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PaperclipPerfector  3d ago (text post)   2737 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for October 25, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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I semi-consistently get captchas to do Google searches in browser incognito mode

I'm now getting those 90%+ of the time while using Brave in private mode on my phone.

Wait until you associate your new VoIP number for all your third party services instead of your carrier, and you use different, disposable and revocable email aliases for said services, in addition to using a VPN. Practically every one of these entities thinks you’re a criminal. Awhile back I had to call Amazon customer service for an order that was having some kind of issue and it was the usual, please confirm your email and phone. As I was doing it, the rep transferred me to a higher up in their department and asked for the same information, and then kept asking: “This is your real phone number… your real email…?”, etc. The more mindful you try to be and the more effortful you are in your attempts to reduce your footprint and prevent these places from wanting to tag you everywhere you go, makes them view you with deep suspicion.

I tried to pay a bill online and the payment page wouldn't load. I called the utility company they asked if I was on VPN. I was. They said to get off VPN and try again. That worked.

I don't understand why I can't pay when on VPN. I can't steal their money through the bill pay portal.

VPN’s on mobile break compatibility with lots of different app’s. DNS filtering does that as well. Ethical company I suppose if they don’t want criminals paying their bills, ironically. The issue isn’t necessarily that they’re worried you’re going to steal money through the bill pay. From their vantage point, they have zero idea who you are or what your intentions are. What they are picking up on are patterns that are consistent with who poses a potential threat to their environment.

Right? I've had an order confirmed and then silently canceled simply because I was using a VPN!

It’s because their business model on the backend relies heavily on them being able to fingerprint their customers. I kind of understand why they would do it… From their perspective, they don’t know who the hell I am. If I was on the analyst side of things and I saw a bunch of shady activity with a dude using a VPN, trying to sign into my banking account, that’s going to raise every suspicious red flag in the world. Ordinary customers aren’t going to use a VPN, let alone know what one is, and when you keep adding measures to conceal your identity, you become indistinguishable from a threat actor.

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