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ColoCrossing: Paid in Crypto, Then Asked for ID + Selfie or Face Cancellation
I paid ColoCrossing for a server using cryptocurrency. After payment, I received an email requesting a government-issued photo ID and a photograph of myself next to that ID.
The email also requests a card copy from credit-card customers. To avoid any misunderstanding: I paid with cryptocurrency, so that part does not apply to my order.
The email warns:
“Please note that all paid orders not providing some form of identification will be subject to cancellation.”
I understand fraud prevention. What I object to is being asked to hand over sensitive identity documents with so little explanation beyond “for security purposes.”
So I reviewed the published Terms of Service and Privacy Policy linked below.
1. Where is this specific requirement disclosed?
Terms & Conditions §12 addresses verification for account-detail changes. It does not explicitly describe a new-order requirement for government ID plus a selfie. I could not find that specific requirement elsewhere in this TOS PDF either.
ColoCrossing: please identify the applicable clause and show where this requirement was disclosed during my checkout.
A general reference to verification is not a clear explanation of what sensitive documents a customer may be expected to surrender.
2. Your privacy policy needs to answer the actual request.
The Privacy Policy mentions fraud screening, encryption and access restrictions. I acknowledge that. However, I found no explicit ID-and-selfie requirement or document-specific retention schedule in that PDF.
Before asking me to submit these documents, please explain:
- Why both documents are necessary for my particular order.
- Whether unnecessary ID details can be redacted.
- What secure submission method I should use.
- Whether any external verification provider receives the files.
- When the originals, ticket attachments and backup copies would be deleted.
Your email supplies no secure-upload instructions and no answers to these questions.
You are asking me to prove who I am. I am asking you to explain why you need these documents and how you will protect them. That is not an unreasonable exchange.
3. Cancellation is clear. The refund outcome is not.
Terms & Conditions §4 reserves cancellation rights and says unused fees “may” be returned proportionately. That is not an unconditional full-refund promise.
If you will not proceed without these documents, please confirm the refund amount, any deductions and the processing deadline. Customers should not have to guess what happens to their payment when they decline your verification demands.
My requested resolution is cancellation and a full refund. I am not claiming that ColoCrossing has already refused a refund.
My objection is about transparency and proportionality—not a demand that hosting providers abandon security.
Paying with cryptocurrency does not automatically entitle me to anonymity. Equally, accepting my payment does not make every subsequent request for personal information self-justifying.
A provider can refuse an order. A customer can refuse to hand over sensitive documents without satisfactory answers.
What I find unacceptable is the imbalance: specific demands for my identity, but generic explanations about protecting it.
ColoCrossing is welcome to respond publicly with the relevant clause, checkout disclosure, document-handling procedure and refund arrangements.
“For security purposes” should begin an explanation—not replace one.
Documents referenced:
Comments
Some providers uses Cryptocurrency as payment method just like credit cards or PayPal or anything else.
Some providers uses it as a selling feature to bypass verification
It's you/client who is responsible to confirm it from the provider before payment
@ColoCrossing > @Incognion said:
You’re explaining why providers accept cryptocurrency. I’m questioning why this provider needs copies of sensitive identity documents, and how those documents will be protected. Those are different issues.
I agree that accepting crypto does not automatically mean “no verification.” But that does not make the privacy and security concerns disappear.
I chose cryptocurrency partly to limit the personal and financial information I disclose. That is a legitimate privacy preference—not a request to bypass the law. Cryptocurrency does not guarantee complete anonymity, but there is still a meaningful difference between making a payment and supplying a government-issued ID together with a matching selfie.
Collecting those documents creates an additional sensitive record. Linking that record to an account and payment can increase the consequences if the information is compromised. I am not claiming ColoCrossing has leaked anything; I am asking why this additional exposure is necessary.
The FTC’s business guidance recommends collecting sensitive information only where there is a legitimate business need, and retaining it only as long as necessary. That is the security principle behind my objection.
So, what makes both an ID copy and a selfie necessary for this order? Can irrelevant details be redacted? Who receives the files, how are they protected, and when are they deleted? Is there a less intrusive alternative?
“It’s the customer’s responsibility to ask” answers none of those questions.
Yes, customers should check requirements before buying. Equally, providers should clearly disclose sensitive-document requirements and explain their safeguards. Customer due diligence does not replace provider transparency.
Security should protect the customer as well as the provider. Collecting more personal information is not automatically the same as providing more security.
That is why I am documenting this experience and inviting ColoCrossing to answer these questions publicly.
Today you learned for future purchases to ask the vendor if you'll be required to KYC if you pay with crypto.
Customers should check a provider’s terms. Agreed. So let’s look at ColoCrossing’s published TOS.
I have reviewed that document. I could not find a clause stating that cryptocurrency payments require KYC, or that new orders require a government-issued ID and a selfie. Section 12 discusses verification when changing account details, which is a different situation.
If there is a relevant clause or a clear pre-payment notice I have missed, please point it out. I am happy to correct the record.
I understand that paying with crypto does not automatically guarantee anonymity or exemption from verification. My concern is being asked to submit sensitive identity documents without clear explanations of necessity, secure submission, retention and deletion.
“Ask before paying” may be useful advice, but it does not answer whether this particular requirement was clearly disclosed.
Customers should read the terms. Providers should clearly state material requirements—especially those involving identity documents. Responsibility goes both ways.
That is why I am asking ColoCrossing for an actual explanation, rather than treating “you should have asked” as the end of the discussion.
@ColoCrossing
If a merchant requires detailed customer information in order to provide a service, they should state this upfront rather than making the request after payment has been collected; if a merchant offers cryptocurrency payment options but imposes additional requirements, then they should not offer cryptocurrency payment channels in the first place.
I completely agree. ColoCrossing should either make its identity verification requirements clearly visible BEFORE payment or stop offering cryptocurrency payments. Customers deserve to know what personal information they will be required to provide before deciding whether to proceed.
A passport contains sensitive personal information. Sharing it should be an informed choice, not an unexpected condition introduced after the merchant has collected your money.
Based on my experience, I would urge anyone who values their privacy and personal data security to be cautious when purchasing servers from ColoCrossing. Get written confirmation of their verification requirements before paying, especially with cryptocurrency.
Clear disclosure before payment is a basic expectation of transparency.
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