Re: VISA Travel Money

[Sandy Sandfort <sandfort@crl.com>]

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                          SANDY SANDFORT
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C'punks,

On Tue, 30 Jul 1996, jim bell wrote:

> Even if not, chances are good that "all" of the transactions
> can be linked together, even if they can't be directly linked
> to an identifiable person.   Doesn't sound too promising.

It sounds VERY promising to me.  Though I'm sure Jim's conjecture
about linking transactions is correct, I don't see how such an
aonymous payment system could not be useful in preserving privacy.
One could purchase several of these cards--preferably in the 
smallest denominations consistent with their mission.  Each card
could be used so that its audit trail left whatever impression
one wished to leave.

Of course, if you are arrested with one or more of them on you,
they could be used to tie you to times, places and activities
with which you might not wish to be associated.  Proper handling
could obviate or reduce this risk however.

It's not as anonymous as cash, but it might draw a lot less
attention in my circumstances.  I think it has a place in one's
aresenal of privacy enchancing technologies.


 S a n d y

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