Do stalkers normally let their victim know who they are? There was a guy, whose advances were turned down. Or is this possibly the works of a person or group who do not agree with my lifestyle (of living a self sufficient lifestyle including raising all of my own food)?

I am seriously considering moving because of all this, and am in the process of implementing the suggestions in the HTBI book. But I think it would be helpful to know what kind of person(s) I am dealing with. Thank you for any ideas.

... See #5728, above.

If you do leave them on a USB drive, I hope they are well encrypted because even courier packages are subject to Customs inspection both coming and going.

At the very least, obfuscate the passwords by removing any contextual information that would reveal your identity or the identity of your company. Remove all names, email addresses, bank or business names, leaving just strings that are useless to anyone without knowing to what they apply. This is good advice for everyone who may store passwords on telephones.

My Blackberry has a "vault" application specifically for storing passwords and usernames, but I obfuscate all that information as well because I'm not convinced of the strength of the encryption or file locking.

For example, if I have a bank account I refer to the bank abstractly: First National Bank becomes "Primary State" and the username is itself obscured. The password is a combination of my last dog's name and my old street address that's obfuscated as "Dog farm" Account numbers can be obfuscated with a simple substitution code. Using obfuscation, you never have to worry if anyone obtains the data, because it's meaningless to them without the knowledge only you have, but it's knowledge that you have already committed to memory.

Or, buy a book on simple substitution encryption and one-time-pad ciphers and encrypt everything that way.

On another note about money orders, if you expect paying cash for a large money order might arouse suspicion and unwanted questions, just print up a mailing envelope from a plumber, contractor, or mechanic, mail it to yourself, tear it open, and write the amount and due date on the outside to show the clerk. He'll assume you're just paying a bill for a routine expense.

If you're returning to the US and you want to be sure Customs doesn't seize your files even if they seize your computer (which they must eventually return to you, in theory), your best bet is to email/ftp your (encrypted) files to your home before you get on the plane, and then delete everything from your computer. And I mean everything! Wipe the disk using a DOD-level wipe and then reinstall the system to a clean disk, which means taking your system disk with you. This does not guarantee security of your data, however, because ALL commercial encryption programs have government-mandated back-doors so the feds can crack the encryption easily on ALL international traffic.

Moreover, it's against ITAR regulations to export some (most) encryption programs from the US without a permit from the government. Most commercial-grade and consumer-grade programs that have back-doors I do not THINK are ITAR restricted, so the PGP program you use to encrypt your email probably won't bother them, but you need to check with the manufacturer before you try to take it out of the country. Also, ALL software encryption programs, including the old versions of PGP and various upgrades available on the Internet, are categorically ITAR restricted, so you may need to download a new copy once you arrive overseas (understanding that encryption is even more closely regulated in other countries, like Great Britain, and can get you in worse trouble if you don't follow the law. Be sure to erase the program before you try to reenter the US. Keep in mind that you may not get caught 99 times, but ignorance of the law is no excuse and they can really stick it to you if they want to even if you inadvertently exported a "munition" in the form of an encryption program without the proper paperwork.

On the other hand, if it's just photos of your vacation and emails from your family, who cares? Even if they copy it, which they likely won't if you don't appear suspicious (like by trying to conceal a USB device) they probably won't even bother to check your computer.

If you're really determined, you can use steganography to encrypt data within photographs, but it's a well-known dodge and authorities look for signs of stego in photo files and have ways of detecting if a photo contains data. If they catch you with a stego photo, you're going to be answering pointed questions from people affiliated with three-letter agencies in a small, stuffy room.

In my opinion, if you're just trying to make sure your vacation photos and email get back home without being seized and potentially lost, just email or ftp them home in the clear, and then take your chances at the border.

Puts perspective to why the FBI likes to hires lawyers--they know the law.

Is there any way to get around providing a US Driver License when opening the account?

Also given the current "big brother" political climate in the English speaking and continental European world, I would also like to confirm that not having any Canadian documentation whatsoever is still acceptable?

... A year ago, a few branches did ask for a Canadian address, whereas others did not. Whether that has changed for 2009, I do not know. (If necessary, you can always order a Canadian ghost address.)

Drivers license? Once again, it may depend upon the branch. Often, just a US passport along with a credit card or even a AAA card has been sufficient. The main thing is to dress well, speak politely but with confidence, and offer a plausible reason for opening the account. For example, if you open it in Canadian dollars, you might explain that you may be having some work done in Canada later on (such as self-publishing a book with a Canadian printer) and you will need to write checks in Canadian dollars.

From what I've gathered, it's damn near impossible to have any sort of privacy starting a LLC or corp, especially here in CA. If there's anybody who has information to the contrary, please chime in.

... As I say below, in #5704, see page 94 of Skip College: Go Into Business for Yourself.

(The "owner" will be invisible because he or she does not exist. Unless fraud is involved, I believe this practice to be entirely legal.)