Users of Bitrefill, a digital gift card store, report blockages by Amazon and eBay. Bitrefill reports that users from Venezuela and Africa are among the most affected by this rejection.
Bitrefill users reported the inability to buy eBay and Amazon gift cards with bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies while using VPN and other private browsing methods on the Internet.
According to an open discussion by users, which took place yesterday on Twitter, eBay and Amazon prohibit virtual geographic relocation to their buyers, regardless of whether a portal such as Bitrefill is used to make the purchase.
Bitrefill talked about this measure, saying it is undesirable for users. However, it is a policy whose implementation goes beyond their hands and is the responsibility of the companies in question.
Through Twitter, Bitrefill offered an explanation to some concerned users about the actual situation: “Some companies that offer gift cards restrict the locations where their products can be sold. For us, it is best not to sell these products, “they say.
However, the user who initially reported this limitation, explained that he could not make the purchase even when located within the same country in which he was, so it is clear that in no way can you buy Amazon gift cards or eBay on Bitrefill while using a VPN or Tor browser.
Bitrefill ensures that in these cases there is nothing to do, but indicates that in addition to Amazon, other 3,000 available products can be purchased with private browsing and with personalized geolocation.
Bitrefill argues that in principle users were allowed to buy through its platform using VPN or Tor, but stores that did not allow this policy began to block users, who complained to Bitrefill about this situation.
As indicated, users in Venezuela and Africa are the most affected by these blocks.
Does Bitrefill share my IP address and other data?
Bitrefill does not share its users’ IP addresses with third parties, the company stated on Twitter, sticking to its privacy policies. In its regulations, Bitrefill points out that it does not provide its users’ data to third parties, except in some unavoidable exceptions, such as when a phone number must be shared with the operator to recharge the phone service.
Also, they would share the necessary data in circumstances where a judicial authority requests it appropriately. Bitrefill does not sell the data to third parties as a form of business. We understand our clients’ struggle to keep their lives private and can expect a strong commitment from us to make this possible”, reads its policy.
They still must comply with the policies of each company they work with regarding the use of VPN and other private browsing services, which, in other words, are increasingly used.
There is another comment in which someone pointed out that Nike left the Bitrefill catalog catalog. The assured that the sports brand does not want to have any relationship with cryptocurrency companies. “They have simply asked that we remove it from the site because they do not want to be associated with cryptocurrencies”
By Jenson Nuñez
