That’s a screenshot of the new GPS tracking software by Sense Networks called Citysense.

Basically it’s a program you download and run on your iPhone or Blackberry that gives you a live feed of where to find people around the city with similar backgrounds and interests.

It does this by automatically tracking where everyone goes at certain times of the day and then lumps all the data into a heatmap overlay of the city, instantly allowing you to see where certain kinds of people are likely to be found at certain times of day.

Everyone’s profiles are recorded and tracked by the GPS chips embedded on the mobile devices then logged into a database over the wireless network. After that, finding out where people are right now is as simple as doing a Google search.

And since most people these days wouldn’t be caught dead without their beloved cell phone (seldom turning them off), all the data is crisp and accurate.

Of course the general idea with this software is to help people find hotspots of local activity where they’re most likely to meet people similar to them, and hopefully make some new friends…

…but how easily would it be for someone to take this simple idea… and turn it into a systematic method of hunting down:

1. Political opponents?
2. Personal enemies?
3. Rival gangs?
4. Rape victims?
5. Any “undesirable” group of society?

Thankfully right now the software is opt-in only and the personal details are anonymous. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with wanting to make new friends.

But you know how these things go: It’s only a matter of time before the right person gets ahold of the ideas and technology and soon all those anonymous features begin to erode away.

The best time to protect your privacy is NOW, by designing a comfortable lifestyle off the radar without giving up the things you enjoy today. Joe Decameron shows you how in his new course, The Perfect Privacy Solution.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMChO0qNbkY

I’ve always loved The Onion for their brilliantly biting sarcasm on every issue from politics to dating.

But I wanted to share this video with you because it drives home a lie you’ve been fed about privacy protection.

A lot of people… ignorant people… have shouted from the rooftops for years that “privacy in America is dead” … but don’t you fall for the rhetoric.

Yes, privacy can be difficult if you don’t know the tricks and sometimes inconvenient -- but dead?

No. At least not yet.

And to make matters worse, a lot of business owners and ordinary folks today don’t value their privacy until it’s too late.

Heed my words: The more successful you are in business and in life, the hungrier the eyes watching you from the darkness.

Most of the privacy claptrap out there is rigged by shameless fear mongers, crazies hiding out in some RV in the middle of nowhere, and special interest groups to confuse and overwhelm -- leaving you paralyzed not knowing who to trust or what to do.

Services like LifeLock fuel the fire by promising “identity theft prevention and protection” when in reality all their eRecon service does is a few periodic automated searches of “known criminal websites” desperately groping for clues to thieves trading your information.

Now c’mon… do you really believe today’s computer-savvy identity thieves are going to openly trade your information via a public website scanned by LifeLock? Geez…

What’s more is if you notice on the LifeLock website, most of their “customer success stories” focus on people who ALREADY had their identity stolen… and LifeLock rushed in to “save the day.” Read between the lines and you’ll realize LifeLock only sortof helps after the fact and charges you a smooth $110 per year for the privilege.

Well, plain common sense should tell you:

None of this should ever happen to you in the first place!

Thieves should’ve never had your home address in the first place, they should’ve never had access to your mail in the first place, and they DEFINITELY should’ve never had access to your bank account.

It is our goal at The Legal Secrets Report to lay out a clear plan of action to help you take back control of your private life and protect your money from those who have nothing else better to do than leech off the success of others.

Good examples of these leeches are lawyers, insurance companies, government agencies (especially the IRS), and ordinary criminals… Not to mention the occasional jealous ex-lover or vengeful employee.

If it hasn’t happened to you yet, consider yourself lucky. But if you don’t think it could ever happen to you, let your little inner voice of wisdom whisper into your ear:

Don’t be so sure. Don’t be so sure. Don’t be so sure.

Since all it takes is one “good” privacy breach… one roll of the dice to ruin your life for years… sometimes forever… I would feel better if I at least played a small part in helping you be prepared for whatever threats may come.

That’s why our resident privacy expert, Joe Decameron, created The Perfect Privacy Solution. Consider it your “one stop shop” for a comfortable, private lifestyle off the radar.

And you won’t have to move to a remote village to make it happen

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After you sift through the exhausting details of over 400 vehicles currently on the market, you’re then brought face-to-face in the final showdown: negotiating price and terms with the dealer.

Few men and women relish this task. But unless you want to clunk around in some 2nd class hand-me-down, dealership negotiation is an essential skill in modern America.

It’s not hard. The key is knowing what to say and when to say it for maximum leverage. And now that the economy’s in the crapper, the process today is easier than ever.

Dealerships sell cars all the time whereas you and I only buy once in awhile. This allows them to get lazy and rely on the same old psychological tricks over and over. That’s why knowing what they are ahead of time (and how to reply) will make them stutter like a stood up date… and nab you a better deal.

So here are the 8 most common tricks car dealers have thrown at me over the years… and how you can use the dealers own words to turn the tables and back him into a corner from which there is no escape.

Trick #1. The Same-Day Urgency Ploy

You’ll see this one from a mile away because what he’ll do is quote you a price and then twist your arm to take advantage of it “today” because after that he “can’t guarantee” it will be around later so you better “lock it in” right now.

Obviously the idea here is to choke off any chances you have of further research or price comparison to discover how good (or bad) his deal really is.

What you should do here is come up with your own price and terms BEFORE you come to the dealership and when they pull this little stunt on you, calmly present your offer in writing and add that it expires tonight when the dealers close.

This gives you the freedom to walk away cleanly if he absolutely refuses. And that’s power in your hands.

Doing some research online before coming to the dealer will allow you to find out his real cost so you can make an offer that’s fair and reasonable to you… but won’t get you laughed out of the dealership.

Trick #2. Checking With The Manager

I’ve had car dealers, furniture salesmen and the whole lot dust this one off and use it on me as if they’d invented sliced bread. It’s dumb but it works on a lot of people.

What happens here is the salesman says that he’d like to accept your offer but before he can, he needs to “check with his manager” to see if the terms are acceptable.

If this sounds familiar, it’s “good cop/bad cop” for salesmen. He doesn’t want to reject your offer outright, because that would make him seem like he’s your “enemy” in negotiation. Instead he wants to appear as your “friendly helper” in getting the deal done on good terms.

To do that, he needs to be able to place blame on a faceless 3rd party. Hence, the “manager” who always seems to be in a back room somewhere smoking a cigar and thumbing through an old dog-eared issue of Hustler. Our fearless salesman wants us to believe that during his absence, he barges into his scumbag manager’s office, demanding he accept your offer, and fights the good fight to wrangle a good price out of him come hell or high water.

In reality, the conversation goes something like this:

“Hey Bill, any of those doughnuts left over from this morning?”

“Nah, Mary finished ‘em off in like 10 minutes.”

“Fuck, I’m starving but I got a guy out there and I can’t get outta here ’till I close ‘em.”

Don’t get pushed around by this lame tactic. Instead, use it to your advantage.

If he has to check with his manager, then why shouldn’t you have to “check with your wife/husband?” You say you’re not married? Well, how about your accountant, therapist, mistress, astrologer, stunt driver, cult leader or any other person of authority whose input you supposedly value.

Now let this 3rd party of yours hold up the deal. The more of the salesman’s time you can waste, the more time he’s working without a commission, which means the more skin he has in the game with each passing hour, day, etc. This will help motivate him closer to your side of the fence.

Remember, these car negotiations don’t happen often, so pull out all the stops and don’t worry about looking weird. This is no place for ego. After the deal’s done you’ll be all but forgotten in a month’s time anyway.

Trick #3. Salesman Pleads Poverty

“But Mr. Customer,” he whines, “I have to put food on my table. I’ve got 2 kids in college.”

Little Sally is sick and Jimmy needs a new pair of shoes. Boo-hoo. Poor little salesman.

Car negotiations are not charity, they’re business. The salesman’s personal problems, fact or fiction, are not your problem and have absolutely nothing to do with you buying a new car right here and now.

More than likely, this crumpled mess of a man slumped before you will not starve if he’s forced to accept your terms. You’re here to get a deal done… or walk.

To get this annoying sod off your back, remind him that YOU have to put food on the table too. Maybe throw a few of your own tales of woe so he’ll finally shut up.

Trick #4. Dealership Pleads Poverty

I laugh when a saleman tells me he’s “already losing money on this deal” to weasel his way out of accepting my offer.

“Actually dear sir,” I say in my best British voice, “it is I who is losing money in this deal… by handing it over to you.”

Look, these guys may be sleazy, but they’re not stupid. They’re in business to make money just like the rest of us. Remind them that it is you who are losing money just by doing the deal to begin with and perhaps, now that you really think about it, you should take your offer to another dealership who isn’t running on financial fumes.

After all, you want someone who’ll still be there after the sale. *wink*

Trick #5. Scarcity

“This is a hot car. I’ve got a higher offer from another buyer.”

If the car you’ve set your sights on really is rare, then there could be some truth to this. But if you could get the same thing down the street or online, then call him on his bullshit.

If you’re smart, you’ll never actually need the car “now” and the time it takes to wrestle a new deal will be green money in your pocket.

More often, this is just a false scarcity ploy used to box you into a particular deal. “Other interested buyers” and “production shortages” are cooked up schemes. There’s a reason why they call cars “mass produced” and even if you’re vying for a Porsche or Aston Martin, luxury dealers love to take advantage of a buyers prideful desire to “not lower himself” to negotiation squabbles.

Luxury prices too, are far more flexible than you’d think.

Trick #6. Unique Car

“Well, Mr. Customer, this is the only car of its kind. This offer is the best we can do.”

You want the weird one with the funky color? Chances are they’ll play the scarcity card, and rightfully so… but does this really trap you into a “take it or leave it” situation?

Of course not.

Instead you should reply, “Are you kidding me? How many other serious offers could you get on this bizarre bag of bolts?”

To grab the rare and the exotic you need to downplay it’s appeal and twist it into a grotesque monster. Inside you’re slobbering all over to burn rubber in this puppy but outside you need to be bored, even a little disgusted from the moment you lay eyes on their model.

The market is thin for these rare cars so sometimes they’re hard to sell what little quantity they get from the factory. Use this to your advantage.

Trick #7. Last Minute Changes To The Deal

Now that you’ve dragged each other through the mud of negotiation, you’re numb, exhausted, and crabby. But gazing back at you through a blood-caked face are the determined eyes of a salesman who has just one more trick up his slimy sleeve.

And that, my friends, is the last minute price increase and hidden fees.

He knows you’re interested or you wouldn’t have come this far. A price has been agreed on. Now his only hope lies in tacking on some plausible excuse for previously (strategically) undisclosed fees.

Do not falter in your resolve. In fact, counter this by LOWERING your previous offer. “Well, if that’s the case, I can’t do this price anymore… I’ll have to offer X so our deal stays within our agreement.”

Remember, he’s invested as much time in this thing as you have. To trip here would be a suckers game. He wants to get this bastard of a deal over with and move on to easier targets just as much as you want to get out of there with your new hot-rod.

Trick #8. Free Crap

Free crap ain’t free. There’s ALWAYS a hidden charge for it crawling around in the paperwork somewhere.

Dealers love to charge crazy prices for stuff like pinstripes, undercoating, fabric or paint protection, and pre-sale inspections. I never want any of this worthless junk and always make sure the dealer knows it. And since it’s that much less they have to do to the car, you should insist on a discount.

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They’re basically the head honchos of law enforcement here in the United States – the King of Cops. Their motto is “Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity” … though I sometimes doubt that last one.

That’s because during their criminal investigations, ordinary innocents like you and me get caught in the crossfire. Not only is this a serious breach of your privacy, but if they don’t like what they see (and it seems these days that could mean anything)… it could be the beginning of the end for your little enterprise.

There’s a widespread internet surveillance technique the FBI is using right now to collect a steady stream of data on Americans. Every last one of us.

It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’re doing – the FBI’s got their fingers in your pot of honey. And it’s high time you know what their game is, so you can tilt the scales of justice back in your favor.

Sex, Lies, and Videotape

If you listen to their propaganda, er… I mean “official statements” on the matter, it’s easy to walk away believing they really are only out to grab the secrets of legitimate criminal suspects, then go back and use this data as evidence in their investigations.

But in reality what happens is they gather internet information on thousands and thousands of people at the same time (that means you, whether you’re involved or not), lock it up in some remote government database and practically throw away the key.

These information stockpiles are held indefinitely, which means any “questionable” online activity you did years ago can come back to bite you anytime in the future.

And nowadays, who’s to say what “questionable” really means? Especially as Uncle Sam seems to clamp his bony death grip around our throats a little tighter with each passing year.

The information they have on you includes your name, e-mail address, and what you like to search for on Google, Yahoo, MSN and others. Sadly, it doesn’t take a genius to translate that information into more sensitive data like your home address, date of birth, or social security number. From there, the sky’s the limit.

The Software That Started It All

Years ago the FBI developed an in-house software system called Carnivore, which was later renamed to DCS 1000. (I guess they figured a name like “Carnivore” was a little too close to the truth.) But even Carnivore is child’s play compared to the wicked deal they’ve now made with the devil.

The “devil” in this case is your Internet Service Provider (ISP) – the likes of AOL, Yahoo, or even the rinky-dink local outfits spread all over the country. They’ve all sworn the legal equivalent of a blood oath to routinely betray your trust and privacy by handing over any and all logged information to the FBI.

Some people call this the “vacuum cleaner” method because they suck up everything in sight. I say it just sucks, period.

Once this data is in-hand, they run it through sophisticated software to crank out a clear list of web browsing habbits, e-mail communications, and instant messaging conversations.

A lot of academic types scream this is a serious violation of our 4th Amendment search and seizure rights under the Constitution. It’s the modern-day version of British redcoats storming every house in the neighborhood to flush out a lone gunman they think “might” have done something wrong.

And that, my friends, makes them wrong.

Oh, and get this…

The FBI doesn’t even use Carnivore anymore. Abandoned the project years ago. Why? Did Santie Claus punish them for being bad little girls and boys? Did they have a change of heart and become White Knights of Justice?

No, of course not.

They did what any modern American organization would do: they outsourced it.

Because even the Federal Bureau of Investigation knows private enterprise can do things far better, faster, and cheaper than dear ol’ Uncle Sam could ever dream of.

It’s ironic how the wonders of our private enterprise system – the very thing that has brought us generations of wealth and happiness – harbors a growing cancer that will destroy us all from within if left unchecked.

The First Steps To Secure Your Online Privacy

#1. Make it harder on government goons by connecting to the internet through Anonymizer.

When you’re on the internet, your computer is identified primarily through a unique number called an IP address (Internet Protocol Address.) What Anonymizer does is connect you through their vast pool of IP addresses and swaps your online identity for a new one every few minutes, making it a royal pain in the ass for any bloodhound to sniff you out from all the rubble.

#2. If you’re worried about internet searches, try Scroogle.

What Scroogle does is perform Google searches on your behalf and sends back the results. I wouldn’t do this for everything, but if you’re wanting to search a “questionable” topic you’d rather keep hush-hush, this is one way to mask it.

#3. To mask sensitive browsing, try Anonymouse.

Anonymouse will actually browse the web on your behalf and then send you back the results. Whereas Scroogle handles search results, this allows you to browse anywhere with a relatively good measure of privacy protection.

However, these basics are only the beginning. To truly construct a privacy forcefield around your life now and into the future, our own Joe Decameron has mapped out a complete plan for you to do just that. Check out The Perfect Privacy Solution for more details.

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So have I. When I was much younger our family sweated at jobs we hated just to keep up with all the payments. And it’s not like we were living the high life off the debt, either. Most of it was spent on basic necessities and the occasional simple pleasure.

If you’re clever, credit cards are a great way to “float” the payment of anything you buy for as much as 25 to 30 days after purchase – taking advantage of the grace period without racking up interest. That’s how I make use of them today, and I think the only sensible way to deal with personal credit (business credit is another thing entirely.)

But beneath the obvious veneer lurks a more sinister legal truth – one that can trash your credit rating and leave you drowning in fees.

At first these lies sound sensible, even smart. However, their bite is often worse than you could imagine.

Lie #1. Scribbling “Check ID” in the signature area to ward off identity theft

Some well-intentioned cops even recommend this. The idea is to deter would-be identity thieves by prompting the cashier to double-check to ensure the “carpet matches the drapes” so to speak. After all, if the con artist can’t produce valid ID, he can’t make off with the loot, right? And besides, why spread around copies of your signature to anyone who peeks inside your purse?

Well, even though an unsigned card is invalid under official credit card agreements (the ones nobody actually reads) most under-paid, over-worked retail employees will skip right over it, rendering your defense meaningless.

What they’re SUPPOSED to do is check your signature against a valid driver’s license or passport, but even if they follow protocol it’s easy for a trickster to swirl your signature on command… because the reality is the employee has better things to do than hold up a growing line of impatient customers over a slight difference in handwriting.

From a liability standpoint, you’re only technically responsible for the first $50 of stolen money… but any company worth their salt won’t even hold you to that – not if they value your business as a customer in good standing.

So what do you do? In my experience it doesn’t matter if you write “Check ID”, your name, or sign “Adolf Hitler” to the back of a credit or debit card… no one really enforces the legality and a “Check ID” designation isn’t going to change a thing if the card is ever actually stolen.

I say just leave the damn thing blank.

Lie #2. You need each one of the “Big Four” credit cards to survive in modern society

You’re trapped at the mercy of a hurricane-like storm down a forgotten road outside El Paso, Texas. You could escape certain doom if only the toothless old man at the beaten-down gas station would accept your Rewards-Plus card.

Rubbish. Even though American Express and Visa have fooled everyone about this in their ads for years, it doesn’t make it true.

For example, I shop a lot at Sam’s Club. They “only” take Discover and their own branded card. Costco “only” takes American Express. But you know what? I don’t use either of them at those places. I use my debit card, even though it’s technically a “Visa” and when I want to be private, I use cash.

Amazingly, we here in America sometimes forget about cash. Businesses still accept the stuff, you know.

With credit cards, you should really only have 1 or 2 at the most. Personally I carry a Business Visa and an American Express, in addition to my regular debit card. The American Express actually serves no real purpose other than making me feel “cool” with the prestigious rare card they issue.

Speaking of that…

Lie #3. American Express cards give you unlimited purchasing power

If you look closely, their famous “no preset spending limit” has a little disclaimer star beside it.

Even if you’re one of the few thousand in the world with a Centurion Card (otherwise known as the American Express “Black” card – the same one James Bond carries) you STILL have a limit, albeit a very high one.

What American Express does is calculate your limit dynamically. It’s in constant flux based on your finances and past history with the card.

When a big purchase comes through, American Express might say “Ok, let’s see how you handle this one.” If you pay it off by the due date without a fuss, they say to themselves “Ok… this guy’s a spender. Next time we’ll let it slide.” And so on, and so on. If you structure it right, you can flex the boundaries of your limit well beyond that of mortal man.

And that’s how the lie spreads. But for most people, AmEx is gonna eye you very suspiciously when that $12,000 cruise comes through after you claimed to only make $30k a year. They’ll probably swat it down like a fly unless you call their office beforehand to assure them it’s on the up-and-up.

Lie #4. All cards with Visa or Mastercard logos will affect your credit

We’re surrounded with charge cards, credit cards, debit cards, ATM cards and God-knows-what else. Most people just assume that if it has the Visa or Mastercard logo, it works “kindof like a credit card” and will therefore affect your credit either positively or negatively.

That’s not true.

Charge cards you pay a fee for and let you put whatever you want on them as long as you’re responsible enough to pay it off every month. Debit cards instantly take the money out of whatever cash account they’re linked to. ATM cards ONLY work at ATM’s and are worthless without a PIN (much like debit cards, except they won’t let you purchase anything directly.) And of course credit cards loan you small bits of money for whatever you purchase and charge interest if not paid within the grace period.

Debit cards and ATM cards are not taken into account when calculating credit scores. They are considered cash in that respect.

Lie #5. They’ll think more highly of you if you pay more than you owe

Actually the opposite is true.

Credit card companies love good customers, but a “good customer” is not someone who pays off their bill all the time and certainly not someone who pays more than they owe.

Remember, this is a “credit” account, not a bank acocunt, and these guys are in the business of making money. They do that primarily by charging interest and fees and they hate straight-laced responsible citizens who always spend less than they make.

This isn’t something that will help your credit score either. It doesn’t matter if you pay off the balance or throw an extra grand on there to where they actually owe you money, it still gets reported as a “zero” balance to the credit agencies.

Lie #6. If you go over the limit, but pay it back in time, everything will be OK

No, everything will not be OK.

Back in the old days, credit card companies used to decline any charges that spilled over your limit. These days their accountants have discovered that’s bad business. They make far more dough when they let it slide, and quietly ding you with an overage fee.

So that’s why their computers watch your account with an eagle eye, eager to sock you with penalty fees and a jacked up interest rate, which will certainly come as a nasty surprise on your next statement.

And they won’t just do it one time, but each time you go over… even if it’s during the same billing cycle.

Lie #7. Sellers can set a minimum charge amount

There’s a great Chinese restaurant I used to frequent that kept a sign posted next to the cash register:

“Minimum credit card purchase: $10″

And guess what. Everyone obeyed it. You could see frustrated guests fumbling around in their pocket for change when they’d planned on charging dinner that evening.

Good for the restaurant, sure, but a violation of their merchant account agreement with the credit card companies. I knew this and called them on their bluff. The merchant company got wind of the news and threatened to pull their ability to take cards altogether. It wasn’t long before they took down “$10 minimum” sign.

Did I do this to be an asshole? No, I did it because it’s annoying, wrong, and as a merchant myself I know that people will buy more from you in the long run if you don’t set such short-sighted terms and conditions.

From a business point of view, I did them and all their customers a favor.

Credit cards make life easier, but they also open you up to harassment and invasion of privacy. To hide your money and keep your private life under control, check out Joe Decameron’s “Perfect Privacy Solution” available here at The Legal Secrets Report.

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After surviving countless calls into the endless labyrinth of “voice mail hell” and waiting 45 minutes to talk to a real person you feel like you deserve at least some restitution.

But since most business’ customer service calls are handled by low-level employee peons, or worse, outsourced to some bargain basement in India, they simply don’t have the power (much less the motivation) to provide any meaningful assistance.

This is where the Executive Customer Service Staff comes into play. What most people don’t realize is a lot of companies have a higher, “Rolls-Royce” level of elite customer service ninjas ready, willing and able to cut through all the bullshit red tape – straight to direct action.

Oftentimes, getting to these people is simply a matter of knowing what to say and who to say it to.

Step #1. Find The Corporate Office

For public companies, this is as simple as entering their stock ticker symbol into Yahoo or Google Finance. That’ll pull up the company’s profile page and the corporate office address and phone shouldn’t be too far away.

For private companies, you might have to do a little Google digging if their main phone isn’t somewhere on the company website. If Google brings up nil, the next easiest way to do this is with a Whois search on their domain name, which will frequently reveal all you need to know. There are ways to mask Whois information using a 3rd party agent, so if they’ve done this you’ll need to do a public records search in their state of incorporation.

And if you still hit a dry well after all that, then the company you’re dealing with is either a scam, or they’ve hidden themselves using Joe Decameron’s Perfect Privacy Solution.

Step #2. Call The Corporate Office

Ask to be transferred to the office of the CEO, his/her assistant, or some other top brass. For added clout, reference the person by name.

The operator will likely transfer you over to some lower-level executive assistant – but that’s good. It’s precisely what we wanted. You could get voicemail or a live person, that doesn’t really matter. The point is to leave a message with exec about the facts of your case. Don’t ramble, and especially don’t sound angry – even if you’re bubbling with rage. Include any order numbers, confirmation numbers and any other specific details that could be useful.

Step #3. The Call Back

Within a day or so, you’ll get a call back from the few, the proud, The Executive Service Team.

Fill them in on the facts of your case because they might not have gotten the full story from our mid-level up-and-comer. Take down the contact information of whoever you’re speaking with because they have now become your direct lifeline to the holy grail of help.

If they can’t help you, no one can. Using these methods will often get a problem solved in 2 or 3 days – one that could’ve normally taken a month or more.

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Even after years of court cases and legislation, those guys are still out there calling us in the middle of dinner about some Extended Warranty Program or other such scammy nonsense. So why not turn life’s lemons into lemonade?

After all, what they’re doing really is illegal as long as:

a) they’re automated, recorded messages to your home or cell phone
b) they don’t state their name at the beginning of the message
c) they don’t leave their phone number or address
d) they called a number on the National Do Not Call List, and…
e) they didn’t provide a written copy of their Do Not Call List maintenance policy

Most people just yell at them or make useless complaints to the FCC. But you’re better than that. You’re a reader (and hopefully subscriber) of The Legal Secrets Report.

I’ll show you how to bite back with some real teeth, do society a favor, and get paid for your troubles.

Step #1. Keep Records Of What They Do

Every time they call you, write down:

a) The time
b) Whatever number shows up on caller ID (I can almost guarantee you this won’t be their real number)
c) As much of their message that you heard
d) Whether they mentioned their company’s name at the beginning
e) Whether the call was automated
f) Whether they stated their phone number or mailing address (yeah, right)

And if it’s legal in your state, then record the call. If it’s not legal, you’ll have to rely on the accuracy of your transcript.

Make certain your number is on the National Do Not Call List by going to their site and printing out the confirmation they send after you confirm.

Step #2. Get The Real Scoop On Who’s Behind The Voice

Type the caller ID number into Google and see what pops up. If you’re lucky (or they’re incredibly stupid…or both) you’ll be able to get some info on who’s been calling. More often though, it’ll be a spoofed caller ID number because these guys know what they’re doing is illegal and do their damnedest to hide from the consequences.

This is not information you can find out just by demanding it from the caller. The second they sense you’re wise to their scheme, they’ll hang up pronto. It’s illegal, but they don’t seem to care.

Instead, act all nicey-nice when you’re on the phone with them. Play the part of the sap getting reeled in for the unsuspected kill. Act interested in what they’re pushing. If they ask you for personal info, just make some crap up (but perhaps write it down in case they ask you to repeat it later.)

Your goal here is to get them to reveal a website, address, company name, direct phone number – ANYTHING and everything that will give you the edge later. They might play along and give you some bogus 800 number at first. But keep pressing. Ask for a direct line so you can “call them back after you’ve thought about it because you’re interested, but just need to (insert whatever reason here)”… and you would “really like to buy once you double-check.”

They will go hell and high water to avoid this. They will lie and try to transfer you several times while they feed you all kinds of bullshit. But you must never waver, and always play the part of doe-eyed, eager prospect – ready and willing to give them your money if only they’d grant you this one small favor.

If you do it right, this will get you a name, website, address, and real phone number.

This is not enough to sue. Yet.

Now you need to take that info and do a little detective work. Because what you really need are:

a) Their formal business name
b) Their legal street address, and…
c) Their direct main phone number

Take any websites they mentioned and plug them into OnSameHost or DomainTools. What this will give you is a list of websites hosted on the same server as theirs. We’re hoping to find other sites they may own.

Now take that list of websites into a Whois search and make a note of any names of real people you uncover. Often, this method will get you the name, phone and address of someone within the company, sometimes even their head guy. Also if you do a search for the IP addresses alone, even more revealing results can come up.

Next, take these corporate names you’ve found and search for them on Google, Switchboard, and the appropriate Secretary of State website. If you can find out what county they’re in, do a Fictitious Business Name (FBN) search on the county government website.

Do Google searches on all names, addresses, and phones you discover. If you can find other businesses in the same building, call them up and nicely ask for the landlord’s name and phone number. Then call the landlord and inquire as to whom rents suite whatever.

Call a few numbers above and below the direct line they gave you. Since this is a telemarketing outfit, they probably own God-knows-how-many lines and they’re probably all routed through the same box. Listen to how different people answer different lines. This can give you even more insight into what the real company name is.

Call up a few phone company’s in the area and get transferred over to their legal compliance department. Then ask if they are the provider for the telemarketing numbers. This info will come in handy later for the subpoena.

Step #3. Sort It All Out

Since we’re dealing with telemarketers here, you’re usually looking at a layer of companies. There’s often the Fictitious Business Name (FBN), the companies that reside in specific states, and the parent holding company. That’s why it’s possible to get multiple calls that all sound different, but in reality come from the same source.

In legal speak, the telemarketers are an “agent” of the holding company, who is a “principal.” That means they’re both responsible and technically you can sue and collect from both.

Step #4. Cash In

So here’s what we have so far:

a) A detailed record of every call you got and what parts of that call were illegal
b) The complete legal name of the company including address, phone, and the name of someone to serve
c) The iron balls to see this through to the end

Now head on over to your state’s civil court website and download the form to file suit. It also helps to subpoena 3rd party documents from the phone companies so you have even more hard proof. For example, my Vonage phone logs all incoming and outgoing calls, so the records are easy to obtain.

But before you actually file a lawsuit, offer to settle. Call up the CEO and tell him you’re about to sue for violations of the applicable telemarketing laws and wanted to know if they’re interested in settling to avoid the hassle and cost of court. If they don’t answer or return your call within 3 business days, contact them again… this time with an ultimatum that any non-response will be seen as a refusal to settle and will give you the green light to bring suit.

Most idiotic companies don’t take you seriously until they actually get served with a court order. Be sure to get a signed “proof of service” back from the process server and file it with the court or you run the risk of the judge throwing out your case.

It’s amazing what a court order will do to grease the wheels of settlement negotiation. Since it was they who broke the law, the balance of power is on your side. Milk them for a few G’s and get on with your life.

To help out with the finer details of Small Claims Court, Nolo Press offers a great guide. And for more legal strategies on getting back at bad businesses, check out How To Outswim The Sharks.

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Back in the ’60′s it really was “fly the friendly skies” – booze, smokes, and classy companionship all served up by attractive stewardesses inside a plane that gave Vegas casinos a run for their money.

Nowadays you get a strip search with a snarl… and consider yourself lucky if the microwaved mystery meat doesn’t give you a nightmare case of Montezuma’s Revenge.

Throw in cramped coach seats, wussy rental cars, and roach motels and you’ve got a powder keg cocktail of disgrace, divorce, and disaster just daring you to light the fuse.

So what’s an enterprising traveler to do? Glad you asked.

Because here are some of my favorite tips and tricks to bagging a free upgrade on your ticket class at the airport.

Trick #1. “Other Significant Information”

When you’re booking your ticket, there’s usually a place to enter OSI or “Other Significant Information.” Most people just leave this blank, but what you need to do is tack on some extra information to your ticket. Just think of anything a snooty VIP, CEO, travel agent, famous writer, or event planner might say.

From the airlines perspective, a good looking OSI means you know the ropes – you’ve been here before and you’re used to higher standards. And for that, they could very well give you a bump in priority.

Trick #2. The Secret Code

Sometimes free stuff is just as simple as knowing who to ask. So ask the ticket agent if they’ll add a code to your ticket that tells the gate agent you’re good for an upgrade. Take a look beforehand on what codes your airline uses and when. They all do it a little differently and they’re more likely to help out an “insider in the know” than they are some wet-behind-the-ears newbie.

Trick #3. Play On Their Emotions

Tug on their heartstrings a little by saying you’re traveling for a special occasion. Honeymoons or anniversaries seem to work best. If you play your cards right, you’ll be sittin’ pretty with your girl (or guy) in first class. (No, unfortunately this one will not work for the loners among us.)

Trick #4. The Empty First Class Seat

Sometimes when you’re boarding the plane you’ll notice an empty first class seat on your way back to the fire and brimstone of coach. What you should do is ask the flight attendant if it’s really available. She’ll be more likely to upgrade you if you’re having “issues” with your cheap seat. Get creative. Maybe your seatbelt “isn’t working properly” or the entire seat itself is “broken down.” (hint hint)

You didn’t hear it from me, but they’ll also upgrade you to the high life if you complain about the bawling brat behind you or that smelly fatso rubbing your arm. From their perspective it’s easier to move you than rock the boat with other passengers.

Trick #5. James Bond Charm

If you’re one of those guys who can lay it on thick then switch on the charm and ask nicely. If the ticket counter seems open and friendly your award-winning smile could make all the difference between a future of 1st class wine and cardboard milk.

The chances of this one working are more slim, but you can up the odds by remembering this: upgrading depends on the authority level of who you ask, the number of open seats, and your good standing with the airline. Of course, you do have a spotless reputation with them… don’t you?

Trick #6. Success Breeds Success

Even the dumbest man alive can spot the difference between a sharp-dressed business executive and a soccer mom in sweatpants. So look the part. Dress and act first class and first class treatment will seek you out.

Don’t underestimate this. I can remember one time I was wearing my grey Calvin Klein suit on my way into the courthouse. Just inside the door they have these big metal detectors and usually scan everybody before they’re allowed to pass. But on this day I looked, acted, and talked like the successful straight-shooter I am. To my amazement, the guards apologized and let me pass ahead of the line, and without a scan.

These tips will aid you on your world travels, but they’re really only tip of the iceberg. For more great stuff, make sure you’re a subscriber to my Legal Secrets Report e-mail newsletter. It’s got the stuff too hot for me to post on the main site for everyone to see.

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But what about your physical home address?

Sure, you can make good use of P.O. boxes, CMRA’s, and even ghost addresses – but those strategies will only divert unwanted junk mail away from your main location. They won’t solve the large issue of getting the stuff in the first place.

That’s not to say I’m anti-direct mail. I’m not. In fact I like the pleasant surprise of getting an offer in the mail from time to time for something I’m interested in that I never would’ve known existed otherwise. And using targeted direct mail for your own business is just smart commerce.

But they keyword here is TARGETED. That means it’s something you’re going to be hot for the product before you even open the envelope. The problem is, most marketers don’t know the meaning of the word, and that’s why we’re harassed every day with a glut of “pre-approved” credit card offers and a slew of miscellaneous crap.

So here are 4 easy steps you can take to cut down on unwanted junk mail by at least 90%

Step #1. Opt-Out of Pre-approved Credit Card Offers

In credit card industry lingo, this is called the “opt-out prescreen.” How it works is the big 3 credit reporting agencies make a ton of money allowing companies to scan their data files looking for people with certain credit scores or other criteria. Then they buy the addresses and send you a stream of mail for the latest MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express.

To make it illegal for them to use your data for these “pre-approved” offers, go to this website:

http://www.optoutprescreen.com

Then just follow the instructions. You have 2 options. The electroic opt-out lasts for 5 years and does not require a social security number. The other method makes you confirm your opt-out via mail and lasts “forever” though I don’t know exactly what “forever” really means to them.

The potential breach of security with these credit card offers is serious. Anyone could easily snatch some of them out of your mailbox when you’re not at home and glean personal info off them, which could then be used to open up fake accounts in your name. That’s just one reason of many why you should always shred credit card offers with a cross-cut shredder and definitely opt out of this service.

I did, many years ago, and have never gotten a single “pre-approved” offer since. The only people who can mail you after this are those with whom you already carry a card. For example, I have an American Express card, so I still get offers from American Express. Personally, that’s not a big deal to me and sometimes I even look at their stuff to see what they’re up to this time.

Step #2. Axicom

Most of your junk mail can be stopped by a combination of three companies. Axicom is one of them. They’re a data company that sells names and addresses to marketers.

To opt-out, just go to this address below and fill out the form:

http://www.axicom.com/opt-out-request-form

Within a week they’ll send you a package in the mail that has the actual “opt out” form. Once you complete and mail it back to them, the whole thing will take effect in about 2 weeks.

Step #3. Choicepoint

This is another big company that works much like Axicom. To opt-out, just go here and fill out their form:

http://www.privacyatchoicepoint.com/optout_ext.html

Step #4. The Direct Marketing Association (DMA)

The DMA is a sort of self-regulatory board for the direct marketing industry. They do a lot of great things for the industry and also allow you to opt-out of many types of unsolicited mailings.

They’re also some of the people who manage your likes and dislikes among advertisers. You know those little warranty survey cards that come with almost everything you buy? Remember the plastic grocery store membership cards you carry on your keychain? Well, they keep tabs on what you buy, how often, and when you typically like to make those purchases.

To remove yourself from all this, go to http://www.dmachoice.org and they’ll tell you how.

Opting out of these databases is really only “step 1″ of a much larger privacy protection plan. For a more in-depth take on how to live comfortably off the radar, check out Joe Decameron’s “Perfect Privacy Solution.”

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Protecting your privacy from the likes of top-notch private investigators and government officials is an art and a science. Though it can be comforting to have, most people do not need this level of protection.

Social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace have privacy controls, allowing you to choose which people on your friends list can see more intimate details like your address and phone number. And most other types of online profiles also let you cherry pick what information to share.

Personally I don’t think it’s wise to post much, if any, personal details to these sites and if you’re really serious you shouldn’t even have accounts there at all. I deleted mine over a year ago. For keeping in touch with friends, I’ll take e-mail or good ol’ fashioned face-to-face any day.

But these sites aren’t what you should worry about anyway. You could delete all your online profiles today, and there would STILL be mountains of data on you lurking around everywhere.

Because most often, the security breaches in your everyday life come from the sources you’d least expect.

If you’re at all concerned about reining in your privacy, then here are 12 things you should do right now to remove your name, address, and phone number from the internet. That way, you can be more assured that whoever has your information will only be those you actually wanted to have it.

#1. 411.com, whitepages.com, phonenumber.com, whitepages.aol.com

Go to each of these sites in turn and run a search for your name. Click on the results and about halfway down the page you’ll see a little link that says “Is this you? Remove your listing.” Click that and enter some B.S. reason for removal, type the security code, and poof! Your listing will be removed.

#2. Anywho.com

Look up your listing and then go to http://www.anywho.com/help/privacy_list.html and enter the phone number they had for you in the listing. They’ll shoot back a number for you to call. Call that phone number from the same number that was in the listing and you will be removed.

#3. people.yahoo.com

Look up your listing to see what it says. Then head over to http://yahoo.intelius.com/optout.php – fill out the form with the same information you found in the listing and then hit “remove me.”

#4. peoplefinders.com

Go to http://www.peoplefinders.com/privacy.aspx to read their procedure. It’s crazy that they ask for address history going back 20 years, but my recommendation would be to look yourself up first and only provide whatever info they already have on the opt-out form.

#5. daplus.us

Do a search for your name and then check the second box to find your listing. Open a new tab in your browser and go to http://www.daplus.us/remove.aspx and complete the form with your information. If they have several variations of your name at the same address, fill out a separate form for each one.

#6. reversephonedetective.com

We here at the Legal Secrets Report love Reverse Phone Detective for looking up callers, but there’s no reason why YOU should be in their database. So go there and type in your phone numbers and see what comes up. If you’re in there, open up a new tab to http://www.reversephonedetective.com/optout/optout.php and submit the form. Be sure to read all the checkboxes because one of them is for e-mail ads.

#7. zabasearch.com

This one makes you jump through a few more hoops. Find your listing and open up a new tab to http://www.zabasearch.com/block_records/block_by_mail.php – they have another option that lets you instantly block your record for $20, but why pay when you can do it through the mail for free?

#8. switchboard.intelius.com

Once again, find your listing and go to http://switchboard.intelius.com/optout.php – complete the form and you’ll be removed.

#9. find.person.superpages.com

This used to be just for businesses but nowadays they over individual people too. Find your listing and click “update listing” under the address. But don’t delete it! Instead, go down to the bottom of the page and click “online removal form.” Enter the security word and click “remove me.”

#10. classmates.com

A long time ago, I was talked into joining this site to keep in touch with old chums from school, class reunions, and whatnot. I’m not interested in any of that anymore, and all it had gotten me so far was a LOT of junk e-mail and zero privacy. So I deleted my account. You can too by going to http://www.classmates.com/cmo/user/remove

#11. intelius.com

I saved the most difficult two for last. One is the huge data company, Intelius. They actually have the nerve to force you to subscribe to their service just for the “privilege” of removing yourself. The best way is to subscribe to their $19.95 24-hour unlimited pass. That’ll give you enough time to search out yourself and all your family, friends, and relatives. All you do is find the listing, print it off, and fax it to them. After that, it’ll be removed in a few days.

#12. ussearch.com

Just like Intelius, these guys make you subscribe to their service to print the listing so you can get removed. Get a $19.95 24-hour unlimited pass and search everyone you know. Open another browser tab to http://www.ussearch.com/consumer/optout/submitOptout.do – then you can send the printout to them via mail or fax.

That should take care of most of your data floating around out there. Ultimately for maximum privacy you should shift all your public addresses over to a P.O. box, a CMRA, or what our privacy expert Joe Decameron calls a “ghost address.”

For a more in-depth take on how to safeguard your privacy and live comfortably off the radar, check out Joe’s new course “The Perfect Privacy Solution.”

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