Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

GoDaddy spams you with worthless offers on checkout. And do not even offer a discount. Then they support SOPA and PIPA to infringe on our Internet freedom. Those bastards!

Meanwhile Namecheap donates over $100,000 to the Electronic Frontier Foundation to protect our digital rights and Internet freedom. And now like most sane liberty proponents Namecheap accepts Bitcoin for payment. Plus, they are 10-30% cheaper!

In these seven easy steps I will show you how to exercise your most powerful vote by using your money to transfer your domains from Godaddy, or really any registrar for that matter, to the honorable Namecheap.

By doing so you will (1) increase your privacy by paying with bitcoins and getting free WhoisGuard protection, (2) not get spammed on checkout during renewal by Godaddy’s time wasting tactics, (3) support a company that helps protect our Internet freedom, (4) remove financial support from a nasty company that supported the nefarious SOPA and PIPA bills and (5) have the entire transfer completed in about 30 minutes to two hours, the longest part are the Bitcoin confirmations, instead of the normal 3-5 days.

STEP ONE

The first step will be to add funds to your Namecheap account using Bitcoins. Even though they use Bitpay, who is a superb Bitcoin payment processor, this is still the longest part of the seven steps since it may require waiting for confirmations from the Bitcoin network so be sure to include a transaction fee. Or you can preload your account using Bitcoin and then skip this step entirely each time you go to renew or transfer a domain.

Unfamiliar with Bitcoin? It is a decentralized peer-to-peer currency that is pseudo-anonymous. That means your identity is not tied to it like with a credit card or Paypal account. This helps protect your privacy when you register domain names and in case your domain registrar account is compromised then your credit card details are not available to be stolen. If you want to learn how to use Bitcoin then we suggest getting a copy of our Free Bitcoin Guide.

STEP TWO

You will need to make sure the domain you want to transfer from Godaddy is unlocked. Then you will need to request the EPP code.

If you need to unlock the domain or get the EPP code then just click on the domain from the domain manager. Here you can easily modify the settings and request the EPP code.

STEP THREE

You will need to initiate the transfer with Namecheap. To protect your privacy, reduce your chance of identity theft and support Internet freedom we recommend you pay using bitcoins.

Namecheap will request an EPP code from you that you will need from Godaddy and should have requested in step two.

STEP FOUR

Next you will need to check your email for the EPP code from Godaddy.

Then you will need to submit the EPP code to Namecheap using either the link provided in the email or by clicking on the domain in the Domain Transfer Status area of your account.

STEP FIVE

You will be sent an email from Namecheap indicating you need to accept the transfer.

So click on the link and accept the transfer.

If you failed to unlock the domain then redo step two and resubmit the transfer request in your Namecheap account.

STEP SIX

Now Godaddy will send you a domain transfer request.

So you will need to accept the transfer in your Godaddy Domain Manager area.

STEP SEVEN

Within about five to thirty minutes the domain should appear in your Namecheap account. In the meantime, you can monitor the status of the transfer in there.

You will want to verify that the domain got completely transferred.

CONCLUSION

So hopefully you are now happy with your domains safely with the honorable domain registrar Namecheap that respects your time, attention and Internet freedom. And you got to use your bitcoins for something important and productive!

Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

What happens when a business cannot make payroll? Poof, the business vanishes! That is what happens.

This is a cautionary tale of a medium sized information technology business that is destined to fail because over $700,000 of working capital has been stolen resulting in their inability to make payroll, pay for current expenses and otherwise manage their business along with how they could have prevented this fatal business mistake when managing their current assets.

BANK HOLIDAY IN CYPRUS AND DEPOSIT CONFISCATIONS

Cyprus instituted a bank holiday at the behest of the European bureaucrats. While the banks were closed they confiscated depositors funds to bailout failed banks. As Time Magazine reported on 28 March 2013, “But Cyprus’ two biggest banks have been folded together, and their depositors and creditors are on the hook for the $7.5 billion “bail-in” that Cyprus itself must deliver as its contribution to the rescue package.“

In other words, the Cyprus government and European bureaucrats have caused this business, and thousands of others, to vanish. Poof go the jobs. Poof go the livelihoods of all the employees. And poof goes the confidence in the banking system because Cyprus is not alone.

But one problem with the Cyprus government stealing deposits is that it violates the Constitution of Cyprus and the European Convention of Human Rights as Dr. George Georgiou, Head of Governor’s Office and Communications for the Central Bank of Cyprus, wrote in a 11 February 2013 letter to Mr. Phedias the Acting Chief Executive Officer for Laiki Bank.

BANKS OF CANADA AND ENGLAND

The Bank of England and the Bank of Canada have both published similar ‘bail-in’ schemes for stealing bank depositor’s funds. Western governments are getting increasingly desperate.

But now the banks have crossed a rather sacrosanct line. They have confiscated deposits. Deposits that were supposed to be insured. Deposits that were supposed to be risk-free. Deposits that are the life-blood of widows and businesses around the world. And the banks intend to spread this kleptocracy across the globe.

For example, Andrew Gracie the Director of the Special Resolution Unit for the Bank of England gave a speech on 17 September 2012 for at the British Banker’s Association titled: A Practical Process For Implementing A Bail-In Resolution Power.

Bail-in, like other resolution tools, involves some interference with property rights. … And bail-in, like the other resolution tools, can only be used when necessary to do so in pursuit of clearly defined public interest objectives. … The Bank of England, alongside other domestic and international authorities, has been working to ensure that bail-in can be implemented effectively. Applying it will involved overcoming legal, operational and financial challenges. … As described above, we are moving closer to an operational bail-in regime.

 Another example is James Flaherty, Minister of Finance for Canada, in the Economic Action Plan 2013 where it states on page 145:

The Government proposes to implement a ‘bail-in’ regime for systemically important banks. This regime will be designed to ensure that, in the unlikely event that a systemically important bank depletes its capital, the bank can be recapitalized and returned to viability through the very rapid conversion of certain bank liabilities [NOTE: customer deposits!] into regulatory capital.

BITCOIN IS A VIABLE SOLUTION

Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency that is censorship-resistant and has a money supply in excess of $1B. Like gold, Bitcoin is an equity based asset which means it is nobody’s liability. Bitcoins held in a wallet can only be moved by the person who holds the private key. This means they cannot be seized, confiscated, frozen or otherwise impeded.

This means that businesses that begin integrating Bitcoin into their daily financial operations are able to immunize themselves against a bank holiday or ‘bail-in’ confiscatory scheme through disintermediation from the legacy bankrupt financial institutions.

And doing so would actually be pretty easy with services like Local Bitcoins for local cash exchanges, the coming Bitcoin ATMs,  Coinbase which links to bank accounts via ACH, Bitpay for processing transactions and easy conversion and daily ACH deposits in 11 currencies, Bit Spend for buying anything online, Expensify for expense reports and reimbursements and A Lawyer’s Take On Bitcoin and Taxes for those who want to be tax compliant.

CONCLUSION

So, in conclusion, I am getting less and less sympathetic to those individuals and businesses that refuse to upgrade their money and currency systems and instead choose to lose their funds to kleptomaniacs because an easy to implement solution exists for them to protect themselves.

After all, Bitcoin users are not affected by these ‘bail-in’ thefts. Failure to embrace this new technology will cost employers and employees dearly. As we have seen from Cyprus, the entire business may just vanish! Business owners would be wise to remember the first rule of panic: Do it first!

Considering getting started with this new technology with the Free Bitcoin Guide.

Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

Digital privacy issues are particularly important in light of government’s use of big data. There is a great need for privacy and data protection. But many of us underestimate the reach of big data into our digital privacy. And even more importantly, most people do not realize how government fits into all this.

With advertising, for example, perhaps you are aware that companies like Google or Facebook scan your e-mails for information in order to show targeted and relevant advertisements. You may say, “Ok, that’s not such a big deal. As long as humans aren’t actively reading my e-mails then I can live with targeted advertising and may even benefit from uniquely useful products.”

Unfortunately, big data and its impact on your goes much further. The government is fully aware of these practices and ruled that it is not a violation of privacy law due to minute interpretations of “in transit” communications and communications that have been stored on a third party’s server.

WILLIAM BINNEY – NSA WHISTLEBLOWER

William Binney is a former National Security Agency (NSA) employee who has been exposing severe violations of national privacy law protections. In this interview Binney asserts that the NSA is recording the e-mails of “nearly all US citizens, including members of Congress.”

Binney further explains that the NSA is collecting private e-mails and storing them in a database. These e-mails aren’t all being actively read by humans but they are being stored, archived and databased. Then they could be accessed later.

For further depth of The Program, codenamed Stellar Wind, Laura Poitras interviews William Binney here:

You could possibly classify the whistleblower as a disgruntled ex-employee or attention seeker especially considering the whistleblower’s lack of hard evidence. But look at how easily the FBI broke the Patraeus scandal by accessing his private e-mails. Also, consider the massive Bluffdale data center being built by the NSA in the Utah desert.

Between Gmail scanning your e-mails, advertisers tracking your online activities and a massive data center being built somewhere in Utah it seems there are too many indications that digital privacy costs a premium these days.

A point is that digital privacy is quickly becoming an antiquated notion unless your affirmatively assert it and take control. The old “if you have nothing to hide” argument holds no water here. And we do not know who will be in power in 4, 8, 12 or 50 years. Yet all these digital records will be available for them to use and abuse.

Privacy needs to be respected because history tends to repeat itself. With the US government already targeting and assassinating children for political speech; imagine what a modern day political “purge” would look like with access to every citizen’s private e-mails.

PROTECTING YOUR DIGITAL PRIVACY

Entire books, like How To Vanish The Book or Five Steps To Anonymous Online Speech, could be written on protecting your privacy in the digital age. With science fiction like attack vectors, such as the Tempest attack which uses Van Eck phreaking, there is no way to completely guarantee your privacy either digitally or on the Internet but there are certain privacy hygiene practices you can engage in for additional degrees of protection.

If you use cloud storage solutions to store private information online then we strongly recommend that you look for storage providers that offer zero knowledge privacy. In short, zero knowledge privacy encrypts your information to the point where even employees of your cloud storage provider cannot access your information.

For example, a quick Backblaze review reveals they seem to offer zero knowledge backup services and are also very open with their customers. Even if the provider does not provide zero knowledge, like Dropbox, you can still use TrueCrypt.

SpiderOak is very similar to Dropbox except it encrypts your data before transfer and implements a zero-knowledge privacy policy. Plus, you get 2 GB of space for free.

You can encrypt email but the tools, like GNU Privacy Guard, do not seem to be very user friendly and require significant setup time but are worthwhile if you frequently send and receive sensitive emails. Mailvelope is a new option that I have found particularly useful and easy to use with native plugins right into Gmail or Yahoo! Mail.

When it comes to other online financial activities such as banking or making purchases, there are no guarantees. You can make sure to stick with well-known retailers and protect your WiFi connection but there have been many privacy violations exposing hundreds of millions of people to identity theft. You can also consider our Free Bitcoin Guide since it is a tremendous tool to protect financial privacy.

CONCLUSION

One overly cautious rule of computer security is to assume that anything that takes place online is open to compromise. You should treat anything you do on the Internet as susceptible to interception.

But this does not mean you should avoid the Internet entirely or not employ protective privacy hygeine like using Bitcoin to pay for your VPN. After all, for now we have bills to pay, gifts or movie tickets to buy and bank accounts to monitor online and we can do all of this while being cognizant of our digital privacy.

Reading time: 9 – 15 minutes

Whether an individual, merchant or organization is a true proponent of liberty should largely be measured by whether they accept bitcoins for payment or donations. After all, actions are much louder than words; particularly actions that are tied to money and currency.

By accepting bitcoins merchants protect their customers from potential identity theft or political persecution from purchasing liberty orientated products and services. Failure to accept bitcoins casts aspersions on their sincerity towards the fight for liberty because it leaves open the possibility of them being a honeypot.

A honeypot is a trap set to detect, deflect, or in some manner counteract attempts at unauthorized use of information systems. Generally it consists of a computer, data, or a network site that appears to be part of a network, but is actually isolated and monitored, and which seems to contain information or a resource of value to attackers. Honeypots are often used as bait to catch spammers and other malcontents nefariously using computing resources.

In the fight for liberty, an individual may become a honeypot either ignorantly or complicity. For example, suppose they sell a product or accept donations and use credit cards for payments. The transaction is stored, archived, databased and searchable forever with or without the consent of the merchant or consumer/donee.

Let us assume some malcontent wants to know who all the serious liberty supporters are so they can round them up and throw them in cages to later be exterminated. What would be the easiest way to identify and find them? Easy, query the transactional databases for how much money has been directed towards individuals or organizations that promote the ideas of liberties and sort by individual total.

Have you ever ordered The Law from Amazon, taken a Mises Institute course, bought Jim Willie’s newletter, bought gold or silver from GoldSilver or GoldMoney, subscribed to Doug Casey’s investing column, made a donation to LewRockwell.com, participated in Tom Wood’s Liberty Classroom, bought Gerald Celente’s Trend Research, bought from Alex Jones’ various products, donated to Ron Paul’s Campaign for Liberty, donated to Stefan Molyneux, subscribed to the incredibly insightful Robert Wenzel of Economic Policy Journal, subscribed to The Dollar Vigilante Jeff Berwick, consulted with privacy advocate Mark Nestmann, donated to GATA, joined The Sovereign Society, been considering purchasing the highly anticipated Silent Circle by PGP creator and Internet Hall of Fame Inductee Phil Zimmermann, used the VPN CryptoHippie, donated to AntiWar and countless others.

Failure to accept bitcoins for purchases or donations makes one either ignorantly, lazily or complicity a servant of the surveillance police state and tyranny and therefore accepting bitcoins makes an excellent litmus test for whether an individual or institution is a true liberty proponent.

Want to know one group that is serious about liberty and shows it in their actions by accepting bitcoins? Libertopia 2012 where I will be speaking along with others like Doug Casey, Stefan Molyneux, Jeff Berwick and many others.

So now that we know what a honeypot is and why to avoid them how exactly can Bitcoin help us do that?

WHAT IS BITCOIN?

Bitcoin is the first decentralized peer-to-peer encrypted digital currency.

If you want to watch an in-depth interview about Bitcoin then this is one of my better ones with the guys from Future Money Trends. But be careful as they do not yet accept bitcoins and therefore could be or may be used as a honeypot.

PROTECTION AGAINST IDENTITY THEFT

In the digital age identity theft is a serious and material problem. When an individual or business makes a payment with bitcoins there is no identity information required. Go ahead, try it for yourself buying The How To Vanish: Basic Privacy Guide for whatever amount you want.

Think about it, when you buy something why should you provide (1) a name, (2) a shipping address, (3) a billing address, (4) a form of payment tied to your identity and many other intrusive points of data like Internet browser, IP address, etc. What relevance do any of these have to making the transaction?

Worse, once these data fields are collected then they are databased, archived, stored, searchable and can be compromised. Top of the 15 worst security breaches is Heartland Payment Services where 134 million credit card numbers, billing addresses, etc. were compromised. 1 million Apple IDs were compromised by a Florida publisher. Sony Corp. warned its 77 million PlayStation Network and Qriocity online service customers that their credit-card data, billing addresses and other personal information may have been stolen by a hacker.

If you use a debit or credit card to make payments online then becoming an identity theft victim is only a matter of time. By accepting bitcoins merchants you frequent can completely eliminate this risk to you.

POLITICAL PERSECUTION

I sent an email to an operator mentioned earlier about accepting bitcoins.

XXXXXX: “Trace, thanks for your letter; I wish Bitcoin all success.”

ME: Is there any particular reason it is not accepted on XXXXXX?

Like you I am already out there publicly so I wield the boycott primarily offensively, not defensively. Given the type of articles on XXXXXX some readers may be defensively boycotting because of potential ramifications from making a donation to XXXXXX, enrolling in a XXXXXX course, buying any books, etc.

I have noticed a significant increase in purchases now that I have transitioned all of RunToGold and HowToVanish’s products to accept bitcoins in addition to the traditional methods. Perhaps some potential customers did not want to pay the increased cost of having a record of a transaction with HowToVanish stored permanently in the Bluffdale center. After all, who knows what list they may end up on and how they may be persecuted as a result? So I completely sympathize with their defensive boycott given all the examples in history which XXXXXX so ably educates about.

I received no response. Why the deafening silence? If I buy any articles, books, courses, etc. or make a donation to help fund the operation of the website then what list could I end up on? Brandon Raub was illegally detained for politically charged posts made on Facebook.

Political persecution is a clear and present danger and has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of millions throughout history. Any merchant that fails to accept bitcoins places their patrons at risk of being politically persecuted either now or at some time in the future. By accepting bitcoins this risk can be greatly mitigated.

First, accepting bitcoins augments a customer’s payment options and therefore does not cannibalize sales. By accepting bitcoins a merchant only has the possibility of generating more sales not less.

Second, the cost for a merchant to accept bitcoins is minimal. Services like BitPay, which HowToVanish has no relationship with other than using them to accept bitcoin donations and we are very happy with their service, make website integration extremely easy with simple merchant solutions.

Third, bitcoins are more competitive for merchants than debit or credit cards because there is no risk of fraud or chargebacks and only a processing fee (.99% with BitPay) and, if the merchant wants their bitcoins automatically exchanged into USD, CAD, MXN, EUR or GBP and direct deposited to their bank account each day, then an exchange rate fee (2.69% total which includes the processing fee).

Since the costs are so much lower than debit or credit cards and the benefits to both merchant and consumer so high then if a merchant fails to accept bitcoins it begs the question: What vested interest are they serving by not accepting bitcoins?

Currency is being increasingly politicized by the State and in politics it is actions, not words, that matter. Do your favorite liberty proponents merely talk? Or do they help protect you against identity theft and political persecution by accepting bitcoins?

Merchants have every reason to accept bitcoins because they are cheaper with no risk of fraud or chargebacks and protect their customers from identity theft and political persecution. Consequently, if merchants fail to accept bitcoins then it implies they are, either knowingly or unwittingly, an extremely dangerous camouflaged rattlesnake honeypot that should be treated with extreme caution because of the significant threat they pose to your financial and personal safety.

But merchant behavior will likely not change until consumers demand it. Do you demand your privacy be protected by defensively boycotting individuals or institutions that refuse to accept bitcoins? If you take your privacy or financial and personal safety seriously then perhaps you should. And you may let the merchants know by sending them a link to this article or leaving a comment about it in one of their articles.

Here at HowToVanish we do not just talk the privacy talk but we walk the walk. We keep you safe from identity theft or political persecution by accepting bitcoins at the HowToVanish store.

Reading time: 4 – 7 minutes

These tend to happen gradually until something snaps our attention or brings an under-appreciated aspect into focus. Maintaining higher expectations or taking control of our privacy instead of blindly yielding to constant unconstitutional infringements by governmental bodies is essential. Plus, individuals should loudly voice their opinions and concerns when they feel to.

Authentic communication is the foundation for a productive and peaceful society. In a world of open and instant communication those who want to occupy positions of power and authority and act with integrity and morality should have nothing to fear from the spread of ideas.

However, long term avoidance of addressing thorny political issues has led to an impending crisis of ginormous proportion. All those things that are important are being suffocated and paralyzed because of legitimate fears and is hindering the natural evolutionary process of life and culture. It is in this vacuum of moral and ethical leadership that each individual can project their voice to overcome generational problems.

For example, there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Obama has targeted and assassinated over 160 children, Social Security is a bankrupt Ponzi scam, warrantless wiretapping is taking place on a massive scale, political persecution is more popular than ever and freedom of speech is being attacked like never before. Truly, the world of civil liberties is in commotion but the power of technology is in forward motion like never before.

One’s political privacy in the 21st century can often feel like a sacrificial issue. Domestic security measures in most countries and places bring a recurrent law to the informational provisions for maintaining privacy. Volunteering personal aspects and privacy issues can be quite a challenge when stepping into direct conflict with administrative busybodies. Individuals continue attempting to shield their right to being left alone. But such is the life of a slave to the nation-state.

FREE AND INDEPENDENT

But mankind, at least those who choose to, will be what they were born to be: Free and Independent. The force multiplying privacy tools of the Information Age are available to all. This definitely raises issues in every country about where the theories of research psychology, evolutionary science of identification, DNA tests, human relationship views, the mass scale shifts in communication technologies, high level technological advancement with encryption or information technology and overall privacy protection in the digital age.

With a decreasingly legitimate threat coupled with agent provocateurs it lends credence to rooted layers of conspiracy theory which further undermines the usefulness or value that the State adds, if any. Instead, it is viewed as a great hindrance and scourge to mankind and peaceful society.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. [The Declaration of Independence]

Which leaves you with the most important thing to do: declare your independence. This requires no signing of a document or other busybody paperwork. In the quiet of your own mind make the decision to no longer be a slave of the nation state. In other words, recognize the authority of your own sovereignty and withdraw your consent from the Colossus. Then do everything you can to starve the vampire squid beast.

Hopefully, you now understand the concept of political privacy in the 21st century. For additional stealth tactics consider How To Vanish The Book or The Mini-Guide To Political Privacy.

Reading time: 3 – 5 minutes

There are areas where such legal application can be selective or limited and not applicable in various aspects. Often the State likes to protect its privacy while breaching everyone else’s. There are often common themes and threads of discontent that can be seen among people with the defections of routine checkpoints. Criminal defense attorney Ivan Morse gives some helpful tips if you are stopped at a checkpoint.

Privacy maintenance gets hampered with over-controlled issues. Boogeymen like drugs, terrorism, etc. have scared individuals into accepting grievous infringements on their privacy. Individual safety is often trampled through experiences with the police state security control freaks established in governmental authority bodies. All these merely illustrate the exquisite mass mania.

Sure, the State likes to advertise itself as providing protection, equity and justice services. But the truth of the matter is that the State claims a violent monopoly on the exercise of violence and as a result the costs they charge for their services continually goes up while the quality of the services they provide declines. Nobody would willingly pay for these State services without being coerced or forced which is why they result to such violent and nefarious tactics.

To think an evil institution would act any other way is simply wishful and deluded thinking and it is obvious that expansion of power and breaching of privacy to steal more resources is its core mission and not the the righteous dignity of protecting individual’s privacy.

RISE OF THE INTERNET AND FALL OF THE GATEKEEPERS

The Internet is the great equalizer of mankind. With its rise the long established gatekeepers have been rapidly loosing their power. First, were the postal services. Second, were the news agencies as competition and other viewpoints, like How To Vanish, became possible. Third, are the copyright industries. Fourth, will be the banks and money transfer businesses with the rise of Bitcoin.

The laws defining privacy protection can occasionally be invoked for temporary protection. But nobody cares about your privacy as much as you do and therefore you must take a proactive approach to controlling and protecting it. State domestic security measures will always pose a significant threat. But you can use the force multiplier of technology.

A ginormous amount of information gets shared daily through worldwide communications networks. Through the use of encryption you can protect your privacy as it whirls around the globe.

CONCLUSION

There has never been a greater period of time where privacy has been threatened. But there has never been a greater period of time where the tools available are so ubiquitous and so cheap. Truly, the Information Age is the best of times and the worst of times. The gatekeepers can be bypassed but only if you choose to.

ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from sources like How To Vanish The Book or the Basic Privacy Guide.

Reading time: 3 – 5 minutes

While I would not rely on it, there can still be directives and responsible participation from government bodies and authority figures that work towards bringing the protective laws which can help maintain the dignity and privacy of individuals. Privacy is often associated with public anonymity and is a fundamental human right which needs to be brought to everyone’s attention for the greater good of all.

Absolute privacy, if it would lead to deal-breaking status, does not need to be maintained by individuals in order to participate in commerce. There is a sensible privacy equation you can apply. But if your data and information is stored in a transactional database, archived and searchable for the rest of your life then perhaps you may want to take greater control over what appears.

You may want to cook with raw food, buy creative literature from Amazon or some other victimless activity. But those may be made illegal, either now or in the future, and have a record of such in your transactions could be particularly dangerous. Plus, since the moves of an individual can be tapped and tracked then it is not all too crazy to take proactive measures to protect yourself from a control freak nation or paranoid culture that is scared of its own shadow.

Many innocent people have gone through tortures and harassment in the name of domestic security measures. They were never involved with any incident that damaged the public peace. Yet some overzealous politically compromised official decided to harass and harm someone by using the State’s police power.

This leads to lives being disrupted, individuals being harassed and tracked while public resources are wasted and the overall protection level for the general public is decreased. This is one reason why you need to take control of your privacy and protect yourself from some costumed criminal gang member. And to start you will want to be sure to control your Internet privacy whenever possible

HOW TO CONTROL INTERNET PRIVACY

CONCLUSION

The legal environment in many countries is constantly changing and often eroding privacy protections. Busybodies are a constant threat to your personal safety and financial wealth. But you can take control of your privacy, increase public anonymity and protect yourself.

The hampering of real authority of the individual, as opposed to the wasteful domestic security measures and regulations, in terms of privacy and harassment is becoming a significant threat. But there are strategies and tactics you can employ to increase the peace and securing privacy. Start with decreasing the amount of financial data and information you leave scattered around. You can get a free copy of A Beginner’s Guide To Bitcoin and Bitcoin Services.

Take control of and protect your personal privacy because no one else will. And remember: ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from sources like How To Vanish The Book or A Basic Privacy Guide.

Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes

Public anonymity is extremely important for personal safety, protection from identity theft and as a preventative measure from being targeted by nefarious criminals. Many advanced advanced nations have been facing the tension between disclosure and public anonymity while receiving many complaints from the people.

For some, this can be become a plague leading to a real time call for a pattern of paranoia. But does potentially catching a single bank robber really justify stopping 19 cars full of innocent people and handcuffing everyone at gunpoint?

That is what happened in Aurora, Colorado on 4 June 2012. What if Officer Trigger Happy of the Aurora Police Department gets a little jumpy and blows away an innocent teenager? Who are the real terrorists?

POLICE STATE AND AGENT PROVOCATEURS

This may not be the case in every place or area. But the alarming calls regarding the police state have been increasing and big issues have been missed.

Connection to the relative fields of understanding how overall privacy maintenance is seen in most western countries now can be quite a detour from universal qualities regarding notions of brotherhood, equal rights, freedom and privacy rights. The upper hand factors usually go to the state security measures and bodies while consistently reducing individual rights and privacy.

In places like airports, bus stations, hospitals, schools and many other public places it seems agent provocateurs, like those in Canada wearing identical boots as the local police, have been used to create shocks and mayhem which are later used as reasons to protect the oppressed by relentlessly invading private lives, personal activities and infringing on unalienable freedoms. There are some small things you can do to protect yourself from these gangsters.

DECLINE AND FALL OF PEACE OFFICERS

Maintaining peace, protection, love, and order is in everyone’s best interest but so is privacy, autonomy and being left alone. If public protection law keeps barging into the private realms without any real or solidly rooted theory then in practice we will all be the worse off.

The instances of being bullied by the local costumed criminal gangs is now out in the open or for all to see and for the sake of legitimate law enforcement the current franchises should take heed before they completely lose the confidence of their protectorates. After all, the friendly neighborhood peace officer Andy Griffith died 3 July 2012.

CONCLUSION

Many nations are gripped in financial and economic crisis. As a result, they have resorted to the only method they know: violence. This increased harshness and jarring tones from public law enforcement officials is having the opposite effect. People are losing faith, confidence and trust in the public institutions and seeing them for the violent enterprises they are.

No longer are they viewed as institutions to be honored or reverenced but instead as busybody administrive bodies hellbent on violently oppressing and stealing from Mohammad Bouazizi, the guy who just wants to sell some fruit to feed his family. with discernment from the authorship of administrative bodies.

Hopefully, you now have a better look the need for public anonymity and how it can help you to take control of and protect your financial privacy. And remember: ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from sources like How To Vanish The Book or the Free Privacy Guide.

Reading time: 3 – 5 minutes

However, one cannot always guarantee that these surveillance measures will work with much effectiveness or to the degree they have been designed and implemented. From time to time society experiences different levels of violence. If the violent source is from a measure where the public has felt so completely at trust then the public trust falls. Governments, not individual actors, are the most dangerous violent source most people will ever encounter.

Sure, privacy policies can partially impede some of the surveillance measures but there are still many connecting blocks regarding your privacy. The crux of the balancing point is between privacy policy and state governing laws. But those laws are now being used to remove all of an individual’s protection while shrouding the watchers in secrecy with no accountability.

But even with governments running amok and over everyone’s privacy there is still a question of competence. Which government on earth has been able to be competent to a level of excellence without being complacent or simply unable to adequately analyze the data, information and intelligence they have collected?

The government body, corporations and even individuals will always have different views and needs for privacy and data protection. However, this protection is not free and at the very least costs some time and may cost money. Sure, there may be concurrent measures of law that affect what can and cannot be legally done. But often huge chasms of dissatisfied living conditions lead to questioning the very existence of human authority. The nation-state is on the decline.

As a result, it is best to vanish as these doomed dinosaurs descend towards fossilization. Yes, there are different areas through which the governments and corporations seem to be experiencing the upper hand in determining the laws with regards to privacy but technology stands to benefit the individual.

This has been the case throughout history. The Guttenberg press upset the previous world order while ushering in the Industrial Age. So likewise the Internet is upsetting the current world order while ushering in the Information Age.

There have always been conflicts throughout the entire history of human evolution. The individual versus the State has been a constant battle. But this time around technology is shifting the economics of violence. Protection can be acquired for nearly free while the cost to extort and potential return on investment has been plummeting.

The more people who seek the protection of cryptography then it gets exponentially more expensive to breach people’s privacy. This is an economic battle weighing heavily in the individual’s favor.

Hopefully, you now have a better look on the police state security, the inherent weaknesses and how you can take control of and protect your financial privacy. And remember: ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from sources like How To Vanish The Book, The Mini-Guide To Financial Privacy or the Beginner’s Guide To Bitcoin and Bitcoin Services.

Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes

Do you sometimes feel that there is a need for privacy and data protection? Well its time you take a closer look at the scenario of depleting privacy to form an educated conclusion.

It is true that technology has begun keeping track of all our moves and at most times we are unaware of this invasive technology’s prying eyes.  You movements are tracked with a cell phone, your purchases via credit and debit cards are tracked, archived, databased and searchable while being linked to your identity and in many cases your home address is a matter of public record.

FREE PRIVACY TOOLS

But one must not forget how technology has also made it extremely easy for us to protect our private information. There are free and easy to use tools such as TOR, Truecrypt, GnuPGP, Mailinator and others that can help keep your privacy protected. So, even if technological efforts are being made to breach your privacy you must not lose heart because there also being developed personal privacy protecting solutions with more being introduced with every day.

Privacy-protecting technologies are much easier to employ as opposed to privacy invading techniques. It only takes a couple of seconds to encrypt confidential files or e-mails whereas it would require a good deal of technical skill, time and money to break into them. You can leverage this to your advantage.

Apart from technology there are some ridiculous social norms that force people to participate in social network surveillance that also results in unwanted breach of private space. Government and advertisers have more claims to our personal information than many would prefer and the rising popularity of the many social networking sites has resulted on direct privacy attacks.

A law such as the Patriot Law also threatens the privacy rights for Americans. This law vests the power of constant warrantless wiretaps, digital searches and bank account intrusions that are now under unreliable government surveillance. Even telecommunications are manned by strict regulations which prohibit some communication without government permission.

ENCRYPTION

A powerful stance in favor of protecting privacy and data is to master the skills of using strong encryption. This has become an easy skill to master because of its widespread need during these bleak times when our information is so unguarded. Powerful encryption was first introduced thousands of years ago with ciphers. In recent times, the United States made it illegal to export encryption technologies to other countries fearing that it might fall in the hands of enemies. However, this law against exportation of encryption was repealed.

Now everyone can use encryption to protect his or her sensitive files because it is free and easy! Torrents, Tor, GnuPGP and BitCoin make it possible for individuals to communicate privately and engage in financial transactions while being thousands of miles away by using Bitcoin so you will not have any international limitations to your business assuming such technologies are legal in the nations you are operating in.

CONCLUSION

Therefore we can hereby conclude that privacy is not dead. Yes, it is certainly endangered but we can always increase the levels of security provided by such powerful tools the world has never seen before and take proactive steps to protect our privacy. We can save ourselves from unwanted breaches of our sacred private space by investing small efforts into its protection and also by being careful.

There will always be threats to our privacy but we can rest assured that many solutions will also come about to help protection us. For now we just have to create some private areas where we can store our confidential files and carry on anonymous communication and financial transactions.

Hopefully, you now have an idea of the need for privacy and data protection and how it can help you to take control of and protect your financial privacy. And remember: ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from sources like How To Vanish The Book or The Beginner’s Guide To BitCoin And BitCoin Services.

Reading time: 3 – 4 minutes

Company privacy policies are an inherent aspect of any company related documents. Whenever you are making purchases or carrying out dealings then privacy policies usually become an often overlooked factor.

When you sign a contract, which guarantees any kind of privacy via the privacy policy, then you are under the opinion that some or all of your information is safe. But many times this can be entirely misleading and it may become a problem because your information might be shared with others. Often buried in the fine print are a significant number of weasel clauses. So while you are secure in your own belief that your information is well guarded the reality may be that you are actually exposed to a lot of miscreants.

THE AFFILIATE PROBLEM

Often times you will notice that the company has sketched out that the privacy policy can be easily shared with an “affiliate” of the company. In this instance it is entirely up to the company to choose who this affiliate is and you do not have input in the matter. This affiliate can include a vast range of people to whom your private information has been outsourced.

For instance, a typical medical procedure will require the company to share your information with a vast range of people. From medical suppliers, doctors, nurses, insurance companies all the way down to the office staff, everyone can get hold of your private medical records and details.

So who is liable if your privacy is breach and what duty of protection under the “private policy” do they owe to keep your records secure? One thing you can do is be proactive about what information they actually have about you.

Oftentimes companies make it a point to write their own privacy policy so the policies differ significantly from one company to another.

One of the best ways to possibly solve this problem is to make sure that you try to go through the different clauses. Obviously this will seem extremely difficult at first but in this way you can seek to discover and understand a number of things. For example, you may soon realize that the company does not have a clause of sharing with an affiliate at all. This can be ideal because it completely gets rid of the prospect of an affiliate being present who can view your private information.

Also be guarded with the information you share in the first place. This can go a long way in keeping yourself protected from any kind of criminal activities like being the victim of identity theft. What really helps is using cash or Bitcoins when making payments. Try to manage all the data in the best way possible and always stay cautious to keep everything safe for yourself.

Hopefully, you now have an idea of what company privacy policies are and how it can help you to take control of and protect your personal privacy. And remember: ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from sources like How To Vanish The Book or the free Beginner’s Guide To BitCoin and BitCoin Services.

Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes

The issue of camera cell phone privacy is extremely important in today’s age and far-reaching. Many cell phone cameras by default and automatically reveal tremendous amounts of information such as the physical location of a picture, time, date, cell phone model, etc. Additionally, a number of phone companies and facilities along with laws and implementations have increased so much in recent times that it is often difficult to keep up on what privacy protections you have.

Begin with checking the kind of subscriber information you are providing to a company for services. Some employees and hackers have a tendency of using such private information for nefarious purposes. You might use a ghost address. A pre-paid cell phone or SIM card can greatly increase your cell phone security and privacy. A super ninja trick would be to use a pre-paid wireless service paid for with bitcoins.

Some networks give you the option of recharging your phone continuously without asking you for private information. But this habit may not be most effective if you change your pre-paid connections often in order to maintain privacy and escape notice of any miscreant. For example, you could use a Google Voice number, although anything with Google may be problematic for privacy concerns, to forward to your mobile phone number and then you could get different SIM cards every few months.

Many phone numbers are easily available in telephone directories or transactional databases. Every time you give your number to a company chances are that they are recorded, databased and archived. These numbers are vulnerable because often criminals might use the number in order to create a completely false profile with the information and is another reason to keep your phone number private. Cleaning up from identity theft can be time consuming. Additionally, if the company has no valid reason to know your phone number then you could decide not to provide one or provide one which is not actively used.

In countries like the USA it is easy to block your caller ID details. Call forwarding or call screening, a service provided by Google Voice, is another excellent option to avoid callers who will disturb you and your privacy. With Google Voice you can even block numbers. These are great ways to protect your cell phone number.

Your location is an integral way in which you can easily be tracked. Make it a point to turn off the GPS navigation system or WiFi which decreases the probability that your physical location may be tracked. Prevent your phone from being too clogged up with data. From time to time it is a good idea to get delete messages, call records, contacts, files, etc. Then should you lose your phone anyone who finds it will not be able to access as much information and therefore you will be less vulnerable to all those who are seeking to expose your privacy.

If you take pictures with your cell phone and post them online then this can expose your camera cell phone privacy because often the physical location is encoded with the picture file.  For example, the EXIF file may contain information such as when the picture was taken, what kind of phone model and if your cell phone has GPS then the coordinates.

Last but not the least, make sure that you do not stay away from your phone too long because you may never know who may access it. And, of course, password protect it!

Cell phone privacy is very difficult to attain. Protect as much of your confidential communications using your cell phone or smart phone as possible.  Check out the book How To Vanish or the Basic Privacy Guide for more tips on taking control of and protecting your privacy.

Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes

Political privacy has always been a concern in civilized countries. Despite the massive fraud that modern governments are voters should feel that they have the right to vote however they wish without their votes being made public. Politicians should not be given the right to know how each individual has voted. There have been many examples in the past where sociopath politicians, the usual kind, have used such information to genocide their opposition.

LAWS PROTECTING PRIVACY

There are laws set in place to protect voters from racial discrimination. Federal laws enforced by the Justice Department have been established to ensure that every American citizen over the age of eighteen has the right to register and vote.

The Absentee Voting Act of 1986 was created to ensure that all overseas citizens and members of the armed forces who are stationed in other countries can vote. Absentee ballot voting systems are supposed to protect each voter’s privacy. Just because they are not at home to vote in their local polling booths does not mean they should give up the privacy of their voting patterns.

HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT (2002)

The Help America Vote Act ensures privacy protection for individuals with disabilities. It requires that every state makes the voting machines, ballots, and polling places accessible to individuals with disabilities. The law also requires that assistance be given to voters with limited English. Every polling place in the country must have at least one machine available for voters with disabilities. The Justice Department provides a checklist to every polling precinct to evaluate its compliance with this Act.

If your local polling area does not comply then you may want to threaten litigation to require compliance.

SECRET BALLOTS

Also known as the “Australian Ballot”, since Australia was the first country to use this voting system, a secret ballot allows for a voter to vote in secrecy and provides political privacy. This is also a popular method for voting in the corporate setting, with HOAs and other private organizations.

The aim is to ensure that citizens vote sincerely without being influenced or intimidated by another party. They should not have to worry about intimidation or bribery. But it should be kept in mind that the State’s modus operendi, as evidenced in countless examples throughout history, is intimidation, bribery, corruption and genocide.

In this kind of system, the names of the nominees are either listed on a sheet of paper or on a voting machine. The voter can select the nominee(s) for whom he or she wishes to vote and submit the ballot anonymously.

REASONS FOR PROTECTION LAWS

We must all admit that politics and corruption are synonymous. Some deluded individuals harbor the false belief that citizens should be able to vote sincerely and without fear of repercussion. These types of laws that protect political privacy are merely marketing tactics to deceive people about the true nature of the State.

Some interest groups might need government funding for their projects and research. If their votes were not kept private politicians could spitefully withhold their funding. For example, in Ontario in 2002 when a federal Liberal Member of Parliament sent an inappropriate note to a constituent informing the gentleman that if he required help with a certain matter, he “better vote liberal” caused quite the controversy.

And you cannot put all the blame on one party as they are all involved. Every political party around the world has had its share of corruption where voting is concerned.

What can we do to maintain our political privacy rights for Americans? Since political privacy is such an important issue, for those that actually care to participate in the corrupt organization, there are a number of national, state, and regional organizations who support voters’ rights. If you ever have any concerns then you can contact an organization such as Citizens for Voting Integrity, Coalition Against Election Fraud, or the American Civil Liberties Union.

Hopefully, you now have an idea of what political privacy is and how you can attempt to protect it. And remember: ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from sources like How To Vanish The Book and The Mini-Guide To Political Privacy.

And in the meantime, be sure to watch this video about what governments are really all about:

Reading time: 4 – 7 minutes

Many people do not like the idea of their private medical records being exposed for all to see – particularly when it relates to their sexual health. Because of the doctor patient privilege you should not have to worry about your doctor revealing your private information. If he or she does then you likely have the right to sue.

Patients are also protected with the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This ensures each individual patient’s privacy rights. The HIPAA Security Rule concerns electronic health information. This rule is intact all across the United States. Medical and hospital personnel are not allowed to share your electronically stored records or personal information with anybody who is not qualified to receive the information.

The Privacy Rule is balanced so that the disclosure of health information is permissible as long as it involves patient needs and care. The Office enforces the HIPAA Rules for Civil Rights.

Despite health privacy laws, there are still many individuals who are rightly concerned about the privacy of medical records. Whether it is compromised databases, overreaching insurance companies or some other snoopy party there are many possible threats. Would you really want anyone to find out what you are allergic to? That could pose a significant health risk if they decided to act nefariously.

HEALTH RELATED FINANCIAL RECORDS

HIPAA does not cover everything. Generally, your financial privacy and records, as well credit card transactions do not fall under the privacy policies. Financial companies and even creditors can still find information about your financial records. The doctors you pay, where you fill your prescriptions and perhaps much more.

Due to the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act, financial organizations and insurance companies can still operate as a single entity. What you do get is a notification about the sharing policies of such institutions. That said, financial institutions are supposed to provide you with the opportunity to opt-out of third party information sharing. Unfortunately, a many people do not know this. And in any case, if they are operating as a single entity they may be able to legally share your financial information with their insurance division or subsidiary.

If you do not want the privacy of your medical records, or financial transactions related to them, to be discovered then you will need to take proactive action to protect your privacy. You could always try paying with cash.

If there is any part of the hospital or doctor’s office visit that the insurance company will not pay for then you could pay for the remainder with cash or business credit card in the name of an LLC. Many doctors’ offices will give discounts to patients paying with cash because it eliminates their need to pay the credit card company’s transaction fees, deal with potential collection companies with bad debts, file an insurance claim, etc.

Another thing you can do is order your prescription medications online. Online pharmacies can be particularly helpful if you have prescriptions for potentially embarrassing conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or STDs. Perhaps you want birth control pills and do not want your parents or roommate to know.

One solution is to place your order with a qualified online pharmacy. Look for websites with logos such as VIPPS, IMPAC, CIPA, and Pharmacy Checker. Verify that the website from which you make your purchase has a valid license in its home state. You do not want to get compromised drugs that could be dangerous due to low quality.

USE CASH OR BITCOINS

Bitcoin is a growing community in which people trade and sell items using a virtual peer-to-peer encrypted and decentralized currency. Since there is no checking account, credit or debit card, or Paypal involved therefore you will not have to worry about your privacy being compromised.

And you can always obtain financial privacy with Bitcoins. For example, Eupillz in the European Union or The Swiss Online Pharmacy in the United States, both accept bitcoins. You can use this virtual currency whenever you buy things like contraceptives or gels. Then it is much more difficult to trace the transaction back to you compared to alternatives like paying with a credit card or Paypal. This could help protect you against identity theft.

It also eliminates the need to buy these items at your local drug store since you might be too embarrassed to buy them in public under the surveillance of a video camera whose footage it archived to eternity. It could be particularly embarrassing if your father-in-law, or someone else you know, is the pharmacist or cashier by coincidence.

CONCLUSION

There are significant protections of health privacy in American law. But many of these protections do not extend to your financial transactions for those health services. Therefore, you need to take proactive steps to protect your privacy by using tools like cash or bitcoins.

Hopefully, you now have a better idea about privacy of medical records,  and how it can help you to take control of and protect your financial privacy. And remember: ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from sources like How To Vanish The Book, The Mini-Guide To Financial Privacy or A Lawyer’s Take On BitCoin And Taxes.

Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

We should be protecting privacy offline anywhere we go whether be it a bank, hospital, store or a restaurant. With privacy laws we should be protected from unnecessary force. But that is not always the case.

Are you concerned that your physical and offline privacy may have been compromised?

What about your Internet privacy? Are social networking websites doing enough to keep our physical addresses private? There have been a lot of concerns of stalking, sexual predators and identity theft in regards to social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Online bullying has become a major problem.

Even if you take advantage of privacy settings the sad truth is that you still need to watch out for potential pretexting or phishing scams.

When you consider physical privacy you cannot forget about your actual identity. Some people will go after your social security number, credit card numbers, bank account information, cell phone records, etc. But others are after your body and not for flattering reasons. They will do this through a process called “pretexting”.

What they do is pretend to be someone else or at least try to gain access to your private information under false pretenses. Sometimes they will even try to call banks to pretend they are somebody else, or even you!, in order to gain the victim’s bank account numbers, utility account numbers or addresses or a wide variety of information.

Some of the information they gather about you might be a matter of public record such as if you’ve ever filed bankruptcy or whether you pay real estate taxes. Somebody you know could try even be inadvertently dragged into pretexting after being lied to and thinking they are being helpful. It’s almost frightening how much anyone could find out about you with just a little information, such as cell phone number, birthdate or address.

In addition to being cautious, there are a couple of things you can do to be better at protecting privacy offline.

GHOST ADDRESSES

If you want to “be invisible”, you can try getting a ghost address. There are a few options. For instance, you could pay a small business to accept your mail or you could use a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA). You would have to promise not to use the address for anything illegal, of course. Another option is to get yourself a virtual address or office. The easiest way to do this is to get a mail forwarding service.

These types of service can really come in handy, especially if you want your packages to signed for while you are away or traveling or be scanned and forwarded to you via email, and allow your mail to be delivered somewhere other than your usual post office or home address.

GOING OFF GRID

You have probably heard this term used before to describe self-sustainability. It means to produce a significant amount of your home’s energy needs using renewable sources such as hydro, solar or wind. If you have no utility or electric bills, you will be even more difficult to find. This is such an effective method we even dedicated an entire article to this: Living Off The Grid: Privacy Through Resource Independence

Keep in mind that doing this is a lot easier for small homes and you can still reduce your dependence on electricity by investing in solar panels or wind turbines. With significant tax advantages offered by many governments this could even become a good monetary investment in addition to the privacy aspects. You would be surprised at how easily the average home can go “off-grid” without being disrupting to one’s lifestyle.

The bottom line is that by not having to consume utilities means not having to disclose your location to a utility provider and thereby compromise your offline privacy.

PREPAID PHONE CARDS

One of the easiest ways to increase your cell phone security and privacy is to use for pay as you go cell phones. Drop that contract with your provider and stick with a prepaid service like H2O Wireless. Sure, you will still need to provide some information, such as your name and an address, but you will not have to worry about them digging into your credit report and making you sign a contract because most are either pay as you go or month to month.

A super ninja trick would be to pay for the service using BitCoins and finding a trustworthy intermediary, like Spend Bitcoins which offers bitcoin conversions to many popular merchants, to get the SIM card or setup the account information. Then you would be several layers removed from the company providing the communication service.

CONCLUSION

If you are concerned with your physical privacy then you will find it helpful to reduce your virtual foot trail. That will make it more difficult to find the physical you. Being aware of and resistant to pretexting, using a ghost address, taking your home off grid and using prepaid communication services are a few small steps you can take to make yourself less noticeable and vanish.

Hopefully, you now have an idea of protecting privacy offline in order to prevent identity theft. Keep these tips in mind and remember: ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from How To Vanish The Book or The Mini-Guide To Personal Privacy.

Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes

With the alarming rise of the crime rate it is no surprise that over 30,000 identities are being stolen every day. These days identity theft is one of the most popular means of making quick money for sneaky crooks. Therefore, it is is essential that you protect your identity. Here are eight very simple privacy tips that will help you protect your identity and hard earned money.

1. The most basic step to prevent identity theft is to regularly monitor your credit card and bank statements. Many thieves begin by making small purchases so it advisable to always keep receipts from your purchases and review the expenses with your statements. Additionally, Credit Karma provides free credit scores and reports.

2. Do not reveal personal information to unreliable sources. If you get a call from someone purporting to be with a well known company inquiring after your personal information and account number then do not reveal it without verifying the legitimacy of the individual asking. Many legitimate companies never follow this procedure to get information. For example, you can ask for a phone number to call back and verify that phone number on the company’s official website.

3. Governments have massively screwed up the whole identity process by issuing social security numbers which make identity theft much easier. Protect your social security number from getting in the hands of such thieves. For this you must never leave home with it unless there is a genuine need.

If you have to give your social security number in hospitals or while filling out a job application then care must be taken that the numbers are stored in safe place. You can ask what their privacy policies are to protect the number. While we do not recommend it; some people have inadvertently or accidentally juxtaposed a digit on the form.

4. Scan the front and back of all debit and credit cards which you then place in an encrypted TrueCrypt volume. You can upload the encrypted volume to a cloud based service like Dropbox so you can access it from anywhere. If your wallet or card(s) get stolen then this will make it easier to freeze or cancel the cards and start repairing the damage.

This is a more in-depth training on how to use the wonderful combination of TrueCrypt and Dropbox.

5. Choosing strong passwords is a very important step that needs to be taken if you want to prevent identity theft. Never choose a password or a security question that is easy to guess.

6. Secure all your devices, like computers or mobile phones, that you use to access your credit or debit cards, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, etc. with strong passwords.

7. You may consider an identity theft insurance policy.

8. Do not leave your mail lying around in a place where anyone can get access to it because it many often expose valuable information regarding your financial accounts. Once you have finished reading them pass them through a paper shredder.

CONCLUSION

These are some very simple and basic safety privacy tips that are very useful when it comes to securing and controlling your privacy. An identity theft can cause your to lose some or all of your fortune and tens or hundreds of hours so it is wise to put some effort into securing your financial accounts by following the above mentioned simple privacy tips.

You can implement these privacy techniques to prevent identity theft. Keep these privacy tips in mind and remember: ALWAYS go above and beyond the norm to protect your personal information by implementing stealth privacy tactics from How To Vanish The Book or The Mini-Guide To Personal Privacy.

Reading time: 6 – 10 minutes

In the United States citizens are presumed to have unalienable rights which are supposed to be protected by laws and these civil liberties and the right to privacy are rooted in the Declaration of Independence and some are enumerated in the Bill of Rights. Unfortunately, many Americans are not aware of their own civil liberties. You do not want to become so complacent that you let your expectation of privacy be taken from you. We need to be aware of our unalienable rights so that we can stand up for and maintain them.

The privacy laws embody many different legal concepts. For instance, it is against the law to disclose some private information, such as someone’s social security number, without his or her permission. If one party publicizes another party in a false light then the latter party has the right to sue for libel.

On the other hand, public figures and celebrities have less privacy than other people but the law surrounding the media is constantly evolving.

As ordinary citizens, here are some privacy rights for Americans:

Most people around the world are familiar with the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights. It provides protection from established religion and protects our right to speak freely. It specifically protects one profession as they carry out their duty: The Press. We have every right to petition the Government with any problems we might have. What many people do not understand is that this right is given to EVERYBODY because of their humanity so if you speak out against somebody else then they have the right to speak out against you in return.

When the United States of America was first founded soldiers would station themselves in homes without asking owners for permission first. There was also martial law going on during the Civil War. The Third Amendment is supposed to protect homeowners from the military. Even though there is no evidence of blatant martial law going on now there are still some concerns that the Third Amendment will be compromised if we’re not careful. We need to maintain our right to be free from abusive government roommates.

The Fourth Amendment is highly important and has its root clear back to Roman times. This hallmark amendment enumerates protection for people from unreasonable searches and seizures. There have been many cases of police officers and government officials entering into homes without warrants or probable causes. Keep in mind that this amendment doesn’t just apply to your home but to your vehicle, articles, possessions and person as well. A lot of Americans feel that the increased airport security methods are breaking the Fourth Amendment and have taken to suing the TSA for sexual abuse.

FIFTH AMENDMENT

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

SIXTH AMENDMENT

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

These three amendments form the foundation of criminal procedural due process. We all have a fundamental right to be “innocent until proven guilty”, and these amendments (particularly the 5^th) protect us accordingly. It’s in the right of any American who is accused of a crime to have a speedy trial. The Fifth Amendment protects the accused from having to say anything incriminating about him or herself.

HOW TO MAINTAIN, NOT WAIVE, YOUR RIGHTS

If you ever have an encounter with a government agent or law enforcement officer then you will need to be proactive in maintaining your rights. Even talking to them can be a risky proposition. If you do interact with them always be calm and polite but assertive in protecting your rights. Here are three key phrases to raise the shield of protection offered by the Amendments:

Officer, I do not consent to any searches.

Officer, am I being detained or am I free to go.

Officer, I have nothing to say until I talk with an attorney.

OTHER CIVIL LIBERTIES

There are many anti-discrimination laws in the United States. Many of these laws, such as prohibitions on discrimination based on disability, race, religion or creed, are protected by federal law but can also vary from state to state.

Here are some of the civil liberties we need to make sure we always maintain:

• Workplace and labor laws
• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Equal Pay Act of 1963
• Occupational Safety and Health Act
• Freedom of Information Act

CONCLUSION

The foundational legal documents in the United States of America have strong protections of unalienable rights to privacy. You may need to be proactive in asserting these rights so practice those important phrases often. If you feel any of your civil liberties or privacy rights have been violated then you may want to contact an attorney so that you can initiate legal action.

Hopefully, you now have an idea of what privacy rights of Americans are protected by law and how the law can help you to take control of and protect your personal privacy. And remember: ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from sources in our privacy shop like How To Vanish The Book or the Free Privacy Guide.

Reading time: 3 – 5 minutes

In today’s Information age information is everything and it is advisable to secure your private identity from identity thieves. Unfortunately, just shredding or burning your bank statements and other physical effects carrying information about your identity is no longer enough to provide the necessary prevention.

Getting a separate legal identity, such as an LLC, along with bank accounts, a tax ID number and credit cards under that identity is one of the most plausible precautionary privacy techniques that you can adopt so that you are not among those 30,000 unlucky people who fall prey to identity theft by the unscrupulous.

Protecting Privacy In The Digital Age

The first step to protecting privacy in the digital age is getting yourself a legal business identity. We are partial to the New Mexico LLC which asset protection attorneys love. If you are an entrepreneur or the owner of a large asset then you must consider operating under a recognized legal entity such as corporations, LLCs and partnerships.

You will likely wish to seek an attorney’s advice first so that you can determine which legal entity would be the best option for your circumstances and how to best operate it. Getting a legal business entity will award you with extra privacy protection as it will put an additional layer between you and your personal information and liability from the outside world.

The second step is to secure yourself a business credit card. Once you start operating as a business entity you can ask credit card companies to issue a business credit card. The good thing about these business credit cards is that you need to upload business information into the transactional databases instead of personal details. Comparatively less harm is inflicted upon cardholders if business information is compromised as opposed to the damage caused by the leaking of personal data. Another perk is that you get to choose how your business identity appears to others with its name, a DBA (Doing Business As), etc.

Conclusion

Protecting privacy in the digital age is imperative in today’s time when information is everything and an identity theft can lead to serious damage. There are many ways from using cash or a ghost address to using business entities and business credit cards which can increase your identity’s levels of security. One must always remember that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound cure.

A reason why privacy is often associated with anonymity and is a point of contention is because it squares the issue between the boundaries of the State versus the life and freedoms of the individual. But privacy and anonymity can be maintained, in general, without yielding and allowing nefarious individuals to infringe on the rights of independent citizens.

Hopefully, you now have an idea of what privacy techniques you can implement in order to protect your privacy in the digital age. Keep these tips in mind and remember: ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from How To Vanish The Book or The Mini-Guide To Personal Privacy.

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When most people browse the Internet they are not aware of the risks involved. You may not be aware of the kind of information you are leaving behind when you visit certain sites. A lot of snoopers, search engines and cookies can easily pick up on your IP address which can potentially harm your personal privacy.

This is because your Internet privacy is not protected against people who are seeking to misuse all the information lying around in your computer. Learn how to protect Internet privacy and at the same time browse the web safely.

How To Protect Internet Privacy

The best utility for this is proxy servers make that your IP address a complete secret. This can be extremely useful because this important information, your IP address, is not shared with anyone else. You can easily choose the kind of proxy which suits you best because some may not allow you to log into sites like Facebook while others may be painfully slow.

It is very easy to use a proxy server so I recommend you try out Identity Cloaker which many people have found very useful. Typically, your cost can go all the way up to $100 per month depending upon the speed and accuracy with which the server works.

You can even download free software or paid software which will ensure privacy when it comes to browsing the Internet. It can be easily activated while you are using the Internet in order to block your IP address from being utilized by a third party. It is likely that you may initially find it problematic to configure this software especially if you are using an unpaid version. One great free Firefox plugin is Adblock Plus.

Obviously, a paid version is likely to be more useful because hopefully you can access excellent customer support options. In case of any problems you will be guided on how to set up the software so that your Internet protection is enabled. The paid software may be more efficient and work really fast. Unless some expert hacker is out to get the IP address of your system then your information is likely to stay protected and safe.

Make sure that a good anti-virus properly protects your computer. Anti-viruses are important because they keep your computers well protected from Trojans and viruses, which might get hold of your personal information from your computer data.

Conclusion

Today, people use the Internet all the time. Using credit cards online is more than a necessity but you will need to work at protecting youself from identity theft. The privacy of credit cards becomes very important and there are extra steps you will need to take. You should always know that you are always being monitored online and be extra careful of disclosing personal details.

Make sure you have your passwords completed safe with alphanumeric passwords so that hackers will find it difficult to hack your email, accounts or other sensitive information. And where applicable use a good anti-virus program.

These privacy techniques can be implemented in order to prevent identity theft. Keep these privacy tips in mind and remember: ALWAYS go above and beyond the norm to protect your personal information by implementing stealth privacy tactics from 5 Steps To Anonymous Online Speech or The Mini-Guide To Personal Privacy.

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If you want to protect your privacy then you must use effective financial privacy strategies. Financial institutions are supposed to keep their customers’ information private. It’s against the law for them to give out a customer’s personal information without his or her permission. In 1999, the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act (GLBA) was established to provide limited privacy protections against the distribution and sale of your financial information. Despite this Act some banks and credit card companies still can’t be trusted and you have to come up with your own financial privacy strategies.

Take Charge Of Your Financial Privacy Strategies

So, if you can’t even trust banks, who can you trust? The safest thing to do is to take the protection of your financial privacy into your own hands. For instance, if you want to purchase real estate then do so through an LLC. The good thing about being involved with an LLC is that creditors can’t pursue your personal assets to pay off business debts unless they are able to pierce the corporate veil. This can be very helpful if you ever owe money on business credit cards.

Another way to protect your financial privacy is to pay cash whenever you can. If the thought of banks or creditors tracing your every purchase makes you uncomfortable then just switch to cash. Sure, it’s easier to carry around debit or credit cards and swipe them in card machines but paying with cash will provide you with more privacy.

Financial Privacy Through Using BitCoin

And then there is Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a decentralized electronic payment system using peer-to-peer networking and cryptographic protocols. Bitcoins are purely digital units of currency. They can be transferred between two parties for the purchasing and selling of products. The system began in 2009 when creator Satoshi Nakamoto released the original client as open source software.

Why is this digital payment system good for privacy? Well, unlike Paypal, you don’t have to provide a whole lot of private information. While the transactions do show payment amounts and addresses in the public blockchain the identities behind those transactions are not exposed.

Currency exchanges also exist between Bitcoin participants. They can exchange real currencies such as the US dollar and virtual currencies such as the Linden Dollar. The price of 1 BTC goes up and down all the time and is now approximately five US dollars. To get more information, you can read How To Obtain Financial Privacy Through Using BitCoin.

Financial Privacy Strategy – Don’t Forget To Opt Out

Don’t just assume that banks or other financial institutions will protect your privacy. Some of them will actually make your formally “opt out”. They will not give consumers privacy protection unless customers specifically state “no” and opt out. Carefully read over a bank’s privacy policy before you sign anything. Look for the option for opting out.

Credit Report Protection

Only organizations to whom you give permission can look at your credit report. A few examples include your lender, potential employer (after you fill out an application), landlord or landlady and credit card companies.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act the only people who can get a copy of your credit report are those with a legitimate business need. Your employer or potential employer can only get a copy if you provide written consent.

Take a look at your credit report every month to see who has been viewing it. The three major credit bureaus include Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. If you don’t recognize an organization who requested a copy of any of the reports then contact the bureau to find out who it was. You can also contact the credit bureaus to clean up your report of any errors or omissions.

Conclusion

As long as you keep these tips in mind you should be able to protect your financial privacy using these simple financial privacy strategies. Use financial entitites like LLCs, cash when possible, switch to alternative value transfer systems like BitCoin, opt-out of information sharing agreements from banks and watch your credit report like a hawk.

Hopefully, you now have an idea of different financial privacy strategies and how they can help you to take control of and protect your financial privacy. And remember: ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from sources like the Bank Privacy Report, The Mini-Guide To Financial Privacy or A Lawyer’s Take On BitCoin And Taxes.