"If only I had read How to be Invisible a dozen years ago! I could have saved my family many unneeded hardships and I would have been a far more prosperous man today!"
— Frank Lewis, Minister/Small Business Advisor; Anderson, South Carolina
Money Management
This is for those who may think they will have a tough time with the economy. Here are
'7 Financial Tips From the Great Depression' that should help. Things are not as bad as the Great Depression, but if you start early and prepare as our parents and grand parants did, we should do all right.
Tapping phones, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi
The best way to defeat Bluetooth wiretapping is to simply not use it. With the proper equipment, high gain antenna, low noise amplifier, and a good receiver, Bluetooth, wi-fi, and cell phones can be received from almost a mile away; in case of cell phones, several miles away in open country. Close in, a common cell phone can be used to wiretap cell conversations by simply reprogramming the phone. Bluetooth and wi-fi are also tappable close by reprogramming common equipment.
I would not worry about this, unless you come to the attention of one of the alphabet agencies or a hacker who knows software and hardware. If it is a legal phone tap, it will be done at the central office. If you are worried about such things, make phone calls from crowded areas as the number of signals goes up, the difficulty of picking your signal out goes up, switch between phones, use tunneling, change MAC address, and encryption with wi-fi, and don’t use Bluetooth at all.
Re: Wendy - Auto Auction
Wendy,
Some of the auto auctions here used to be "dealer only", but have all been opened to the general public now. A buyer shouldn't need a dealer's license to purchase you a car. Why not use someone you trust to act as an "employee" of the LLC to buy the car and register it. Pay them for their time and you achieve what you are seeking.
Or you could enlist the services of a used car dealer to buy the car and title it (most can get plates for cars nowadays). Or use your "LLC Employee" to buy the car from a private party and again title it.
Bluesnarfing Software
What I found most notable about this software's hard sell is the message from the seller at the very end of the page:
"This is a limited time offer. Get it while you can.
This product is very powerful and may soon be unavailable in your area."
This suggests that it is as illegal to use this as it is to use any other wiretapping techniques. Anyway, I assume you need to have the bluetooth phone's number to track the right one. By using something like Vumber with your cell phone and NEVER texting or calling directly from the phone to ANYONE, that makes even this software harder to use--at least for a phone. (Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.) My PDA's bluetooth is disabled and my laptop doesn't have the capability and I refuse to add it OR use wireless service.
Dorothy's Response, #5169
My primary challenge with GC is that it's part of the Googlesphere and Google's stated goal is the be the largest database in the world. Besides, I believe you get what you pay for and pay for what you get. I'd rather pay for a service, that's bound to be more private in order to keep its customers, than use something free from a company that WANTS to sell information at some point. So, when I got offered a GC account, I declined.
I'll have to consider what you're saying about finding someone who can do all I'd want a dealer to do to get me a different car. I'm a pretty determined woman so it might be possible--though, at a premium. But, my privacy is worth the cost.
wiretapping cell phones
Just for kicks, I googled wiretapping + Pellicano. This was the top sponsored link on the right hand side of my screen.... After reading the advertisement, it appears that using a Bluetooth-capable handset is incredibly dangerous to privacy from the general public now!
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This didn't sound right to me so I asked a trusted PI friend about it. His answer:
"Might be law enforcement sting because the product is illegal on its face. Notice you have to use a credit card to get the product. That opens up all kinds of avenues for their investigation. The only people that can get away with this MIGHT be bounty hunters. When you get sprung, you give up all rights and accept this kind of monitoring... so does the one who bails you out, especially if you fail to appear in court.
"If it's not a sting, it's a scam. Who do you complain to when your bank or credit card is hit for under $100.00 - maybe multiple times - for a product that is universally illegal? :)
"But act NOW! - this technology may not be available for long." - No kidding.
"http://www.cellspypro.com/Legal_Info-Refund_Policy.htm says:
"Legal Disclaimer: We do not condone the use of any of our products for monitoring individuals without their consent. Be sure to check and obey all local, state, and federal laws when using any type of surveillance equipment. Cell Spy Pro is not intended for illegal use or for causing harm. As the seller, we do not take any responsibility for damage or harm caused by misuse of this product. The user takes full responsibility to obey all effective & relevant laws in his/her country, which may prohibit usage of such a product."
"And I like this part:
"5. CONTACT INFORMATION
"You may contact us Via email at: support@cellspypro.com please include your name, address, telephone number, email address, order date and order number."
prepaid cells
Wendy, I should mention that I was being probably a bit more paranoid than might be technologically possible for a PI to actually accomplish at this time. I was thinking that a PI might be running a real-time trace in addition to a tap (something only law enforcement probably has the technology for at this time), and I had forgotten about Vumber entirely. My thought at the time of writing the previous post was that a one-time-use Tracfone would allow you to call someone without the caller ID number triggering a PI's attention as being a number associated with you, allowing you to carry on a conversation with your loved one without the PI recognizing that he/she might be interesting in triangulating that particular conversation back to your physical location (which I'm guessing wouldn't be possible with a Vumber anyway).
At the moment, I am using a GrandCentral number for routing to various prepaid phones, and I like the setup (plus it's FREE), but GrandCentral does lack the ability to call people "on the fly" with the GC number showing in their caller ID. To call someone with the GC number showing up, I have to place the call from their website rather than from my own phone. For that purpose alone, Vumber is the winner between the two, but GC is, after all, free.... Unfortunately, GC is not available to the general public right now, since Google bought it and it is now in eternal "beta-testing" mode.
From a slightly different angle, it is always a good idea to not discuss sensitive and/or location-based things on the phone!
Would a notary public be able to represent your interests at a car auction, if that person also had an auction license, so as to eliminate the need for you to physically attend the auction? It becomes a situation where you are then looking for a "trifecta" of abilities in a person - the ability to transact the deal's paperwork, the ownership of an auction permit, AND the ability to pick out a suitable vehicle for you in your absence. While possible, it seems that that would be asking a lot of anybody!
Dorothy's Response
Dorothy, I use a GoPhone (pre-paid AT&T) in the name of and paid for by an LLC bank account that doesn't have my name on it. THEN, I have my family, friends and business associates call me via Vumber, which is like a regular phone number and I can call out through my Vumber to them so it's far harder to trace. I don't text message anyone so cell phone number never shows up on anyone's phone records. I also use VoIP in the name of another LLC, paid for by that LLC account that doesn't have my SS# associated with it. No one ever calls me on a true landline nor do I call on one because when that's looked up, it has a location associated with it. That's true of a payphone, too.
As to your idea of hiring a dealer to buy a car for me, my research confirms that's a good idea, if I can find a reputable trustworthy one in the state where my current vehicle is registered. Because my vehicle has been registered there for over two years and I can use a CMRA to register the vehicle (the same one on my driver's license) I want to keep everything in that state. I'll simple pay for a separate mailbox for the vehicle registration but at the same address to obfuscate things a bit. Again, I don't want to show up at the auction, just take delivery on the vehicle which, once titled, registered and insured in that state, I may either have shipped to me or pick up at a relative's home.
phone-tapping, car auctions
For Wendy: Tracfones are now available for $9.99 or less. When activated online, they come with 20 minutes included. That works out to 50 cents per minute, which is VERY pricey in the regular world, but having a stock of those (activated from a public WiFi location preferably) handy for calling one's loved ones could be useful for preventing a PI from backtracking on your loved one's phone records to find YOU.
The point would be that you would use the phone ONCE and then discard it or sell it or recycle it. Or just use payphones if you still have them in your region, with a calling card purchased with cash. With payphones, though, you might need to keep the calls much shorter and definitely rotate the locations each time!
Virgin Mobile also sells handsets for $7.99 to $9.99, which come with $2.50 in airtime credit. At 20 cents/minute basic rate, that's 12.5 minutes per handset.
Regarding car auctions: My son once bought a nice Blazer at auction for a good price because his boss at the time had a dealership license for his business of selling mobile homes. The boss charged him gas up to the auction site and a very small fee for filling out the title work. This was not intended for the purpose of privacy at the time, but it could work if you can make the necessary connections with somebody who has a permit to bid at the auto auctions. In that area at the time, anyway, auto auctions were a private deal, and "Joe Stranger" couldn't just walk in and bid, he had to be accompanied by somebody who had permission to buy there.
Report about safe driving
I remember that some time last year you wrote that you were going to write a book or a report about driving a million miles without an accident. Have you given up on that? I hope not.
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No, but I did have it set on a back burner because most adults already consider themselves to be safe drivers even if they are not.
However, I have resurrected the report with this tentative title, HOW TO CRASHPROOF YOUR TEEN DRIVER, hoping that will be of more interest. And since a vital part of the report has to do with driving in winter conditions, I am now hoping to have it available before the end of January.
Pawn Shops
Michael, anytime I've ever pawned anything, I've been required to provide a driver's license and that information is usually entered into a database easily available to law enforcement. Also, in one state, I was asked for a thumbprint. It's gotten much harder to pawn anything today. I'd be looking for things I can sell if I need quick cash--or offering my services freelance at events, venues, etc. for cash payment. Post an ad on Craigslist to see if you can drum up business. See if you have other skills you or your girlfriend can use to make some quick (but obviously, legal!) money.
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(Note to Wendy--Please contact me. E-mails to you are bouncing.)
Drake's Answer
Thanks, Drake. After I posted the question, I Googled "wiretapping" and Pellicano's name was first to come up. I also found info on current federal wiretapping and anti-pretexting laws that shows how high fines and jail terms are for those who try these tactics illegally. You'd think that would deter most PIs but some may think they've found ways around getting caught.
I called the parent this pretexter, calling themselves "detective" somebody to scare this individual, who's considered elderly but is hardly addilpated, and told them the deal--making certain to mention federal laws, jail terms and fines (and Pellicano!) during the conversation just in case my stalker's stupid PI is listening. That may do the trick. I do think some are either ignorant of the law or arrogant enough to believe they won't be caught. I told my parent to get or find the phone number so I, an investigative journalist, could do some of my own, legal, investigation (countersurveillance). I told my other parent not to give any info, no matter what they're told.
Anyway, that's why I mentioned in my latest post getting rid of the vehicle in my own name (bought pre-HTBI) and getting one that's not so easily identifiable. Thanks for the reassurance. I'm in my way to fourth level invisibility....
Buying car at auction using NMLLC
Has anyone bought a car at an auction using an NMLLC as the purchaser? The NMLLC has its own bank account NOT associated with my SS# or true address so I'd use funds from that account to make the transaction and would go to the state where I'm currently licensed to buy the car.
I've heard there are some GREAT deals at auto auctions, especially right now and I want to get the only property in my name out of my name by selling it and buying an entirely different car at auction. (My current vehicle easily identifies me because of its unique features so it's best to divest myself of the vehicle and get another, less recognizable one.)
Finally, aren't there consultants or other reputable action buying professionals I can hire to do this so I don't even have to show up and show ID? Thanks.
5160
".... Also, can a private investigator associate a vehicle registered under an NMLLC to the driver of that vehicle? ...."
Not without having a lot of other information beforehand. Using HTBI tactics will prevent all that.
The PI would practically have to know what you look like and serendipitously spot you on the street; follow you successfully, and either break-and-enter to confirm his suspicions, or attempt to connect illegally obtained phone records (your parents) with the address to which he followed you. And since the phone number may not be a landline, he’d ping the cell phone number he finds in those records when he knows you’re at 'home'.
He doesn’t actually know about the book HTBI does he? If even that is secret, he has little chance.
"....Finally, I'm concerned that my stalker is actively trying to locate me again. Since I'm using HTBI tactics to remain under the radar, he hasn't been able to locate me in the typical manner. He may hire a PI, though and I want to know if PIs typically wiretap phones of known associates to the subject to locate that subject? (Yes, he's that kind of aggressive.)...."
Typically? No. However: See Pelicano, Anthony.
How rich is this fella? He’s got to have a heck of a pocket book to fund a successful private wiretap operation. PI's don't risk loss of license and jail time for peanuts. Again, Google Pelicano, Anthony.
Registering a vehicle using NMLLC in VA or MD, Etc.
A friend of mine, whose hiding from her violent ex (and can't visit this site right now for obvious reasons) lives in VA and wants to use a NMLLC to register a vehicle. Has anyone tried to register a vehicle using an NMLLC in VA or MD? If so, was it hard to do? They also want to use an NMLLC to get utilities when they move. Anyone have experience with this?
Also, can a private investigator associate a vehicle registered under an NMLLC to the driver of that vehicle? How do I overcome the issue of living in a state and having my vehicle registered in another state? I've had a couple of mechanics ask me about registering my vehicle here and, of course, I want to avoid that but don't want to be reported or something for not doing so.
Finally, I'm concerned that my stalker is actively trying to locate me again. Since I'm using HTBI tactics to remain under the radar, he hasn't been able to locate me in the typical manner. He may hire a PI, though and I want to know if PIs typically wiretap phones of known associates to the subject to locate that subject? (Yes, he's that kind of aggressive.) I'm concerned he's trying to have that done with one of my parents, who refused to so much as acknowledge knowing me when someone called posing as a detective trying to find me. (Since I haven't committed any crimes so I'm sure it's his PI trying to find me and intimidate family to do so.)
Pawning your guitar and privacy
Oddly, I recently sold my Fender Stratocaster on a whim because I desperately wanted something else. While money isn't really that much of an issue for me, I force myself to live on a budget to prevent impulse buying.
I was absolutely SHOCKED when I put the guitar on Craigslist at 2am one morning. By 5am, I must have had 15 people making offers. Naturally, none of them care about my name or address. I ended up selling it in a parking lot for a couple hundred more than I was expecting.
On a side note, it is state law in Ohio that pawn shops see ID and record the list info. I find my method much easier and "private."
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Selling your guitar, of course, is different than just pawning it. When you sell it, it's gone forever.
Hamish
Salem, Oregon, USA Age: 65 or thereabouts Dec 26, 2008
RE: #5155, Spyware
Greg, no single anti-spyware product will catch them all, especially since the newer malware (malicious software) has a way of morphing - self-modifying - to keep ahead of the anti-malware products that that look for patterns ("signatures") in the files that they check.
I have recently switched from the Norton product from Symantec to Kaspersky Internet Security. In contrast to Symangtec and McAfee, which seem to update their signature files once a week, the Kaspersky product updates its signature files in your computer about every two hours. As soon as I connect to the Internet, the Kaspersky product calls home and downloads the latest signatures.
It's probably worthwhile also to visit the *reputable* vendors sites from time to time. Some of them (Symantec, McAfee, and Kaspersky at least, maybe others) offer a free ant-virus scan of your computer to detect (but not remove, that costs extra!) malicious software on your computer.
Beware, though: Check the reputation of the anti-malware vendor (use Google or Scroogle) to see if perhaps the site that you are visiting is not from a reputable firm. Some malicious sites will claim to have found malicious software and offer to sell you a program to remove it -- but the program is itself malware!
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Note to Greg: I currently use AVG on one laptop and Kaspersky on another. Still not sure which is better. (Problems arise when I try to install both on the same laptop.)
privacy: address request from a prospective job
I recently received an email from a prospective employer. It basically was asking for verification of my address because my address on file with Equifax did not match the address I used on the application. They now are asking for verification ( Please submit documentation verifying your current address, along with a written statement about why there is a discrepancy.)
This raised a red flag in my mind. I recently completed HTBI, so I'm now a bit cautious of everything regarding my name. I am basically asking for advice on how to iron out this situation smoothly? Thanks in advance. Also I wanted to know if you would recommend any books on invisible home based businesses. I now understand, the only way to avoid situations like this is to be invisible!
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There are many books about home-based businesses but I am unaware of any that stress privacy other than my own e-book: SKIP COLLEGE: Go Into Business For Yourself.
I don't know the details of your two addresses, but if one is NOT your home address, try and justify that one for your prospective employer. However, working for another person or company is always a problem because you will go into the "New HIres" list.
Fran
Springfield, Massachusetts) Age: 37 Dec 26, 2008
Re: #5153 Buying Used Laptop
I love buying used from craigslist & ebay, but with laptops, I have several concerns. Jack, you're right--there could be child porn or something else sinister on the hard drive. This could be rectified by either using Evidence Eliminator to securely erase the hard drive or replacing the hard drive all together (or not buying it with the computer to begin with). The hard drive is the only place that can hold incriminating evidence.
It is common for thieves to sell stolen computers on the internet. If you unknowingly buy one, this could put you in contact with the police (a big privacy no-no in my book). You could lose the purchase price or even be prosecuted just for having it.
My final concern is that so many things could be wrong with a computer that could render it useless to you that you wouldn't be able to find out before you buy. A repair might be expensive or it might turn out to be more economical to just throw it away, leaving you without money & without a computer.
Spyware
I took my desktop computer in for service at a honest, reliable and trustworthy shop. When I picked up my computer from the shop, the fellow there told me he did a spyware scan of my hard drive using a free product called Super Anti-Spyware and that it found about 40 pieces of spyware on my computer.
I was shocked to hear this as I have NOD32 anti-virus, a good (or so I thought) firewall (hardware and software) and I just started using Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy. I keep all of those products up to date. I cannot understand why the products I use couldn't catch all that spyware.
I have a wired system - no wi-fi. Any ideas? Thanks.
