| #: |
From / Date: |
Question / Answer: |
| 5249. |
Wendy
Richardson,TX
Age: 45
Jan 15, 2009
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Blackberry Phones and Security
My businesses are growing to the point where I need to have a cell phone with robust features and service than my prepaid offers so I'm considering getting a Blackberry phone in the name of a business for business use only. Other than the obvious--the cell phone company maintains in its database all the calls I make, text I send, emails sent and received--what are some of the privacy issues of using the phone, particularly its data services? Are there ways to mitigate the privacy issues?
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| 5247. |
Mark
Austin, TX
Age: 25
Jan 14, 2009
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Offshore-Manual / #5239 (Fred)
Hi Jack,
my comments are for Fred and other interested people about Offshore-Manual.com
While this particular company might sometimes deal fairly, they do not always and I generally regard them as fraudsters running a scam. I have read at least three reports of people saying they took their money and gave nothing in return. They have done some less than ethical things (which I could do into detail on, but I won't). Furthermore, they say on that very page you linked to that you can pay with e-gold (which is no longer true because their e-gold account has been "value limited" - just click the pay-with-e-gold link. That means they got enough complaints for e-gold to essentially freeze their funds.), and the title of the page hasn't been changed in years (see the "CHANNEL ISLANDS PACKAGE" part in the title bar)! They advertised that years ago for $3,000 (check the Way-Back-Machine), and that "package" was in fact one of the things I read they got paid for by at least one person and never delivered on. Now, with all that being said, I have never dealt with Carlton Press / Offshore Manual, but I know most of this because I read other online forums.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.blackhat-seo.com/2006/scam-alert-carlto...
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| 5246. |
Mark
Barnesville, GA
Age: 35
Jan 14, 2009
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Passport and SSN
You may want to confirm this. When I was applying for my passport, I read that the IRS can fine you $500 if you don't provide your SSN with the passport application.
...
You refer, of course, to #5243. I should have amplified my answer to say that the "SSN does not have to be given, because you can pay a $500 fine instead." Thanks for calling this incomplete answer to my attention.
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| 5243. |
Bethany
Dallas
Age: 39
Jan 14, 2009
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Passports
Legally, do i have to provide my SS# and list that I have been or am married? All my business information is in madien name.
Would recommend using 'passport services' or just mail in long form. We are not in any hurry.
Okay to use our Ghost address for passport?
...
Although the SSN is not legally required, my personal opinion is that you draw more attention to yourself by not giving it, than by giving it. I don't have the form in front of me so I'll not answer the "married" question. But yes, you certainly may use a P O Box, a ghost address, or the address of a friend. That address is merely so they know where to send the passport.
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| 5242. |
Seth
Collbran, co
Age: 50
Jan 13, 2009
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Offshore bank accounts
It's not illegal to have offshore bank accounts, but it is illegal not to report them to the IRS. There's a new form that's required to be filed by any US citizen who has an offshore account, with felony provisions and fines for failing to do so.
It's an anti-money-laundering law.
The age of anonymous off-shore banking is thoroughly over.
However, offshore banking does have advantages if done correctly, and legally, which is a very complex matter best suited to consultation with an attorney. Unless you've got a lot of money you need to protect against court actions, it's probably not worth the expense and effort.
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| 5241. |
Zoran
Kenora, Ontario
Age: 51
Jan 13, 2009
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USPS Money Orders
Occasionally when in US, I buy USPS money orders. Limit is $1000 per money order. In answer to some readers, clerks are required to fill out forms for the US Treasury (who passes them along to any other interested agencies)
if you buy $3000 or more in one day from one location. Avoiding this rule might be considered "structuring". That
is a separate Federal offense. The reader who had a problem with a clerk when buying money orders totalling a bit over $1000 was dumb. NEVER ask a clerk at a PO or bank what the rules are. That is considered "suspicious" and they are told to complete and file a "suspicious activity report" on you!
This report could be filed on you and you would not know it. There is no "limit" for these reports!
Had a problem when buying these money orders recently. It seems that USPS has now put a mylar strip thru the money order (similar to US money).
Have heard that govt folks at airports can tell how much cash you are carrying
by these strips. Is that true? Do the
strips on USPS money orders create any problems as far as privacy when sending thru the mail? Or when going thru an airport with these money orders?
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| 5240. |
Bethany
Dallas
Age: 39
Jan 13, 2009
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Mailing address in Spain?
Can the overseas address listed on the NM LLC documents be used for forwarding my mail?
Submitted Link #1: http://canaryislandspress.com/index.cfm/page/Canar...
...
Absolutely not. That address, with a small one-time only fee, is NOT a mail-forwarding service. ... However, another address in the islands is available. Click on the link below.
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| 5239. |
Fred
Chyenne Wy, USA
Age: 25
Jan 13, 2009
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Have you seen this service?
Hello i scouring the internet and came upon this i was wondering if you have seen this service or heard of this organiziation before,
If it is a scam I feel horrible for anyone falling for it, 3,000 wow thats a lot to lose.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.offshore-manual.com/AnonymousBanking.sh...
...
It may be illegal for American citizens to have such an account, which is perhaps why they specify that you must list a foreign address. ... BTW, that's 3000 euros, not 3000 dollars, and there is no security whatsover.
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| 5238. |
CJ
Charlottesville, VA.
Age: 44
Jan 12, 2009
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Celebrity Privacy
J.J.
Forgive me if this is inappropriate for the forum, but have you found that celebrities know little about privacy?
I was just reading some of the recent posts about titling homes in an LLC. It made me wonder whether some of the celebrities in my area titled their homes in their personal names. So I went to the county website and searched by names under property ownership and sure enough three of them all have multiple properties listed in their name with their property addresses.
Maybe I will send them a copy of your book!!
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| 5237. |
Bethany
Texas
Age: 39
Jan 12, 2009
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Financing a Vehicle in LLC
We do not have cash to purchase. Can we keep our privacy financing a vehicle to our NM LLC? How?
Desperate 2 Disappear
...
You have some cash for the down payment, right? And you paid cash for the NM LLC. Well, buy an old car, or walk, or take the bus. Copy the example in the e-book "Skip College."
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| 5236. |
Brian
Detroit, MI
Age: 21
Jan 12, 2009
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Car Insurance and post 5213
I read Hamish's great info in 5213. I have two questions.
1. Mr. Luna, when one gets car insurance does one have to give the address where the car will be parked? (i.e., real address). Can I just give the Insurance Company my CMRA address and my real name? I looked through HTBI again but see no mention of dealing with addresses when getting car insurance.
2. I was hoping I could get more info on FLEET INSURANCE POLICIES. These sound like a good method for keeping one's name out of Insurance Papers. Mr. Luna, does this method sound good to you--do you have experience with it (you didn't mention it in HTBI)? Does one need an LLC to get this kind of policy? Can one get this policy for a Trust? How exactly does one find info on such policies--is it straight forward (i.e, go to insurance website and instead of "individual insurance" pick "fleet insurance"?
...
1. I leave this decision up to each person and his or her conscience.
... 2. For most of us, this is expensive and is overkill.
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| 5235. |
joe
ephraim, utah
Age: 69
Jan 12, 2009
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NM LLCs
I know that New Mexico LLC's are good for placing a private residence and automobiles into, but what about small income properties such as a fourplex, 6 units etc. Since these properties produce incomes would a New Mexico LLC be appropriate for them.
Thanks,
joe
...
For liability protection, I suggest you use Utah LLCs. (There is a possibility that a NM LLC could be used to hold the Utah companies, but check with a competent attorney and perhaps a CPA as well.)
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| 5234. |
Anders
Arlington VA
Age: 41
Jan 12, 2009
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Re:Aliases
Mr. Luna:
Thanks for answering my previous question. I agree that it was an odd case. So is it right to conclude that if I sign a contract or get utilities using an assumed name, I should be safe as long as i do not forge documents and I have every intention to honor the terms?
...
I have never advocated signing a legal contract or getting utilities in an assumed name -- especially if fake documents are involved. Better is to use an LLC and best is to use a nominee.
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| 5233. |
Beth
Union City, NJ
Age: 29
Jan 12, 2009
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Ghost Addresses
Most HTBI suggestions regarding where to obtain a ghost address involve a place of business - why is that? Is it generally easier to do than, say, get an Average Joe to let you receive mail at his apartment? Or is a business address actually more desirable, even if you're not using the address for business? I ask because I have befriended someone at my gym who is willing to let me use her apartment as a ghost address. The only things she knows about me are my voicemail number, my first name (but gym membership is under a nominee and paid in cash) and that I occasionally work out at that gym...is there a problem I'm not seeing with this arrangement, or with using residential addresses in general?
...
It is easier to get mail at a business address (where perhaps many others are also getting mail). However, a residential address is excellent so if you can get that, go for it!
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| 5232. |
Anders
Arlington VA
Age: 41
Jan 12, 2009
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Aliases
Mr. Luna:
What do you make of this article? (Please see web site address box)
Is the takeaway that one can still have as many aliases as he wants as long as there is no forgery of SSNs and documents? For example if Sharma had just used the name "Peter Reynolds" without making up an SSN and gotten cable under that name with a deposit it would have been OK? As an aside, what is the procedure the cops probably followed to freeze his bank account? And, can one protest such a freezing since the "theft" in the article was a direct result of it?
Thank you,
Anders
Submitted Link #1: http://news.cnet.com/Police-Blotter-Is-it-legal-to...
...
An odd case that does not apply to normal alternate names. Also, note the conclusion of this court case:" ...we reverse the conviction for unlawful possession of access devices."
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| 5229. |
Wendy
Richardson,TX
Age: 45
Jan 10, 2009
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Social Networking Via License Plates
Drake, I got one that beats the Disney birthday thing (which is DUMB to do!). There are services popping up on the internet that allow "members" to register their license plates to allow other drivers to send them text messages! Naturally, that means you have to provide your cell phone number (as well as the state of your plate) AND the message posts to the public part of the site for all to see and everyone searching your plate on the net to see. In fact, one service makes it plain that, "A text message Post to a PL8 is not a private communication with the owner of that PL8." (See link below.)
So, imagine this. You're minding your business trying to keep a low profile and someone sees you driving down the street and decides they want a date or that you've done something to anger them. They send a text message to your plate through one of these services and, voila! Your plate is now on public site, along with whatever message has been associated with the plate. Now, suppose someone (like that violent ex?) is looking for your vehicle for whatever reason and they know your license plate number. Now, by Googling your plate number, they can find these sites and may have an idea where you're located by the license plate of the text message sender, which is also posted along with YOUR plate number, whether your a member or not of that service!
I asked the owner of one such site what happens in a case where somebody doesn't want their license plate posted on their site by one of your members and his answer was something like, "well, there's nothing I can do about that because we're just an entertainment communications network and those who don't want their information on our site should never visit it and they'll never know it's there." He says his site is fully legally compliant with all state and federal laws. Basically, he couldn't care less about those of us who don't want our plates posted on his site by his members because he feels that since he's not violating any laws, privacy be damned.
Bottom line: do whatever you need to do within the law to make certain your vehicle is registered in the name of an NM LLC. If you can't achieve that in your state, at least make certain it is NOT registered at an address associated with your true physical location. It's getting scarier and scarier out there....
Submitted Link #1: http://www.pl8scan.com/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx...
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| 5227. |
Drake
Los Angeles, CA
Age: 34
Jan 8, 2009
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Whopper of a Data Capture
"Install Whopper Sacrifice on your Facebook profile, and we'll reward you with a free flame-broiled Whopper when you sacrifice ten of your friends."
This Facebook app seems like a clever ruse. What does it report back to the developers? Who has access to that information? How can it be used?
Submitted Link #1: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10136679-2.htm...
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| 5225. |
William
Queens, NY
Age: 35
Jan 8, 2009
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rundown properties
"In places like Detroit and Cleveland, banks are unloading rundown homes for next to nothing."
$500.- $1,000.
worth investigating the property taxes in advance but these are options for owning a place to call a 'physical residence' in a particular state. Paid in cash.
Purchased with a NM LLC.
Vandalized? Doesn't matter.
Demolish the home in 30 days and have all the rubbish removed.
You could even get utilities for 1 month before beginning demolition.
No Homeowners insurance needed.
Having the property reassessed by the county would lower the property tax.
You end up with a lot that is your ghost address.
Michigan and Ohio being the choice states here.
It is only slightly more than the cost of renting a studio apt. for a month or two to obtain a passport/drivers license.
Remove mailbox permanently after 60 days.
It would be more privacy to purchase from a private party rather than a bank. Would a bank allow sale into a NM LLC by a nominee?
If paid for in cash and under $3,000. no FinCEN reporting. Have all bank and county paperwork go to a PO Box.
Submitted Link #1: http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/08/real_estate/thousa...
...
Note this, however: "Often buyers are legally required to rehab these homes to bring them up to code. In Detroit, buyers are required to sign Affidavits of Compliance Responsibility, which obligates them to make repairs outlined in an inspection report." But why not try this yourself, William, and then let us know how it goes.
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| 5224. |
Charles
Scottsboro, Al
Age: 76
Jan 8, 2009
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#5222
Ask a CPA regards the NM LLC for real estate. My CPA told me that all I had to do was register with my Secretary of State ($75.00)if an issue evolves then you can change LLC name if necessary.
There will be some expense but your idenity will be somewhat protected if a big problem arises.
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| 5222. |
paul
minneapolis
Age: 53
Jan 7, 2009
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re: Ananda's question about rental LLC
An LLC is perfect for protecting an investor who owns a rental property. One of the questions to ask your local attorney is: Can I use my New Mexico LLC as the sole member of my local LLC? If so, privacy may be possible.
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