You could Open a US dollar checking account at a Canadian bank or Savings institution. Then after you use the account awhile have your own checks printed with no name in the upper left corner. You could have a rubber stamp made that reads "Property tax account" or "Personal business account", and carefully stamp that on the upper left corner were your name would normally be. I have used this method for years with no problems.

Max, ,      Age: 69

You have many alternatives, but the first thing you have to do is decide just how secure your data needs to be, and whom you place your trust in when obtaining secure devices.

There is an old axiom, by Benjamin Franklin I think, that says "Three people can keep a secret, if two of them are dead."

With this in mind, understand that if you are attempting to hide information from three-letter federal agencies, the chances of success are quite small and the methods are beyond anything you'll find here.

If you're trying to protect information from criminals, hackers, snoops and even foreign governments, you have some options, but doing so with certainty requires rather a lot of effort and retraining of your attitudes and habits.

If your concern is more prosaic, and you just want to keep snoops at bay, you have many options.

Recognize that the biggest hole in any security system (or privacy effort for that matter) is YOU, and your family, and your friends. Loose lips sink ships, and that's how most secrets are revealed. When it comes to computers, the biggest mistakes are using unsecure passphrases, giving passphrases out to untrustworthy people, and writing them down. So the first change you have to make is to resolve to keep your secrets SECRET, and take to the grave the passphrases you use to protect your truly valuable information. Never write it down, commit it to memory, make it a secure and lengthy passphrase, and keep it to yourself.

If you do this, for protecting information from casual snooping, almost any off-the-shelf encryption program or system will be sufficient to protect your data. Modern encryption packages are pretty much unbreakable these days so long as you also RETAIN CONTROL OF THE DATA. If someone steals the encrypted data and can work on cracking the password without being detected, only the most sophisticated systems will keep your information safe. So controlling physical access is as important as encryption and secure passwords.

The most effective physical security is the "purloined letter" method where the data appears to be something it's not, some innocuous object that no one would think hides information.

But since you need to access this information daily, that's not really going to be workable.

My best suggestion at this point for keeping computerized data about as safe as you can possibly keep it is to obtain an IronKey USB drive and store all data on this device, and either keep it physically in your possession (not on your keyring) or in a safe when it's not in use.

This device is as secure as any I've found. It encrypts data coming to and from the chip "on the fly" so the data is never left in an unencrypted state except when you're actually viewing it. It also has one unique feature that makes it head-and-shoulders above all the rest; it has an auto-destruct function that physically frys the encryption module if you enter the wrong password ten times in a row. This prevents brute-force cracking attempts in case the device is lost.

In addition, you would want to consider a program called "TrueCrypt" for your computer, which is an on-the-fly encryption program that keeps all data on your computer's hard disc encrypted at all times. It also allows you to create a "hidden partition" on the disk where data can be stored in a manner that, they claim, cannot be distinguished from random data.

Using a computer that is NEVER connected to the Internet (take the telephone modem, wifi and network cards out of the machine completely to avoid temptation and to prevent someone from sneaking in and hooking it up while you're not home) and that you boot up from a removable disk, either a hard disk or DVD with your system files burned onto it as the boot drive, and you've protected against pretty much anything other than a physical attack on your computer (installation of a key logger or other physical monitoring device) or a Tempest attack (monitoring your computer by radio frequency reception), so long as you use good security procedures to make sure that you control the boot disk at all times to prevent copying or inserting of malware or spyware into your system files.

In reality, if all you are doing is using the computer as a typewriter, and you have no need for any of the programs, a simple computer works quite well. Unfortunately, most new operating systems REQUIRE that you connect to the Internet for validation and activation of the software, and Windows will shut down if you do not regularly connect to the Internet so Microsoft can snoop your hard drive to see if you're stealing software. Trust me, ALL major software vendors, particularly OS vendors, insert their own "spyware" in their programs if for no other reason than to keep track of customers, so if you undertake this effort, you have to learn to adapt to not using the Internet AT ALL, EVER with your secure computer. This means that you will have to become a self-educated software expert about YOUR software, because this also means that you can NEVER take your computer into a repair shop for repairs, lest they connect to the internet, which they will, for diagnostic purposes.

You should run an open-source freeware version of Linux or Unix that does not require on-line registration, purchased using a straw man buyer so it's not traceable to you.

You have quite a lot of self-education ahead of you if you truly need to be absolutely secure, so the real question is just how secure you really need to be. You can be "Bourne Agenda" paranoid, or you can be rational about your security needs. Either way, you'll be spending a lot of time on line figuring out your system.

The most important thing to know about ALL encryption systems is that they are either crackable by brute force (which means NSA supercomputers) or they have back doors which allow the government to snoop at will. The only one I know of that doesn't is open-source PGP, and I don't know what the current state of encryption cracking is. I used to keep up with it, but gave up a while back because I no longer had a need to be ultra-secure.

But you can be certain that every encryption program produced in the US, especially those that have a license from the government for export out of the US are crackable by the US government. This is a requirement of obtaining an export license for encryption programs, which are considered "munitions" under federal law, and thus are controlled-export items. Even the IronKey is vulnerable to government decryption. I asked them specifically about export restrictions, and they are only prohibited for export to places like Iran and North Korea and a few others on the "enemies" list. They refused to answer whether or not there is a government/manufacturer "back door" into the system.

This is the problem with any system you use where you have to trust the manufacturer. You simply have no way of knowing if they have a back door or if they are willing to cooperate with federal authorities (or state and local authorities for that matter) if your storage media needs to be unencrypted for national security or criminal reasons. So if you are engaged in anything shady or illegal, know that you're not invulnerable, ever.

Keep in mind also, that any time you reenter the US, Customs has legal authority to copy everything on your computer or drives/storage devices and examine it. Whether they can force you to give up the password is another matter, but if you refuse, they can keep your computer indefinitely. Some people have lost computers for up to 3 months.

So, your travel plans also have to take this into account.

To help you any further, I'd have to know more about what your specific needs are to give you advice on the level of security you might need.

URL #1: https://www.ironkey.com

Seth, ,      Age: 50

I would be using his card mostly for hotels. If I use a card to pay for air travel or rental cars, they insist that the name on the card match my passport or DL name. With few exceptions, I use a card only for those businesses such as airlines, hotels and car rental companies that demand them. I do not use them for other purchases - an acquaintance who works in the industry tells me that they track not only who you do business with, but what you buy, ostensibly so they may target you with sales offers, but in reality for other purposes also.

Other than hotels, for what types of purposes do you use your card that shows your "professional name"?

Sam, ,      Age: 63

Do you travel to the service provider office and pay this bill in cash every month (or send a money order). or do you find that service providers tend to have "prepay setups" where you can pay 6 months to a year in advance and they deduct your service costs from this prepayment. This way you only have to be bothered with getting them a payment every 6 months or even yearly instead of once a month.

I've looked into this a little for Cable TV and the setup appeared to be that the company would bill you monthly, but you would have to pay a $100 up front as a security deposit which they hold onto. But your stuck having to pay them monthly with cash or money order for your monthly bill.

I'm interested in finding out whether most companies require a monthly payment schedule or if whether prepayment allows consumers flexibility in determining when bills come due for them.


Brian, ,      Age: 22

The problem is that governments are always so slow to implement these common sense precautions. Remember how long it took for the IRS to stop printing your SSN on the pre-printed address label, which they mailed in an unsealed booklet? That drove me nuts.

Elizabeth, ,      Age: 54

Yes, it will. A successor trustee or executor (sometimes called "personal representative") has a fiduciary duty to the estate or trust, and those probate records are public record, so the court will require identification in order to issue "letters testamentary" which is a court authorized document officially appointing you to the position.

However, when I was assigned as personal representative for my mother, all I had to do was supply a photocopy of my driver's licence (I suspect a passport would work too) to the then-existing PR, who filed a change with the court. A couple of days later the Letters Testamentary arrived in the mail, with only my given name on them. All I needed from then on was a copy of the letters and a copy of the death certificate to do everything needed for the estate.

Seth, ,      Age: 50

On the back of the Colorado vehicle registration is an affidavit that says, "THE FOLLOWING AFFIRMATION MUST BE SIGNED BY THE OWNER:
I swear or affirm in accordance with section 24-12-102, C.R.S., under penalty of perjury that I now have in effect a complying policy of motor vehicle insurance in cluding an operator's policy pursuant to part 6 of article 4 of Title 10, C.R.S., or a certificate of self-insurance to cover the vehicle or operator of that vehicle for which this registration is issued. I understand that such insurance must be renewed so that coverage is continuous.
Failure to sign this affirmation is a Class B Traffic Infraction and is punishable pursuant to 42-4-1701 (3)(a) C.R.S."

A couple of pertinent thoughts: First, an oath or affirmation signed or sworn under penalty of perjury is, legally speaking, "evidence" and is admissible in court. There are three kinds of evidence; physical, documentary, and testimonial. Sworn affidavits are documentary evidence.

Therefore, your signature on the back of the registration is documentary evidence of your compliance with the insurance requirements. If you give that registration to the cop (as you must, because it's a government issued document) along with your license, you have just provided him with "immediate evidence of insurance."

Note that "evidence of insurance" and "proof of insurance" are two entirely different things, and that you are only required to provide EVIDENCE of insurance during a traffic stop, but PROOF only in court.

Moreover, at the top of the back of the registration it says this: "Motor vehicle insurance is compulsory in Colorado. Non-compliance is a misdemeanor traffic offense. The minimum penalty for such offense is a five-hundred dollar fine. The maximum penalty for such offense is one-year imprisonment and a one thousand-dollar fine."

Note that FAILURE to have insurance is a CRIMINAL OFFENSE. Guess what this means? It means that all your Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights attach to any transaction with the police involving the question of whether or not you have insurance. Specifically, your right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, your right to remain silent, and your right not to be arrested except upon probable cause that you have broken the law. He can ask you about it, but you DO NOT have to answer him.

So, my practice, when stopped and asked for "license, registration and proof of insurance" is to render to the officer the state-issued documents involved, which include my license and registration, with signed affidavit on the back. I DO NOT proffer any "insurance card" (though I always have a letter from my insurance agent indicating that I am insured which does NOT include the policy number or expiration date of the policy, which is also "evidence" of insurance in case I don't have time to play games with the cop) and when asked, I say "I'm sorry officer, but because failure to have insurance is a criminal offense, at this time I invoke my Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and respectfully decline to make any statements regarding insurance, and I invoke my Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure of my private papers and decline to provide such documents unless and until presented with a search warrant pursuant to an affidavit showing probable cause to believe I am driving without insurance. My immediate evidence of insurance, however, is noted in the affidavit on the back of the registration, and further, (raising my right hand) I hereby swear and affirm that I have a complying motor vehicle insurance policy in full force and effect for this vehicle at this time."

This usually results in a bemused look and glazed eyes and a repeated request for "proof of insurance." Eventually the officer gets the idea and either gets huffy and threatens me with a ticket or laughs and lets me go on my way. If he threatens a ticket, I say, "Officer, you must do your duty as you see it, and I must do mine." Then I sign the ticket and take it to court.

I've gotten one ticket that way, which was dismissed by the District Attorney when my lawyer made it clear that I was prepared to go to a full jury trial to argue my case. She said, "I don't have time to play constitutional games" as she dismissed the charges.

Now, your mileage may vary, and you need to carefully research your own state law, but in Colorado the legal principles are sound, and the legislatures knows full well that their "insurance papers" law is unconstitutional, they just choose not to address the issue because most people just fork over the card.

What's really annoying is that the state spent 12 million dollars creating a motor vehicle insurance database that the insurance companies are required to report to, which is available to dispatchers, so when you get stopped, the officer ALREADY KNOWS if the vehicle is insured or not as a result of the license plate query that EVERY cop runs before he gets out of his car to contact you.

Another suggestion for those of you not willing to take on the police is to request from your insurance agent a letter stating the vehicle description and VIN number that states that the vehicle is insured in compliance with state law, but which DOES NOT show your home address, the policy number, or the expiration date. This way you never get caught in that trap of forgetting to put the new insurance card in your car every six months. And the fact is that so long as you make your payments your policy NEVER EXPIRES, so when the cop asks, say "it never expires," and then shut up. Also, the rationale behind not providing the policy number is that under the Fourth Amendment, the policy number, and your contract with the insurance company comprises "private papers" protected against unreasonable search and seizure under the Constitution. Furthermore, the officer has no "need to know" for that information, even if he insists that he has to put it on the ticket or some form. You're NOT compelled to give him the policy number unless your state law explicitly says you are, and even then I'd challenge the law as being unconstitutional.

And yes, you could create such a letter on your own computer, but why bother? Just get one from your insurance company. That way it's perfectly legit and you cannot be arrested for....wait for it....FELONY FORGERY.

Yes, creating a fictitious insurance card on your home computer is a felony, and it'll be found out if it has a fictitious policy number on it (see why I don't have the policy number available to cops?) and the cop makes a phone call to the insurance agent.

Really NOT worth the time and trouble to falsify an insurance document when you can legally dispense with the whole mess so easily.

Seth, ,      Age: 50

This applies to "an applicant for, or recipient of, a Federal license, permit, right-of-way, grant, or benefit payment administered by the agency or insurance administered by the agency" in pertinent part.

I do not read this as requiring an applicant for a passport to provide the SSN because it does not appear to fall within the definition of the statute. It depends on whether the government considers a passport to fall under the definitions, but I'd have to see the ruling before I'd believe it. Government agents have a way of asking for voluntary information in ways that makes it seem mandatory.

Also note particularly subsection (d), which authorizes the government to release personal information, including your SSN and address to "creditor agencies and their agents."

(a) In this section—
(1) “included Federal loan program” has the same meaning given that term in section 6103(l)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 6103 (l)(3)(C)).
(2) “taxpayer identifying number” means the identifying number required under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 6109).
(b) The head of an agency administering an included Federal loan program shall require a person applying for a loan under the program to provide that person’s taxpayer identifying number.
(c)
(1) The head of each Federal agency shall require each person doing business with that agency to furnish to that agency such person’s taxpayer identifying number.
(2) For purposes of this subsection, a person shall be considered to be doing business with a Federal agency if the person is—
(A) a lender or servicer in a Federal guaranteed or insured loan program administered by the agency;
(B) an applicant for, or recipient of, a Federal license, permit, right-of-way, grant, or benefit payment administered by the agency or insurance administered by the agency;
(C) a contractor of the agency;
(D) assessed a fine, fee, royalty or penalty by the agency; and
(E) in a relationship with the agency that may give rise to a receivable due to that agency, such as a partner of a borrower in or a guarantor of a Federal direct or insured loan administered by the agency.
(3) Each agency shall disclose to a person required to furnish a taxpayer identifying number under this subsection its intent to use such number for purposes of collecting and reporting on any delinquent amounts arising out of such person’s relationship with the Government.
(4) For purposes of this subsection, a person shall not be treated as doing business with a Federal agency solely by reason of being a debtor under third party claims of the United States. The preceding sentence shall not apply to a debtor owing claims resulting from petroleum pricing violations or owing claims resulting from Federal loan or loan guarantee/insurance programs.
(d) Notwithstanding section 552a (b) of title 5, United States Code, creditor agencies to which a delinquent claim is owed, and their agents, may match their debtor records with Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Labor records to obtain names (including names of employees), name controls, names of employers, taxpayer identifying numbers, addresses (including addresses of employers), and dates of birth. The preceding sentence shall apply to the disclosure of taxpayer identifying numbers only if such disclosure is not otherwise prohibited by section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Labor shall release that information to creditor agencies and may charge reasonable fees sufficient to pay the costs associated with that release.

See link below.
URL #1: http://www.losthorizons.com/comment/Etc/YourPapersPlease.htm

Seth, ,      Age: 50

Does anyone have an information about this?





Wayne, ,      Age: 50

I'm trying to set myself up as a freelance writer. I registered at eLance, which demands full name, address, phone number, and email to appear on my profile - talk about public! Well, I want the work and the money so I did it. But after I read HTBI, I went back in and changed my first name to my middle name, lopped off the first letter of my street name, omitted the apartment number, and changed the last digit of my postal code. I didn't know whether to feel silly or nefarious but I left it that way.

And then, today, came an email from eLance, saying that their database of personal info has been hacked, and that they are repairing the possible damage. The words "possibly including yours" leaped right off the screen at me.

But thanks to HTBI, I have nothing to worry about. Thanks, JJL!


Chris, ,      Age: 59

Bottom line: If you use the separate entrance at a UPS store to get your mail/packages from delivery to a paid box number, your entry into the store is RECORDED by way of that PIN pad - it is a unique code for each specific customer. If you use the main entrance, you're probably on video at the very least, and if the gate is up, you are also in the memory bank of the clerk who fetches your mail.

I'm not sure the UPS store option is as private as I once thought it was (even though that level of privacy is admittedly lower than a privately-arranged ghost address!)

Off-topic random thought for the day: If you haven't read 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley within the past 5 years, you definitely should! Those books were written in 1948 and 1931 respectively, and those authors were almost modern-day Biblical-style prophets!

In the way that this information relates to one-time pickups at the local UPS store, I can't say, but paid-for boxes, even when set up with a carefully arranged ghost name and/or ghost address, are monitored!

Dorothy, ,      Age: 40