Hey Bitcointalk community,
A few folks have messaged me on SimpleX regarding my thread
How Blockchain Explorers Can Link Your Identity to Your Wallet (
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5547254.msg65500192#msg65500192) and also asking about staying private with Monero and some opsec matters, so I’m putting together some straightforward tips for anyone new to XMR. Also if you’ve got more advice, drop a comment and I’ll add it here so we can build a solid resource for everyone.
Use only verified cold wallets with open source, such as the official Monero GUI Wallet, Monero CLI Wallet and others like Feather, Cakewallet.
(
https://www.getmonero.org/downloads/)
(
https://featherwallet.org)
(
https://cakewallet.com/)
It is best to always encrypt any wallet backups or seed phrases, ideally using strong encryption tools like VeraCrypt.
For Maximum Privacy I would advice to use only YOUR XMR node in the wallets, which will start working a week/month before you need it and will continue to work for another month/two/three after you no longer need it. Start your node NOW so that when you need it, it's already in the network. Create the node anonymously on your environment or you can also use an anonymous VPS paid for in XMR and set it up anonymously as you wish.
Connect to YOUR node at least with VPN + proxy + virtualization / Whonix (such as using VPNs, Tor, or proxies). Our node is safe, but at the level of the host and provider, logs may be kept.
I would suggest that to reducing risk the wallet must not connect to the node an hour before the transaction, as this can be tracked; the moment of synchronization of the wallet with the node is crucial. It's best if the wallet is always synchronized.
When you get your XMR and after the funds arrive in your cold wallet, move them through other cold wallets at least 3-4 times; this will add anonymity and if things go very badly, it will help you in court and allow you to "truthfully deny" as this creates many fake transfers.
Let the money sit; don't transfer it immediately; wait days or better weeks and months. This will significantly complicate analysis and tracking.
Spend (withdraw) in parts; don't send everything at once to one wallet in a large volume. In the blockchain, most transactions huge volumes will stand out significantly.
Try to avoid any intersections with exchanges, especially large ones like Binance, Huobi, Yobit and others. At the same time, don't blindly trust "anonymous no AML or KYC fake crypto exchanges"
Systematically change your wallets; if you spend to zero, don't refill the old one; create a new one. Do not share your wallet address or transaction details publicly.
Don't use blockchain explorers - these are honeypots. You can read here, How Blockchain Explorers Can Link Your Identity to Your Wallet (
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5547254.msg65500192#msg65500192)
Services/Telegram bots for checking AML, etc. - these are honeypots. ( can be log your activity or can require personal information etc.)
The possibility of tracking XMR is a statistical probability of your connection to the wallet. It can be 50%, 5% or 0.1%, but definitely not 0%.
It is best to back up your seeds securely outside of digital devices, more preferably with durable metals sheets which are proof of natural disasters like fire or flood. @Sticky Bomb
Got any other recommendations? Feel free to share them in the comments!
Privacy is not a crime.
Thank you.
