Anonymity without using a bitcoin mixer?

[1248]

Lets say i dont trust a third party bitcioin mixer to clean my non-anonymous bitcoins (like btc that i received on facebook or on this forum), but want to be anonymous in my bitcoin exchanges.

 I have a couple old PCs laying around, so would it make sense to install the bitcoin client on them then move my funds from my standard PC to one to the other, then back to to the first PC via tor? (Once i am completed with this, i would reformat those other PCs.) The wiki recommends not doing this, but would it work?

[bitlotto]

Lets say i dont trust a third party bitcioin mixer to clean my non-anonymous bitcoins (like btc that i received on facebook or on this forum), but want to be anonymous in my bitcoin exchanges.

 I have a couple old PCs laying around, so would it make sense to install the bitcoin client on them then move my funds from my standard PC to one to the other, then back to to the first PC via tor? (Once i am completed with this, i would reformat those other PCs.) The wiki recommends not doing this, but would it work?

No. Each transaction will still lead to the next in the blockchain. Mixers take your BTC and give you BTC with a different history altogether breaking the link to you.

[AndrewS78]

If you can't do it (I mean if tor is not working) why the wiki recommends not doing it, other than says it won't work ? Will stop even trying

[1248]

Yeah, you make good points.  i guess i thought the addition of an extra intermediary would be enough, but i'd still be in the recent history of the bitcoin.  Thanks for the info.

[hugolp]

Lets say i dont trust a third party bitcioin mixer to clean my non-anonymous bitcoins (like btc that i received on facebook or on this forum), but want to be anonymous in my bitcoin exchanges.

 I have a couple old PCs laying around, so would it make sense to install the bitcoin client on them then move my funds from my standard PC to one to the other, then back to to the first PC via tor? (Once i am completed with this, i would reformat those other PCs.) The wiki recommends not doing this, but would it work?

No. Each transaction will still lead to the next in the blockchain. Mixers take your BTC and give you BTC with a different history altogether breaking the link to you.

You are right, but the thing is: If I created a new Bitcoin wallet and send some "linked to me" bitcoins, and then spend those bitcoins from that wallet, how is anyone supposed to know Im the owner of the new wallet and not someone else? How is anyone going to prove in court that I am the owner? Its obviously not as secure as a mixer, but I think it still provides some legal protection.

[bitlotto]

I guess if you live in a country that still has the benefit of a doubt.

Say you have $1000 in account A. Your enemy knows you own A. You send different amounts to B,C,D, then maybe E,F. Enemy knows your money went to these accounts and can follow them in the blockchain. Perhaps once the enemy has you are they going to believe you spend it all and don't own E or F? Or perhaps they'll wait till E and F are spend somewhere. Perhaps they see it spent at a store and ask the store for internet records or where the package was sent to? Perhaps they could trick you into spending some of it? The thing is it's still linked to you when it's SPENT. (unless those purchases don't identify you). All they do is wait and try to link the purchases from E, F to you.

Blinded token type coin exchanges break the history chain. The enemy has no idea what addresses to watch or check as the history is completely broken.