Here's a great little article about technology, remote control and tracking capabilities, our most common personal assets, and how it can all go very wrong simply by firing one nut case.
It stirs my Luddite leanings.
URL #1: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/17/omar-ramoslopez-car-hacke_n_503163.html
Drake, , Age: 34
Florida also has an opt-out option. I found this out when I got a weird email and checked out the subject on the Snopes website. They linked to the Florida web site. (See the official form linked below.)
URL #1: http://www.flhsmv.gov/html/withhold.pdf
Nona, , Age: 45
New Hampshire is the best publicized place to get a license and retain your right to withhold your image from their database. They have an excellent 'by mail' renewal system, and an online renewal system to choose from as well. Though I'd be of using leery of the online system unless you are visiting someone in NH when you log in.
Western states don't stand out prominently in searches conducted for policies respectful of privacy sensitivity.
URL #1: http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/dmv/driverlic/image.html
Drake, , Age: 34
Just Finished HTBI. Con mucho gusto! Gracias Sr. Luna!
I am still a bit unclear on some things. This is what I want to do – someone tell me if I have it wrong.
1) Obtain a P.O. Box in my name with my current address (just to make it easy for now).
2) Obtain a LLC from Michael with a Canary Island principle office address but with my P.O. Box as a mailing address (Just for now to receive Articles of Organization)
3) Use the new LLC to set up a CMRA with my name as authorized user
4) Cancel P.O. Box!!!
5) Contact Michael with new CMRA address to receive official LLC mail, ask Michael to get rid of any paperwork with canceled P.O. Box
Now, do I not have a usable address for mail and packages that has no link to my actual address without the headache of coming up with a Ghost Address? Could I not use any name as long as I put “in care of” the LLC? If I give out the CMRA address and receive mail at it the only thing anyone can know is that I am somehow associated with the LLC and do some kind of “business” in the area which is about the level of privacy that I want.
Thank you
BTW, it's only Rosie who uses a Canary Islands address. Michael uses one in a different country. (That is equally acceptable, of course. You can't use either address as your own, anyway. It's just for listing on the NM website.) Please contact Michael if you have any further questions about this.
Can any one recommend any states, preferably on the West Coast, that do not fingerprint or use Biomietric Photographs on their drivers licenses as I am rather reluctant to have a facial recognition photo.
Frank, , Age: 48
Funny, but frighteningly believable. Online anonymity is *hard*.
URL #1: http://www.theonion.com/content/news/google_responds_to_privacy
Charles, , Age: 42
MyFax is cheap and allows a free month to test the service.
URL #1: http://MyFax.com
Dink, , Age: 83
Just a few comments clarifying a few points others made earlier. The Passport office does *not* need your SSN to establish citizenship. Anyone who enters the USA can ask for - and get - an SSN on the spot. Anyone working in the USA needs an SSN, citizen or not, because the IRS requires it to track tax payments.
In the past, SSN wasn't even on the passport application. Then, a law was passed that when anyone applied for a passport, the IRS had to be notified. The wording on the passport form made it clear that there was a $500 fine for not providing your SSN for this purpose. What wasn't clear was that while the IRS had to be notified, you could leave the SSN blank on the form and notify the IRS yourself. I did that when I renewed my passport in the 1990's with no hassle or delay in getting the renewal.
The current law says that anyone "doing business" with the State department has to furnish a TIN, which for us mere mortals is our SSN. I do not know of anyone who has found a way around this - yet.
Drake, thank you for the clarification. It all makes sense now--in various degrees. But I fear that the new biometric card, if issued, will be the ruin of us all.
Brad, , Age: 25
Hi everyone, I know this has been discussed before and I've searched for it, but cannot find it. I am looking for an inexpensive efax service (send and receive faxes as .pdf files via email rather than a normal fax number on a land line). Do any readers have a good suggestion/experience? Thank you!
Michael, , Age: 49
The Feds are on Facebook. And MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter, too.
URL #1: http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-politics/20100316/US.Feds.on.Facebook/
Danny, , Age: 31
JJL, the fake cashier's check might be followed up by a call or email instructing him to cash it and mail part of the cash back to the sender. That sounds like a scam that has been played many times through mail and email, except that the scammer apparently forgot to contact your grandson with the cashing and mailing instructions before he sent the cashier's check.
Your grandson did well to check out the check before cashing it, because once you've deposited a fake check to a bank account, you become responsible for the money should the check subsequently bounce. Typically, by the time the cashing bank and the customer realize that they've been scammed, the scammer is long gone.
Brad, there is an electronic file. The data entry clerk takes your paper application and enters the information into the State Department database. This database is shared with other government agencies.
Some information in databases are redacted. For instance your SSN may show up as 508-32-XXXX. Who gets access to the complete file depends on the agreement between the agencies. If you open a bank account with a passport, they will have your passport number and your SSN. Until your passport expires they will have both pieces of information. When I last replaced my passport, the number changed - this caused some confusion with various entities who had my passport number on file.
The State Department asks for your SSN when you apply for a passport so they verify you are an American citizen and so they can accurately link the information on your passport application to the other information in other government databases.
The information visible on the screen to an agency or entity depends on the agency or entity. A PI will see something different to what a local police officer will see - sometimes more, sometimes less. A bank will see something different to what an FBI agent or Customs official will see. That is why I explained the differences in access. Access is generally controlled by laws and policies which vary from Agency and State and Industry.
Drake, , Age: 34
7246 - DL Vs. Passport
I understand the differences between the Passport and the DL; and I'm not arguing that a Passport is not better--I agree that it is, but with reservations.
My point being is that both IDs have a "ID number." I have spoken to banks and have been told that I can give--in place of a DL ID number--a Passport ID number.
I have no idea what information is pulled up by banks or agencies when they put your Passport ID number in some system. And, I really don't think you know for sure, unless of course you're privacy to some information.
The Passport itself doesn't give an address but the application submitted for a Passport, does. Does the State Department need this address just for mailing a passport? Or does it keep in the individual's (electronic) passport file? For what do they need the SSN? Just to give it to the IRS? Or does the state department retain this information in an electronic file?
One must understand there is a paper application, which is kept on file, and presumably an electronic version as well.
For example, all states I know of ask for a SSN for a DL; yet not all states have the SSN on the DL itself. In fact, the SSN is not seen at all in some states. Nevertheless, I guarantee the DMV has the SSN in their electronic computer profile of the individual.
The question is: if some agency looks up your DL number, whether the information, including your SSN, is visible to see. And the same is with the Passport: what is on the electronic file? And what information exactly is visible?
One must remember, that a SSN is not considered a public record, whereas date of birth, address, and name, are. So one would hope that the SSN is not visible.
Brad, , Age: 25
Brad, the passport shows your image, full name, your place and date of birth, and a tracking number for the State Department.
Your DL shows your image, gives your full name, DOB, DL Number, (which can be searched for more information) State (presumably of residence) and an address, (usually within the same county or one nearby as your actual residence).
How many people or institutions have access to your passport number? How many can access the databases that hold your passport application data? How many would know what to do with it?
How many people or agencies have access to your DL information? How many can ask, actually have the legal right to access the application data in those DMV databases?
How many private database providers access State Department information? To DMV databases? How of those database providers have customers who have been given permission to access these pieces of information?
And finally, how often are you in contact with these various people or agencies that have permission or access in order to obtain these details?
The Passport is more private and carries less information about you than the DL.
Drake, , Age: 34
I sent personal data to an online phishing site, realizing just too late what I'd done. Is there a way to do damage control? The phish have my SSN, DOB, first and last name, and address. Hook, line, and sinker....
IMMEDIATELY contact ALL THREE credit reporting bureaus and place a fraud alert restriction on your credit record.
This is the first step to protecting your credit record.
Next, contact the Federal Trade Commission and the FBI with the information in the email you responded to and make a written complaint, so you have it on record. It's important at this point to do everything in writing, sent certified mail, return receipt, so that you can build a case file with which to defend yourself against allegations by vendors who extend credit to imposters.
Next, contact all banks and other institutions with whom you do business, IN WRITING, and inform them of the identity theft, and TELL them not to open any accounts or advance ANY credit without a letter signed by you or an appearance in person.
Immediately cancel all credit cards and bank accounts and open new ones with new account numbers by going to your bank and telling them about the incident. They will be very receptive and helpful.
Your information may never get abused, but you MUST take immediate action to control the possible damage.
And, of course, never give anyone personal information by email. Ever. For any reason. Period.
This may help throw in some confusion.
If possible, repeat giving, to the same phishing site, your full name but this time give a different address, different DOB, and a different SSN, every time. If you do this often, there will be hundreds of different numbers matching your name; thus, one might assume they're all fake, you're playing a game, or it will force the phishers to dig through the pile of falsehood.
I'm not sure how legal this might be, in respect to giving out random SSNs.
Just a suggestion.
First, RE: 7245, Thanks, Wayne, for the suggestion.
My credit union WILL NOT ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO REFUSE ONLINE BANKING -- even if they are told that a criminal contact via internet is likely due to a personal security breach. It seems the only defense is to put passwords in place to block outside interference, even if the service isn't desired. It might be a good idea to check your bank's policy on this.
I know Mr. Luna recommends a Passport over a DL, for privacy and security reasons, and I share his concern. However...
If one has a "ghost address" on a DL, there really isn't much of a difference betwixt the two. Both list the full name and DOB.
One advantage of the Passport is the fact that it doesn't tell you what state a person is from (only where one was born). No physical description of individual (minus the picture); no address.
DL lists physical description and an address. But if the address is a "ghost address," there really isn't much of a difference.
In the final analysis, if a person photocopies your passport, or if a bank or an agency records your passport ID number, both Passport and DL ID numbers have information on the person's SSN, physical description, and an address on file. The passport application even has your father's and mother's names.
Does anyone know whether all this information is indeed visible when someone looks up your Passport and DL ID numbers? What is readable? Just the name of the person, or every bit of information you surrender to a given agency (DMV and Passport) on the application?
Its scary assume to that ever question answered on a DL and Passport application appears on a computer, traceable and readable to any agency who looks up your ID number. Where is the privacy in all this?
Brad, , Age: 25
Steve, you should at least contact the three credit reporting bureaus and put a security freeze on your credit files to limit the amount of damage that can be caused.
Wayne, , Age: 50
I sent personal data to an online phishing site, realizing just too late what I'd done. Is there a way to do damage control? The phish have my SSN, DOB, first and last name, and address. Hook, line, and sinker....
Steve, , Age: 55
Reading from the bottom to the top of the page linked below, we see how John Young dealt with Paypal when they pulled the kind of stupid activity on his account that constitutes the majority of the complaints against Paypal, Ebay, Google, etc.
URL #1: http://cryptome.org/0001/cryptome-sar.htm
Drake, , Age: 34
I have been reading reports of individuals obtaining U.S. Passports without a SSN. They allege that they don't list one; all the legislation states is that the IRS requires it...but at the very end of the legislation it states that if a person does not furnish this information, there is a $500.00 IRS fine. Yet, apparently, the IRS does not send out fines.
Regardless of the fine, anyone obtain a Passport in recent time (last few years) without giving a SSN? Seems plausible!
Brad, , Age: 25
Charles 7240
Thank you Charles. I agree with your assessment. I have read too many testimonials on the web critical of paypal; apparently, it arbitrarily freezes business accounts at random, for the silliest reasons. I had no problem with it in the beginning--then all of a sudden, it froze my account.
2 Check out looks like it might be better but the rates are twice as high as paypal. I really don't want to use a merchant, since I would like to keep my privacy "private"!
Anyone got suggestions? Or any info on 2checkout? Much appreciated!
Brad, , Age: 25
As for rebates, I forget all about them when making my purchase decision. Especially when it comes to computers and printers. (Printers and the yellow dots of mystery)
I used to turn them in and I would send the rebate to a local christian pastor but then I thought that maybe he would not want his name in some database regarding a purchase I had made so I stopped that.
When I got my laptop, I paid in cash. It came with a $200.00 rebate & a free printer. That was tempting but my privacy is worth much more than that. In addition, I never did register my laptop.
In message #4583 Wendy stated:
"(My CMRA for these businesses are in a state where CMRA's aren't required to accept process;".
Wendy, would you be so kind as to tell me which state that is, and also, if possible, the name of the CMRA?
Thanks!
Thought everyone would be interested in the next generation of social networking sites:
URL #1: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35817028#35862281
Ray, , Age: 42
If any of you parents out there have accomplished this, I'd like to hear from you!
Paypal froze a business account, stating it needs documentation of the business registration and a state issued photo ID verifying the owner. Has anyone experienced this, and how did you resolve it?
Brad, , Age: 25
I know you can title a car to a foreign address. But can you register and insure a car to a foreign address, since car registration and insurance wants the home address.
Brad, , Age: 25
RE: Jim 7227
What do you think of the idea of using the dealer's info? Example: use your name, their address, a cell phone number (theirs or otherwise untraceable)? Many times this could work (but not always). In any case, most of my ideas to keep your privacy(except using a nominee as outlined in HTBI or forgetting thw rebate altogether) involve getting the cooperation of the dealer. He wants to make the sale, right? So, he gives you the rebate upfront and he gets paid back when the rebate check shows up, right?
IMHO, two-bit know-nothing store clerks (as outlined in other posts here) are a waste of your time. It will almost always be necessary to talk to an supervisor, a boss, or the owner (i.e. someone who has adequate intelligence, a bit of common sense, and sees the benefit of working with you).
Hope this helps and it works out for you.
Charles, , Age: 58
Well, we have only one CRMA here (as far as I know).
I did use it while I was away for a while, then closed the account (I wasn't as educated about privacy issues then).
So thanks to Mr. Luna for his answer...and back to noodling for me!
It's still possible for people to find out who you really are, even if you use a pen name. For example, if you use WordPress (a popular blogging platform), someone who posts a question/comment may receive an email when their comment has been posted and/or answered. This "from" address will be whatever email address you used when setting up your WordPress site/blog (or whatever "from" email address you used when configuring one of the many contact form plugins available for WordPress, should you choose to have people ask questions via a contact form instead of commenting on your posts). Once your email address is known, it would be possible to find out who you are through various methods which I won't mention here.
Other methods that could give you away:
1) Presumably, you're selling the book online and accepting credit card payments from your customers. You'll no doubt have given your real name to the company that processes the payments (PayPal, 2Checkout, etc.). Also, some of your information may be visible to the customers during the checkout process and/or when they get their receipts. When you use PayPal, the merchant's name, email address, and phone number will appear on the receipt.
2) Someone could check your domain's WHOIS record to find your name, address, and contact information (unless you've opted for a private domain registration AND you used "vague" WHOIS data, such as an LLC with which none of your personal information is associated).
3) Your web host and ISP will have your real information, unless you used a nominee.
4) If you promote your book using paid advertising, it may be possible to identify you through your billing information.
5) Your writing style and any real-life stories that you share with your readers may allow people to deduce who you really are, particularly if they already know you personally (e.g., friends, family, or co-workers who may somehow stumble upon your book - this is, of course, assuming that your book is about your own experiences with the topic in question).
It would be difficult for your average customer to find out who you are if you have, at the very least, used private WHOIS and a pen name. They probably will not be able to access any of the "real" information that you may share with the companies involved in making your venture possible. Keep in mind, though, that discovering your identity would not be impossible, even if you used a nominee for everything.
I hope that helps you out, and I wish you luck with your business.
Yes, Mike. They--being teenagers and 20-somethings--are so full of themselves as to think that spewing their business all over Twitter, Facebook, and anything else makes them even MORE full of themselves. It is sad.
Remember: These kids have mostly been left to themselves and look at/listen to garbage on TV, radio... and you know the rest of it!
Rebates could cause problems with HTBI.
I work at a company that offers a product that comes with a rebate. The dealer and homeowner are bound to some conditions in the implementation of this program.
As I was reading the legal stuff (dealer version), I found.
“ Additional information will be verified:”
“Consumer name”
“Valid address based on Melissa (Post Office) data”
“Valid phone number”
The rebate would be kicked back to the dealer as a charge to his account and then you may have a real problem.
Your best bet would be to work a cash deal and skip the rebates. Most of the time the dealer pays 1/2 of any rebate anyway.
URL #1: http://www.melissadata.com/Lookups/index.htm
I am selling a book controversial in nature. Nothing illegal, hateful or unacceptable, just recovery from drug addiction and all problems associated with this issue.
My question is this: If I take email questions for a mobile broadband phone service to my website, if I do not respond directly to the email, choosing to answer the question by posting my response will it be possible for a person to find out who I am? The book is written under a pen name. Would appreciate advice.
Thanks
I came across this article today discussing how today's youth are no longer concerned about privacy and are more than willing to divulge much of their personal lives in return for free services. The author seems to suggest that a lack of privacy actually helps society by allowing marketers to quickly identify which products we need and to try their best to make us buy them. After all, we’re nothing but a bunch of consumers, right?
It just so happens that the author of the article is married to a Google employee, but certainly tries to convince us that his views are in no way affected by that fact…
After reading HTBI, I'm interested in buying an LLC from Rosie or Michael. One thing I don't understand is how the ownership of the LLC actually works. If I bought an LLC from Rosie, does it come with paperwork saying that she has sold me the company?
Will, , Age: 42
Here is an interesting article about privacy in Britain:
"A new government commercial currently running on one of Britain’s most popular radio stations is selling one thing – fear – by encouraging Londoners to report their neighbors as terrorists if they use cash, enjoy their privacy, or even close their curtains."
URL #1: http://www.prisonplanet.com/use-cash-and-enjoy-privacy-youre-a-terrorist.html
Hi Leonard,
A question for you: why cash it at all? As JJ said, you will be asked for ID. Unless I desperately needed the cash and had no other source for cash (a bad move to be in that position!), why not instead use the MO to pay a bill (or buy something via mail order and use the MO to pay for it)? I am sure you can think of other uses for your M.O.
Charles, , Age: 58
I'm not sure if PostFinance qualify as a Swiss Bank account. But several years ago I opened a bank account at PostFinance by mail. Several years ago they sent out letters stating all accounts outside their area would be closed.
My account and other accounts were closed. I'm not sure about other banks but PostFinance kept details records about the location of their customers.
I'm sure others banks do the same.
URL #1: http://www.postfinance.ch/
Debra, , Age: 23
For those of you who cannot afford commercial software or who simply don't believe in paying, there is a free, open source program called Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) that works pretty well.
URL #1: http://www.dban.org/
George, , Age: 26
Follow up to #7217:
I don't believe the USPS will forward mail to a distant country, and I'm not sure which of my creditors I'll give a ghost address. Also, I may only use this new scanning mail address for more than 6-9 months until I've got things worked out.
I've looked online and read the websites of Earth Class Mail and Mailbox Forwarding, as well as paperlessmail.com and either there isn't any information about process serving, or, it is nebulous. Thus my questions - is it state specific to the location of the CMRA [i.e. anyone from any state can serve someone who has an address with a CMRA in, say, California (which I understand DOES allow service f process)], or is depend upon the state where the creditor is located?
Just trying to get all of this clear before I set everything up.
Also, if someone has any other advice to offer, I'm all ears.
Thanks!
Chris, , Age: 50
This family tries so hard and "struggles" on $80,000/yr annually. Even in New York, America's most expensive metropolitan area, that's still a livable wage. But, this is Minnesota for crying out loud! And they also mention how "burdensome" their high deductible health plan is, neglecting that the federally limited *out-of-pocket* cost cap for a family right now is at a little less than $9K. Considering that they even get to deduct those premiums as self-employed business owners and reduce their tax burden, that's not really that much.
They make is seem so "risky" to work for yourself, but the truth is that what's riskier is working for someone else and hoping you'll have the job the next day everyday. What makes me laugh is that all of the people mentioned in the story are media professionals. Kinda of a conflict of interest, no?
URL #1: http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/11/pf/freelance_budget.moneymag/
I just learned two days ago that I'm losing my job in another couple of weeks. I'd like to use a CMRA with scanning services to receive my general/credit bills so I can read them online. But, I hear that a process server can serve at least some of the CMRA's for its customers.
Are there certain states I should avoid in regards to CMRA's location, or is it based upon the creditor's place of business?
I'm looking at my mail needs, and can see about 5 different types of mail. I'm concerned about mixing my personal "go forward" mail (IRS, license plates, etc.) with my two NM LLC's at the same mail drop (i.e. your Alaska mail drop). Is there a problem with that - i.e. could they learn of another entity because its mail goes to the same location?
Chris, , Age: 50
i have a very unusual last name, so the first initial with the full last name really doesn't help me a lot for privacy.
any suggestions? thanx in advance
2) ... Have a friend enter his or her name and cash it for you.
Charles and others: At the moment the Swiss agreement to reveal names of USA holders of Swiss bank accounts involves only some 4000 customers.They would be the ones who actually used their real identification when they opened their accounts.Stupid is as stupid does!For the actual "numbered" acounts with verbal passwords, it is my guess that each bank would use its own discretion whether to ask a citizenship related question or not whenever someone presents a numbered savings passbook at a window.They will not likely tolerate a German spy at every teller window.Read the story of William Tell,Switzerland's folk hero.The owners of such "bearer accounts" would do well,at this turn of events,to either have a second citizenship with valid ID or to acquire such.Germany is leaning on the Swiss much harder than the United States is.Got Canadian relatives?
helmut, , Age: 70
Kicksomepast is registered to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc. who uses MarkMonitor for brand protection, anti-piracy, anti-phishing, anti-spam, etc.
Access to the products from this MGM site is protected by this corporate security firm, who have the contracted right with MGM to monitor all activities on the site. They will use anti-fraud protection methods to secure their client. This includes monitoring activity of the site's users, and IP address and identity verification.
As a security and investigation firm, MarkMonitor has contracts and agreements with database sources; both private and government owned.
Drake, , Age: 34
To those fretting about lack of banking privacy in Switzerland and other "tax haven" nations, keep in mind it took the concerted might of the U.S. State Department, IRS and several European Governments to get Switzerland to divulge anything. Reread Jack's books. He's talking about P.I.s, ex-spouses, lawyers and various lesser entities searching for your loot, NOT a major federal government with an ax to grind.
For the same reason Jack recommends being open and honest with the IRS you don't have to worry about Swiss banks and the like giving you up. If it is the Federal Gov't you're worrying about, you have bigger problems.
The simple answer is, drives are cheap -- destroy, don't sell them. The long answer is cccording to the 2006 NIST Special Publication 800-88 (p. 7): "Studies have shown that most of today’s media can be effectively cleared by one overwrite" and "for ATA disk drives manufactured after 2001 (over 15 GB) the terms clearing and purging have converged." An analysis by Wright et al. of recovery techniques, including magnetic force microscopy, also concludes that a single wipe is all that is required for modern drives. For classified material, either degauss with an approved machine (and you can't afford one) or physically destroy the media.
Charles, , Age: 42
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