| #: |
From / Date: |
Question / Answer: |
| 2008. |
Drake
CA Age: 31 Jun 1, 2007
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Roadside Paranoia
In God we trust, All others we scan..... The Z Backscatter Van is one of many interesting items on the road these days... especially around bridges, airports, border crossings, Federal buildings, and shipping ports to name a few. If you follow the link below, you can watch the company commercial for this nifty van with x-ray vision.
It should also give privacy-minded folks pause. Does this mean we've given permission for a VERY intrusive, though passive, search just because we've driven near certain locations? What health repercussions can we expect?
Submitted Link #1: http://www.as-e.com/products_solutions/zbv.asp...
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| 2007. |
Drake
CA Age: 31 Jun 1, 2007
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Barb Re: PI has contacted me
JJLuna says: "There are legitimate investigators who track down unclaimed money and offer to split 50-50 with the beneficiaries."
This is true. Look at the documentation they've sent you. Is there a license number on the letterhead? Look up the business name or the license number at this web site link below.
...
After doing this, send an email to:
Florida Department of Financial Services
Unclaimed Property Bureau
200 E. Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0358
Phone: 850-413-5555
Toll Free: 888-258-2253
Fax: 850-413-3017
Email: funclaim@fldfs.com
Submitted Link #1: http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/access/individual...
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| 2005. |
blake
Redondo Beach, CA Age: 27 May 31, 2007
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re: Christopher & car insurance
It is common practice for an insurance company to do a credit check and base there quote on your credit score along with the item you are insuring. I dont know of any company that will bind a policy without your SS#. Good Luck
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| 2003. |
Maria
Los Angeles, CA Age: 29 May 31, 2007
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LLC Bank Account
Hello,
Let me start by saying how informative I have found both your book "How to be Invisible" and your e-book on financial privacy. Both were very well written and extremely enligtening.
I am interested in opening my own online business. I intend to get a NM LLC. However, I do not know how to maintain my privicy if I also open a bank account or paypal account for that business. Is this possible? From all I have read, it appears that banks require that you produce owner information.
(Please note that I have no intention of skipping out on taxes. All revenue will be reported to the IRS)
Thank you.
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Apparently you've not yet read my e-book, "Invisible Money," right? Using an LLC will not protect your privacy, so why bother? As for PayPal, the solution is difficult. You must find a nominee who will allow you to use his or her name AND bank account.
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| 2002. |
Christopher
Rockville Centre, NY Age: 40 May 31, 2007
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Car Insurance & SSN
I was calling some car insurance companies for quotes and I notice that after they ask for your name, they ask, what is your SSN? I tell them that Im just interested in a quote for insurance, but one company told me that they cant confirm theyre quotes without a SSN. But, is there a car insurance company that does not require my SSN?
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We have used the same company for many years and were never asked for a SSN. However, rules may have been changed. Perhaps some reader may help?
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| 2001. |
Wendy
Plano, TX Age: 43 May 31, 2007
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PIs Contacting You
Barb, whatever you do, be careful. This sounds like one of those "send me $50K today and I'll deposit $5M in your bank account tomorrow" type scams. In this case it's "send me your identity and I'll send you money your parents left you". Your parents will may contain enough information about you and your entire family (like your children's and siblings' names, previous addresses, etc.) and that information, along with with your parents name, the DOB on your license, your photo, you current street address, previous addresses (from the will), etc., a thief can send for your social security card and birth certificate to either sell the information online to other criminals or to steal your identity to use to get other things in your name or even sell your house out from under you. They may even sell the information to illegals looking to get US ID to work in your name or commit other acts. The good news is that information about unclaimed money held in the state of Florida and most other states is available to the public directly through either the Florida Department of State or Florida's Secretary of State unclaimed property division. (There may even be an online search feature at one of their web sites.) Florida has great consumer fraud laws (though enforcement is lax) and therefore, has voluminous info on these kinds of scams. Call the State's AG and give them your scenario. See what they tell you. But, whatever you do, DON'T send this person anything that provides information that may be used to steal your identity and/or steal any money that may be yours.
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| 2000. |
Barb
Colleyville, TX Age: 54 May 31, 2007
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PI has contacted me
I have just finished reading your wonderful, enlightening book and just today received a letter from someone who claims to be a PI in Florida saying that they have "found" $1500 that is due my dead parents (who used to live in Fla) that they are ready to send to me with 1) a copy of my parents' will 2) my identification and photo. I haven't called them yet, but this all seems peculiar and quite coicidental, given that I just finished your book. What do you recommend?
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I suggest you check for more details before you send any confidential information. Do they list the names of your parents and the true dates of death? Do you have any reason to believe that what they say is true? (There are legitimate investigators who track down unclaimed money and offer to split 50-50 with the beneficiaries.)
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| 1999. |
Wendy
Plano, TX Age: 43 May 31, 2007
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Publicly Available Surveillance Cameras
More reason to be invisible, be VERY invisible as Big Brother may be coming soon to a university or intersection near you....
Submitted Link #1: http://privacy.cs.cmu.edu/dataprivacy/projects/cam...
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| 1998. |
Daniel
Minneapolis, MN Age: 34 May 31, 2007
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RE: Prepaid cell for Larry
As far as pre-paid cell phones goes I have used Tracfone, Pageplus, and Net10 (my current since I think it has the best deal) and I have never been asked for an ID, SSN, or any questions whatsoever (if I did I would just walk out the store and take my business elsewhere). Just go to a Target, Walmart, or Family Dollar pick out your phone and pay cash only. For better privacy have your incoming calls routed through a pager or use privatephone.com voicemail. Even better get two prepaid cells one for your REAL private conservations and one for everyone else. Since unless you're careful the cell number could become connected with your real name.
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| 1996. |
Jack
Evergreen Park, IL Age: 33 May 31, 2007
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HTBI downloads
Someone has made How To Be Invisible available thru [deleted]. I'm confident that you didn't authorize it.
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I can't check it out because membership is required. Please contact me via e-mail.
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| 1995. |
Jack
Eugene, OR Age: 53 May 31, 2007
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QT amendments
[No e-mail address.]
I would like to see more interior space by way of widening the unit to 8.5' overall ...
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I am limiting the trailers to 7 wide, so they can be pulled by a mid-size SUV. Less money, less weight, less wind resistance, easier to see behind them on the road, and easier to park.
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| 1994. |
Adam
Clearwater, FL Age: 32 May 30, 2007
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Dental for Wendy in TX
The standard answer that my wife and I use all the time whenever asked for our SSN is, "I am Canadian, and Canada doesn't have social security." This works for dentists, doctors, hospitals (I've even had major surgery), in every single instance no matter who is asking. I have never had the questioning go any further than that. By the way, I am born and bred Californian. I'm paying for the services in cash, so why would they need SSN? Plus I offer a fake name and one of my ghost addresses (sometimes a former address). The less information I provide, the better. Obvious exceptions being the IRS or a bank, but we all know that.
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| 1993. |
Diana
Albuquerque, NM Age: 48 May 30, 2007
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passport
What do you know about the electronic chip that the state department is embedding in passports now. (1) Is it legal? (2) Can you request to not have one?
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(1) Yes. (2) No.
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| 1992. |
Keith
Thomasboro, IL Age: 50 May 30, 2007
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Google Earth can show faces, license plates, and Steve Jobs's house
(taken from drudgereport.com)
Submitted Link #1: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=l&hl=en&q=museum&nea...
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| 1991. |
Jack
Evergreen Park, IL Age: 33 May 30, 2007
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re: Wendy, Home deliveries
Give the name of the previous owner.
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| 1990. |
john
Santa Monica, CA May 30, 2007
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cell Phone answer for Larry
As long as you have a "pay-as-you-go" account with the service provider, (which meens you need to purchase your phone with cash), you can put your phone under any name and address, or no name or address at all, no I.D. of any kind is required. After that simply re-fill your minutes by way of pre-paid cards, or use the payment machine in any provider location.
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| 1988. |
Wayne Robertson
Hollis, NY Age: 36 May 30, 2007
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DL
In May 2008 all the DMV and or driver's license will be linked together into 1 national database, do you know how to drive without one and obtain car insurance without one. I'm not speaking about the Interenational Drivers Permit either.
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Not legally, no.
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| 1987. |
Frank
Dothan, AL Age: 35 May 30, 2007
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Response to Will RE Laptops
I use and highly recommend rayServers systems for privacy-sensitive people. I have a desktop and laptop from them, and while they are not for the frugal, they come stock as secure as a system can get. Extremely tech savvy types can homebrew the same platform and probably save several hundred dollars, but if you're not a tech expert and want the top security/privacy machine out there, it's definitely from rS.
Submitted Link #1: http://gold.rayservers.com/laptops...
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| 1985. |
will
Orlando, FL Age: 43 May 30, 2007
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Greg, Pomona - Data Privacy while travelling
[Edited for length] The smallest USB flash dive that I have seen is the "SanDisk Ultra II with USB". Holds upto 2 gigabytes. And it looks like a car remote door opener. (see link)
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What I would do is hide it in the provided carry case or money belt. Use TrueCrypt to create 'plausible deniability' (google it on web). It creates 2 parts that are password protected. 1 section that you reveal after much coersion but contains nothing of value.
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That leaves you with an out for having TrueCrypt on the Drive and yet the interrogator doesn't know about section 2 and your valuable data is unseen and untouched. TrueCrypt can be downloaded free from the web.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.sandisk.com/Products/Default.aspx?CatID...
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| 1983. |
Wendy
Plano, TX Age: 43 May 29, 2007
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Home deliveries
What about having packages, furniture, appliances, construction materials, etc. delivered to one's home address in an alternate name or the name of an LLC? When I purchase my home, I WILL need to furnish it and it's simply not feasible to do "cash and carry" on appliances like refrigerators!
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You yourself should be able to figure this out. Use any name or names you wish. (Different names for different stores?)
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