Buying bitcoin in person

[Contressa]

I figured this may help with people who are confused with purchasing bitcoin online, or people who just don’t have the patience to deal with it. Anyways:

1) make a Paxful account (or another btc wallet)

2) locate a bitcoin ATM near you, the website and app below are very helpful for this 

https://coinatmradar.com/bitcoin-atm-near-me/

OR

the LibertyX app 

3) go to the location; then with Paxful you’ll click  “wallet” and then scroll down just a bit and click on the QR code (looks like a square barcode sort of). 

4) you follow the instructions, scan the code you’ve pulled up, and insert the money. 

This has been my preferred way to buy bitcoin for ages now, fast and reliable. It should be noted that these ATMs charge a fee + percentage (like everyone else it seems), plus paxful charges a small sum for sending bitcoin, so put some extra cash in to make sure you cover your bitcoin needs. 

I hope this helps someone, it surely is the most convenient way for me to buy bitcoin. 

 

[bdrc36]

Unfortunately my location only has 2 local bitcoin atms. The rest are in the city and that's a 50min drive. I was using the one local atm until i went the other day. The atm said it was out of coins lol. How can a btc atm be out ot coin to sell is beyond me. I went 2 days in a row and it was still out. I could withdraw but not buy. I went to the next location and the machine was in a operating system boot mode and had no access.  I said fk it and used coinbase , now i have to wait 4 more days to access the coin. Even tho it's been withdrawn from my account and no longer pending on my end. The app you mentioned looks good but again all locations are in the city and not local. 

 

[Contressa]

Unfortunately my location only has 2 local bitcoin atms. The rest are in the city and that's a 50min drive. I was using the one local atm until i went the other day. The atm said it was out of coins lol. How can a btc atm be out ot coin to sell is beyond me. I went 2 days in a row and it was still out. I could withdraw but not buy. I went to the next location and the machine was in a operating system boot mode and had no access.  I said fk it and used coinbase , now i have to wait 4 more days to access the coin. Even tho it's been withdrawn from my account and no longer pending on my end. The app you mentioned looks good but again all locations are in the city and not local. 

Yeah, unfortunately for me I’m in a similar situation. This method works much better for people in larger cities. I usually try and remember to stop at one whenever I have to go out of my small town. 

 

[Kelakarekrew]

Unfortunately my location only has 2 local bitcoin atms. The rest are in the city and that's a 50min drive. I was using the one local atm until i went the other day. The atm said it was out of coins lol. How can a btc atm be out ot coin to sell is beyond me. I went 2 days in a row and it was still out. I could withdraw but not buy. I went to the next location and the machine was in a operating system boot mode and had no access.  I said fk it and used coinbase , now i have to wait 4 more days to access the coin. Even tho it's been withdrawn from my account and no longer pending on my end. The app you mentioned looks good but again all locations are in the city and not local. 

It's gotten hard in the US to do anonymously. Every ATM I've seen requires ID, just the new reality. If you buy BTC from coinbase DO NOT send directly to any vendor. If that BTC address is on any suspicious addy list Coinbase will likely lock your account, maybe with your BTC in it. That's not a rumor. It actually happened to me. I use Gemini now. Haven't had an issue.

There are numerous BTC wallets. I personally use Electrum. From electrum.org. They also have a mobile app which I often use just so I can scan QR codes when possible. Record the 12 word passphrase for the new wallet, check 2 or 3 times to be certain you got it right and then keep safe. That will access your wallet in any btc wallet or app just in case you lose your PC or phone. Keep your wallet updated due to occasional bug or exploit that allows scammers in. And create a good passcode not based on anything obvious.

As a side note, do not trust links from anyone. Even the one I posted above; although it is correct. Google it and then bookmark it if desired. There are so many scams/fakes.
 

 

[bdrc36]

@delawaredrew Yeah CB is a pita especially when they make you wait a week to send out coin. They pulled that bs on me. I flipped the coin over to my private wallet so they wouldn't get suspect and close my account.  All the local btc atms got shutdown by me. If I want to use the atm i gotta go to my local city and that's an hour drive.  If you use a debit card with CB the transaction is instant? Or they still make you wait?

 

[Kelakarekrew]

@delawaredrew Yeah CB is a pita especially when they make you wait a week to send out coin. They pulled that bs on me. I flipped the coin over to my private wallet so they wouldn't get suspect and close my account.  All the local btc atms got shutdown by me. If I want to use the atm i gotta go to my local city and that's an hour drive.  If you use a debit card with CB the transaction is instant? Or they still make you wait?

I don't know CB cancelled my account back in 2016. 
Gemini makes you wait a few days. I have a bank account connected to them.
In general I am suspicious about buying with CC or debit from anyone; I got ripped for a large purchase once and never tried again. Lucky my card provider covered it.
I've seen ads on various exchanges about it though so maybe it is more legit now. 
I've just seen the option to buy with cards in Eidoo mobile wallet for Android. Probably high fees, but those atms usually charge 8-10% so it's part of the business I guess. Don't know if any ID is required so maybe a prepaid card could provide some cover.
Another more complex option is using a VPN and/or Tor browser (using Tor browser for anything dubious is a good idea anyway) to appear as though you are not in US. I can ask friends in europe if any exchanges take cards but the KYC/AML laws are spreading there too. 
 

 

[Kelakarekrew]

I'm told by a trusted friend in The Netherlands that anycoindirect.eu allows card purchases for some EU residents without ID verification for small purchases under 500 Euros (about $550 right now). When I have some spare $ I may buy a prepaid Visa with cash (no records that way), set my VPN to have a Dutch exit point and try it. I'm betting the fees are not nice but if it's truly anonymous that may be worth it.