This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Ali Garbacz, B.A.. Ali earned her B.A. in Linguistics and Asian Languages and Cultures with a focus on East Asia from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022. She has published articles centering around culture and history for non-profits and has also done news writing for an online news site. Ali now writes as an editor at wikiHow with the hopes of becoming a part in helping to achieve wikiHow’s goal of teaching everyone to do anything. She enjoys the process of researching and learning new things to share with readers and creating content that is both informative and fun.
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There are plenty of reasons you might want to keep your personal details on the down low when you send money. Maybe you want to surprise someone but don’t want them to know it’s you. Or maybe you feel more comfortable donating without having your name advertised for everyone to see. Whatever your reason may be, you’ll be happy to know that there are tons of ways to make your contribution without anyone knowing it’s you—and we've listed them all here.
Things You Should Know
- Have a third party deliver cash for you, or go to the recipient’s bank to have cash directly deposited into their account.
- Send money in the form of a prepaid debit card or a gift card to keep your identity hidden.
- Use a separate email and pseudonym when creating accounts on online payment apps, such as Venmo, Cash App, and Zelle to send money anonymously.
- Make an anonymous donation by asking to have your name kept unspecified or by donating through a donor-advised fund.
Steps
Expert Q&A
Tips
Warnings
- Receiving money from an anonymous sender can be viewed as highly suspicious, and the person you’re trying to send money to might not accept it if they don’t know where it came from.Thanks
- If sending the money is more important than keeping your anonymity, consider just using your real information and name to make sure the recipient gets the money.Thanks
- Never write a check or money order using someone else’s name and signature, as this is considered forgery.Thanks
- Do not mail cash or leave it in an exposed, open place. The chances of it getting stolen are very high. Instead, deliver it to a secure spot, like a locked mailbox, or have someone give it to the recipient directly.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.supermoney.com/how-to-send-money-anonymously/
- ↑ https://www.investopedia.com/how-to-wire-money-5088001
- ↑ https://www.usps.com/shop/money-orders.htm
- ↑ https://www.supermoney.com/how-to-send-money-anonymously/
- ↑ https://www.paypal.com/us/cshelp/article/how-do-i-change-the-type-of-paypal-account-i-have-help339
- ↑ https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-the-difference-between-a-prepaid-card-a-credit-card-and-a-debit-card-en-433/
- ↑ https://www.smartcapitalmind.com/what-are-starter-checks.htm
- ↑ https://easydonationpickup.com/blog/how-to-donate-anonymously/
- ↑ https://support.gofundme.com/hc/en-us/articles/203687114-Donating-as-Anonymous-on-the-fundraiser-page