The encryption is handled in such a way that each server only has access to one set of instructions, so no server has access to both your IP address and the website you are visiting. This setup makes it impossible for Tor to keep any records about your online activity, and every time you close your session, the browser deletes your cookie cache and browsing history. The browser itself is formatted to prevent fingerprinting, and it blocks all kinds of trackers. Unfortunately, it also blocks a lot of plugins that websites rely on. For example, with its privacy settings fully activated, the Tor browser will block JavaScript. JavaScript can expose user information, but blocking it can make websites unusable. Using Tor can also mean performing endless CAPTCHA verifications when you try to access larger sites. Finally, the Tor browser is slower than other browsers because of the extra encryption.

DuckDuckGo


Unlike the other browsers mentioned above, DuckDuckGo does not have a standalone desktop browser, which means it is only a solution if you are browsing the Internet on your smartphone or tablet. With the DuckDuckGo browser, your browsing history never leaves your device. Deleting your entire browsing history is as easy as tapping a single button. It automatically blocks ads, stops third-party trackers, and ensures HTTPS encryption on all sites where that’s possible. One feature that does set it apart is the Privacy Grade it gives each site. This makes it easy for you to evaluate how much data each website collects from you, with and without DuckDuckGo’s protections, at a single glance.


2. Privacy Search Engines
The second to focus on are the search engines we are using, the reason why we should focus on search engines is discussed below using google as an example of privacy-invading search engines. Popular search engines like Google and Bing track your searches and other online activity.


DuckDuckGo


DuckDuckGo, unlike Google, utilizes the traditional method of “sponsored links” to display the advertisements. The ads are not focused on you but only the topic you are searching for – so there is nothing that could generate a profile of you in any manner – thereby respecting your privacy. Of course, DuckDuckGo’s search algorithm may not be the smartest around (because it has no idea who you are!). And, if you want to utilize one of the best privacy oriented alternative search engines to Google, you will have to forget about getting a personalized experience while searching for something. The search results are simplified with specific meta data. It lets you select a country to get the most relevant result you may be looking for. Also, when you type in a question or search for a fix, it might present you with an instant answer (fetched from the source). Although, you might miss quite a few functionalities (like filtering images by license) – that is an obvious trade-off to protect your privacy.

Qwant


Qwant is probably one of the most loved privacy oriented search engines after DuckDuckGo. It ensures neutrality, privacy, and digital freedom while you search for something on the Internet. If you thought privacy-oriented search engines generally tend to offer a very casual user experience, you need to rethink after trying out Qwant. This is a very dynamic search engine with trending topics and news stories organized very well. It may not offer a personalized experience (given that it does not track you) – but it does offer a rich user experience. Qwant is a very useful search engine alternative to Google. It lists out all the web resources, social feeds, news, and images on the topic you search for.

Lists of other privacy search engines
Startpage
Privatelee
searX
MetaGer
Swisscows
Peekier
Ecosia
Gibiru
Mojeek

Information Google and other big companies are tracking, and why
IP address
Location
Unique browser, app, and device identifiers
Search terms

When you think about how many times a day you enter a search term in Google, it’s easy to see how easy it would be for the company to build up a profile that strongly reflects what you do on a day-to-day basis. For example, we tend to search for a ton of topics related to our personal lives, all these information represent a pot of gold for advertisers. Advertisements are highly targeted to us based on our online activity because it is often highly reflective of our offline activity. Google and affiliate advertisers can create a very accurate profile of how each of us lives and market to us accordingly.

Why is Google tracking an issue?
Some people might find it helpful to be served ads on websites, within social media, and in emails that are tailored based on their personal tastes. Indeed, this is the basic premise upon which Google and similar companies justify their intense online tracking. They will typically say something along the lines of “to serve our customers better” or “to provide an improved experience for our users.”

What is really happening is that you, or your data at least, is a product that can be sold to advertisers or other third parties, whoever is the highest bidder, and this is a way that can leak your data to hackers. Many users find this intrusive and even downright creepy. Aside from knowing that someone is compiling a plethora of details about you so they can figure out how best to sell you products and services. The fact that all of this data is stored somewhere also makes it a target for hackers. And let’s not forget the potential for human error which could cause the data to be exposed inadvertently.


3. Encrypting Internet connection with VPN
A VPN encrypts your Internet connection from your device to the server owned by your VPN service provider. Using a VPN can help keep your web traffic safe from anyone monitoring the network at the local level: hackers, your Internet service provider, and surveillance agencies. A VPN will also mask your true location and IP address, allowing you to browse more privately and access geo-restricted content. A VPN will not, however, protect your web traffic against the VPN provider. That’s why it’s important to choose a VPN service you trust that does not keep logs of your activity. Download speed and privacy are usually the top considerations when looking for the best Tor VPNs. They can be used together to improve online privacy, but a provider that logs your activity or uses insufficient security will do just the opposite. The seven best VPNs for Tor and how to use them.

ExpressVPN Best VPN for Tor


Fastest VPN for Tor. Military-grade encryption. Accepts Bitcoin and has an onion site. ExpressVPN recently launched a .onion version of its website for users who want to anonymously make an account. The British Virgin Islands-based company accepts Bitcoin and sticks to a strict no-logs policy. Some non-identifying information is logged such as dates (not times), choice of server location, and total amount of data transferred each day. Cutting-edge encryption is used by default including 256-bit AES encryption, 4,096-bit DHE-RSA keys with perfect forward secrecy, and SHA512 authentication. ExpressVPN is highly rated, fast, user-friendly and has apps available for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, and Linux (command line).

Pros::
Fast and reliable
Accepts bitcoin
Has a .onion site
Leading security
No identifying logs

Cons:
Slightly more expensive

NordVPN Budget VPN


No logs, huge server network, strong security. Includes 30-day money-back guarantee. NordVPN gives users access to specialized servers pre-configured with Tor over VPN, which means all traffic is first sent through the VPN and then automatically redirected through the Tor network. This is great if you have apps other than an internet browser that you’d like to use with Tor. A double-VPN option is also available, which could be used with the Tor browser for a total of two VPNs and the Tor network, if you can tolerate the speed hit. NordVPN also boasts a strict zero logs policy and 256-bit AES encryption. The company accepts Bitcoin. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

Note that some experts object to Tor over VPN servers because NordVPN could hypothetically see what users are doing with their Tor connection by analyzing traffic before Tor encrypts it. NordVPN says it keeps zero logs, but if this is a concern, we recommend setting up Tor and the VPN independently.

Pros:
Onion servers
No logs
Strong security
Accepts bitcoin

Cons:
A few servers didn’t work

Surfshark


This privacy-conscious VPN comes packed with security features and allows you to pay in three different cryptocurrencies. Surfshark has 1,700+ servers in more than 60 countries, so you should be able to get a fast connection regardless of where you are in the world. Surfshark has a no-logging policy and secures your traffic with 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and protection against IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. This service also has a couple of more advanced features. For instance, you can connect to multi-hop servers for even greater anonymity or speed up your other apps by using the split tunneling feature. Surfshark accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple payments, allowing you to sign up almost completely anonymously. Support is available 24/7 over live chat. Surfshark offers iOS, Android, Linux, MacOS, and Windows apps. It also works with supported routers but must be configured manually.

Pros:
Puts major emphasis on user security and privacy
Has no connection limit
Good speeds

Cons:
Some slow servers

CyberGhost


Excellent security, fast connection speeds, and zero logs. Our preferred budget VPN for Tor. PrivateVPN Simple to use, fast servers, and no logs. Also works well with streaming sites. CyberGhost doesn’t have any Tor-specific features, but it is the only VPN to earn a perfect score in our 2018 security and privacy assessment. For this reason, it pairs well with the Tor Browser. CyberGhost assigns each user a unique anonymous ID, and the email address you use to sign up is encrypted. This prevents third parties from connecting a users’ email address to their CyberGhost account. CyberGhost stores no identifying logs. The company is based in Romania, which has no mandatory data retention laws. Strong encryption, leak protection, a kill switch, and perfect forward secrecy are all included in the apps, even on mobile. Internet connection speeds are plenty fast enough to handle Tor traffic. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. You may connect up to seven devices at a time.

Pros:
Advanced security
Zero logs
Bitcoin accepted
Fast

Cons:
No Tor-specific features

PrivateVPN’s


PrivateVPN’s website has a helpful guide on how to alter the OpenVPN configuration files included in the app so that outgoing internet traffic first passes through the Tor network, and then through the VPN—a setup known as “VPN over Tor”. If you want to use Tor to access sites on the clear web that don’t normally allow Tor connections, your IP address will be that of the VPN server, and the site won’t block you. Note that if you don’t want your ISP to see that you’re using Tor, it’s better to use a standard VPN connection with the Tor browser.

PrivateVPN offers great speeds and advanced security, plus a strict no-logs policy. You can connect six devices simultaneously.

Pros:
Zero logs
Fast servers
Strong encryption
Supports Tor-over-VPN

Cons:
Smaller server network

IPVanish


Advanced security, zero logs, and fast. Also popular with Kodi and torrent users. IPVanish is a speedy VPNs that doesn’t sacrifice privacy or security. A subscription gets you strong leak protection, unbreakable encryption,  and a strict no-logs policy. IPVanish allows up to 10 simultaneous connections — more than any other provider on this list. IPVanish apps come with an obfuscation feature that disguises the encrypted VPN tunnel as normal internet traffic. You can opt to periodically change your assigned IP address at certain intervals, making you harder to track. It doesn’t accept bitcoin, though, so if you want to make an anonymous purchase, look elsewhere. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

Pros:
Fast speeds
Security is solid
No logs

Cons:
Bitcoin not accepted

https://www.privacytools.io/providers/vpn/
Warning: Using a VPN will not keep your browsing habits anonymous, nor will it add additional security to non-secure (HTTP) traffic. If you are looking for anonymity, you should use the Tor Browser instead of a VPN. If you're looking for added security, you should always ensure you're connecting to websites using encrypted DNS and HTTPS. A VPN is not a replacement for good security practices. If you're looking for additional privacy from your ISP, on a public Wi-Fi network, or while torrenting files, a VPN may be the solution for you as long as you understand the risks involved.

4. Making your communications private
When communicating online, there are several ways companies or hackers can access your private conversations. Without encryption, an attacker monitoring the Internet would be able to see the information being transmitted to chat messages. Of course, the vast majority of online services use some form of encryption to protect the data traveling to and from their servers. But only a few tech companies encrypt your information in such a way that even the company cannot decrypt it. This kind of encryption is called end-to-end encryption (E2EE). Whenever possible, use services that offer E2EE and protect your privacy by default.

Using encrypted email(s)
Services like Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail can scan your mailbox to collect data. Google, for instance, reads your purchase confirmation emails to build a database of everything you buy. If you don’t want your email service provider to have access to this kind of private information, you should switch to an end-to-end encrypted email provider. A good example of such emails is ProtonMail, messages between ProtonMail users are always transmitted in encrypted form. When a user sends an email to another ProtonMail user, the emails are encrypted on the sender’s device, and can only be decrypted by the recipient. All emails sent to/from a ProtonMail account (even if the other side is not using ProtonMail) are stored with zero-access encryption. Once a message is encrypted, only the account owner can decrypt it.
Increasingly, there are private alternatives to data-hungry companies, ProtonMail is a private alternative to Gmail. Instead of Google Drive, which can access and scan your files and documents, you could use encrypted cloud storage. For notes, Standard Notes is one end-to-end encrypted option.

Limiting information shared publicly
A lot of sensitive information about you is publicly available on the Internet. Some of it is a matter of public record, like court records, addresses, and voter registration. But much of it we put on the Internet voluntarily, usually via social media, like photos (often location tagged), family members’ names, and work history. Hackers can use these clues for social engineering and to answer security questions. Photos of you on social media can even be used to create deepfake videos of you. Almost all online services and Internet-connected devices have privacy settings you can adjust to restrict the amount of information collected and/or shared online. You can also add an additional email address to your ProtonMail account, which you can share publicly, instead of your primary email.

Limiting information shared privately
Online service providers can be vulnerable to data breaches, which can instantly compromise your privacy, sometimes in embarrassing ways. Even large services like Google or Facebook are not immune to data breaches. You can mitigate the privacy threat of data breaches by limiting the information you share with these services. For instance, you can use Google Chrome or Google Maps without logging into your account, or simply switching to a more privacy-friendly browser like Firefox. If the services themselves (and their third-party partners) are part of your threat model, switch to privacy-focused services that do not collect user data. With ProtonMail, accounts are anonymous (not linked to your real-life identity), and we collect as little user information as possible.

5. Be vigilant of phishing attacks
A phishing attack attempts to steal your account credentials or infect your device with malware by tricking you into clicking on a link or downloading an attachment. Phishing attack can be through email, or any other means like impersonation, clicking on unsecured links or visiting a site packed with malware's can all lead to phishing attacks. To protect yourself from phishing attack:

1. Do not click on links you do not authorize
2. Delete old apps on your devices
3. Be careful of who you are chatting with on social media , especially, strangers.
4. Not click on unsecured sites, unsecure sites are the http sites that do not have SSL certificate, visiting https sites have secure connections but the site itself may still be for scammers, so this only handle the connection part no what is happening on the site.
5. Updating your device OS (operating system) and also updating apps. You can help prevent attackers from installing malware on your device by keeping your apps and operating systems up to date. Software updates often include security patches for recently discovered vulnerabilities
6. Visiting legit sites
7. Not clicking on ads and link ads
8. Making use of privacy browsers
9. Not making use of free VPN but paid ones that are also legit and have high quality reputations.
10. Making use of privacy search engine and many more that are addressed on this write up.

6. Keep your device always locked
Because of the differences between different operating systems and devices, we will only provide general recommendations here. Always set a password on your device. Biometric authentication, such as fingerprints should be sufficient for most users. However, people with elevated security concerns may opt to require a password every time.

When to use Tor
If your threat model requires a very high level of Internet privacy, you should connect to the Internet through Tor. Tor is a technology maintained by the nonprofit Tor Project, which allows you to use the Internet anonymously. It works by bouncing your connection through multiple layers of encryption, both protecting your data and concealing its origin. Tor also allows you to access blocked websites (such as those offering E2EE services) via the dark web. However, the downside of Tor is that it is generally significantly slower compared to using a VPN

Conclusion
There are lots of ways to have high privacy, but privacy can not be 100%, having knowledge about it can be effective in avoiding hackers. Hackers are threat to bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, because these cryptocurrencies are digital based, we need to have high level of privacy to protect them from scammers.

---

https://itsfoss.com/privacy-search-engines/
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/best-private-search-engine/
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/best-private-search-engine/
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/the-best-vpns-for-tor/
https://www.vpnmentor.com/amp/blog/best-private-search-engines-true-no-log-services/
https://protonmail.com/blog/internet-privacy/
https://protonmail.com/blog/best-browser-for-privacy/
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/best-vpn-for-windows-10/
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/fastest-vpns-of-2016-our-top-5-for-speed/

There are three (3) types of bitcoin addresses. They are:
1. P2PKH, which are the legacy address of bitcoin. You will see it as legacy on many wallets, these type of addressses starts with the prefix of 1.
For example: 1LDdDSVk1doQyuV7KU17mbtnnBmEJrnY7F which is the address you used above to apply for this campaign.

2.  P2SH, which is called nested segwit. You will see it on many wallet as compatible addresses, these types of addresses start with 3
For example: 3FFxdfSa4YKSyA1W6T2BW2HAR7twHKV9T4

3. bech32, which is the native segwit, the true segwit that allows transaction fees to be calculted in weight(satoshi/vbyte) instead of size(satoshi/byte). Transaction fee from native segwit to native segwit is somewhat slightly low to other bitcoin transaction fees. They are called segwit addreses, the addresse start with bc1 and i have noticed all are bc1q.

For example: bc1q45vh3csx83ep5ajzzff977lu2lzfe5hawgwfvu

Thanks Hhampuz, see me contributing good posts always. I appreciate.

Bitcointalk profile link: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=2776678
Current amount of posts (including this one): 668
How much merit have you earned in the last 120 days: 300+
SegWit BTC Address for Payouts: bc1qju74tksrgc6y6lyzjf3rs5k3vczuxautumrnly

Cryptocurrency: bitcoin
Dollar amount: $20
Bank Name: Guarantee Trust Bank
Account Name: **(DM)**
Account Number: **(DM)**

Txid: 18fed8859fea3b91698ad23947f43aa6e5346fc7a362c7a6b9d5084bb01090e5

Received.

Normally, a hacker can use replace by fee or child pay for parent to divert the transactions of no confirmation from the recipient back into their wallet. That is why it is not good to accept zero confirmed bitcoin transaction. But, if a miner has picked the transaction already and confirmed ones (1 confirmation), it will be difficult or not possible to reverse such transaction back. But, no matter how low a transaction amount is, accepting zero confirmed transaction can later lead to the recipient being scammed by the sender.

For me, 1 confirmation is good on my side when transacting low amount of bitcoin, but for high amount of bitcoin, I will prefer 3 to 6 confirmations. But, I do not think transactions that have 1 confirmation already can be reversed but transaction with 3 to 6 confirmations is more secure.

Sending public key is very wrong especially, if it is a master public key, sending private key will only lead to scam, sending email can only lead to more (email) phishing attack. Click on any link is dangerous, it can be malware line, it can be an unsecure link that can steal information from someone. People that are very careful of their privacy will not fall for this scam, but most people in the world do not even know there is anything called online privacy as I was did not.

You can read check this thread, you will see it helpful. You can also move this to 'bitcoin technical support'

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5261288.0