If they're interested, your readers can either sign up (I used a throw-away mailinator.com e-mail address), or use the username / password that I made to view the report:

username: jd01001 password: jd01001jd01001

Submitted Link #1: http://www.elliottwave.com/club/protected/ctc/safe...

... Mark, I was amused to find that the small bank I use was on that list!

Yet another level of security is to use a firewall router that plugs into your DSL modem. I use the Netgear FVS 114 ProSafe VPN Firewall Router.

It not only provides its own sophisticated internal hardware-based firewall, but allows VPN connections and acts as a router with NAT and DHCP. It's a great unit, and does NOT have WiFi. There are newer units, but I got a new one on EBay for about 80 bucks.

By using a hardware firewall router, you have a first line of defense outside your computer that will also protect other computers you might temporarily attach to your network, without having to worry so much about software firewalls and virus protection.

As for the cop, let's just hope he wasn't downloading kiddie porn. Even if you don't care about personal privacy, leaving your WiFi network open to outsiders is DANGEROUS beyond belief.

There's a whole hobby out there involving hackers called "wardriving," where hackers drive around with a laptop detecting open WiFi networks (including people with idle laptop WiFi modems. There is even mapping software that links with a GPS and will record the exact location of the open network and create a map showing the overall coverage in a community of free wireless systems left open by ignorant people. Most such people just use the connection to surf the web for free, but some will attempt to crack the underlying network or, as I said, download porn using YOUR modem IP address.

If you are not willing to take the time to understand and implement WiFI encryption and security, then DON'T use WiFi, ever, anywhere, particularly not at a coffee shop.

However, connecting your computer directly to the broadband provider's modem (cable modem, DSL modem) is NOT such a great idea. You should at least connect that modem to a wired ethernet router, and connect that router, in turn, to your computer or wcomputers. That way, you get the benefit of the router's NAT (Network Address Translation) feature, which can hide your computer's IP address from the Internet "cloud".

Many Wi-Fi routers also function as wired ethernet routers -- that is, besides the Wi-Fi antennas, there are typically four ethernet RJ-45 jacks for plugging in wired ethernet cables to your computers. You can configure such routers to NOT use the Wi-Fi feature, but only the wired internet feature.

Better, though, not to use a Wi-Fi capable router at all. Use an ordinary ethernet "switch" or "router" that does NOT have Wi-Fi (or BlueTooth) capability.

Several years ago, I noticed a sheriff's car parked outside, and the officer appeared to be working on his laptop. I was on my way out when I saw this, but I circled the block to make sure I wasn't misinterpreting what I thought was going on. I then called my husband, who was still home, and asked him to disconnect all the computers, including the WiFi router. I then had him look outside again. Sure enough, the sheriff left very soon after the WiFi was disconnected. I had nothing to hide in terms of criminality, but it really shook me up in terms of privacy. I disconnected the WiFi permanently soon thereafter, only reconnecting it again recently, after learning how to encrypt my signal.

My new laptop also has a switch right on the front that allows me to disable wireless connectivity instantly.

When connected to a vpn, I am recently noticing that numerous governmental agencies are trying to connect to the software I am using - they can't based on how I have things set up (as far as I can tell) - but it goes to fully confirm what J. Luna's been saying.

I feel more comfortable with the service because it's about protection from neighbors for me, not hiding my surfing results, but I feel very uneasy in general about this and I'm moving very soon anyway so I will only be online off-site then. What's super freaky about this is that I recently started corresponding with someone I met online and perhaps that's why the suddenness of this - it started almost exactly at that time.

J. Luna, should I not care about this happening and just continue as usual or does this warrant switching to another vpn service, not communicating with people I don't know well, and only surfing off-site? I don't want to overreact based upon the principle of it alone. But I'm annoyed by this.

... I will leave it to other readers to comment on your question about "to switch or not to switch." However, do keep in mind that the person you met online might be part of a sting operation. Proceed with caution.

You have quite a problem and do need a CA lawyer, but I think the good news is that because you were a minor when you "signed the contract" you can get out of it. I'm betting that the Terms of Service say that the website "owns" everything you posted, including your picture, and that they can do anything they want with it. Most of them do.

But, as a minor, you can't agree to such a contract in the first place, so it's likely null and void as a matter of law. Have your lawyer threaten them with prosecution under child protection laws for failing to verify your identity. I think there may be a federal law about this as well. I'm betting that the page goes away just about instantly.

At 23 now, it's a major embarrassment and career problem. I've contacted them but they deny that it's on their site, despite the fact that the page is of their domain. ReputationDefender.com did not help.

Does anyone know of any lawyer(s) that may be able to assist me in taking legal action?

Although I am located in Washington, D.C., the company is located in San Francisco. I believe I may need a lawyer in CA for this? Referrals and/or any advice would be greatly appreciated.

... I hope someone in CA can help you with this, Anthony.

Also, you parents with teens still at home--make sure none of your children make any similar mistakes!

Also do the same rules apply when purchasing a travel trailer as opposed to a vehicle?

... Print the LLC name and sign your own name (usually unreadable ...)

Same rule applies to travel trailers, motorcyles, boats, campers, and whatever.

Do you know if they can legally require people's SS#? I'm a little concerned about making a fuss about this in their office because maybe my application will mysteriously not be approved. Should I just give them my TIN or use one of the methods you describe on p.101-102 of your book and act as if this is my true SS#? I don't know if they'll actually run the number to verify it.

... See if they will assign you another number, as some colleges do. You may have to ask to see a supervisor.

Just approach someone on the street or elsewhere who appears down on their luck so to speak and probably doesn't have much by way of family. They're everywhere. Very likely their credit is terrible. Tell them you can do them a favor if they will do one for you. Explain to them that if they will allow you to use their personal information to obtain a debit card, not only will they have nothing to lose since you can only spend what's in the account, but in fact as you regularly maintain this account, their credit rating will improve.

Take them to the post office. Give them $50 or $100 to open up a P.O. box in their name, give you the key and keep the change. Worked for me.

Changing the subject:
(1) which entity is better for holding title to a piece of real estate, a NM LLC or a trust?
(2) If the real estate is already owned by a Nevada C Corp with a clear title, is there any way to transfer title to either a NMLLC or a trust without incurring capital gains taxes?

... (1) It all depends upon what you hope to accomplish. (With an LLC, for example, a transfer of ownership is easy. Not so with a trust.)

... (2) Not that I know of.

I have attached a URL of someone who is being indicted on voter fraud. Ultimately, it was their business address that gave it away - according to those that I know in the law enforcement community. Given the emotional elections that we have had in the US over the last 8 years, I would suggest that anyone who votes needs understand that all of their hard work to remain private could be easily lost.

My wife and I were questioned by our oldest child as to why we do not vote. My wife explained it rather simply to him; at the end of the day - the rich will get richer, the poor will get poorer, but tomorrow the wind will still keep blowing and honestly, very little will change. She went on to say that the only change that makes a difference is that which we do to improve the life our family and friends - these changes are ever lasting ... unlike Washington, DC.

Submitted Link #1: http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content...

First, SSD's are very secure just by design. Privacy was not the intended purpose, it was to make them more reliable to use. Unfortunately, the design of the SSD make privacy, at least from a forensics perspective, easily achievable. The data does not sit long in a portion of the drive - basically - the data moves. This makes forensics, specifically from a legal perspective, an absolute nightmare.

So from a legal perspective the data itself cannot be used against you - however - I do agree with other readers that considering whole disk encryption is a good idea. As JJ has always said, keep the data at home, don't walk around with it.

As far as EE goes, it is not perfect ... but it is very annoying to attempt to work with, assuming that someone has properly maintained EE and is operating the software as they advise. I do perform forensics and have done test cases showing how anti-forensics software, in all cases demo'ing EE. With platter drives, data can always be recovered - the real question always is how much money does an individual, local police, state, or federal agent want to spend to attempt to find the 'silver bullet'. In most cases, if the data is not easily recovered, the forensics portion is scrapped and another avenue of the investigation is launched; usually back-tracking through people.

EE is not perfect, but it certainly can drive an investigator mad when they are trying to move quickly to justify a case.

One of the things that defeats facial recognition software are hats and large-lensed dark glasses. That's one of the reasons you are now asked to remove hats and sunglasses at most banks. Not just so the surveillance camera can record your face, but also so that the images can be processed by the FBI and compared against their databases of faces.

The issue of facial recognition software is relatively unknown, but it is used all over the place. Airports, casinos, amusement parks, and on the streets, where police surveillance cameras are linked to a database of criminals. The UK is notorious for such systems, and there are more than 3000 cameras in central London already, with tens of thousands more being planned and installed every day. It's estimated that you are photographed by a surveillance camera in London more than 150 times per day, and for police cameras, your face is being compared to their database every single time.

The police are not supposed to keep images that do not result in matches, but if you believe that, I have a bridge in Manhattan I'd like to sell you.

As to Disney, there are absolutely NO regulations whatsoever about what Disney can or cannot do with your image, fingerprint and address/ID data. None. So, I say don't give it to them in the first place.

Keeping your data and actions hidden from someone that has physical access to your PC is very hard. Best bet is whole disk encryption coupled with using a removable disk on a USB or SD card. Most new laptops support booting from USB/SD slots so all data stays within that device and it can be easily removed or destroyed.

Any such "cleaner" programs are a risk mitigation tool, but hardly secure as there are just too many ways for data to be left hidden on a PC.

Submitted Link #1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence_Eliminator...

And everyone blurted it out, as they handed the clerk their credit card to pay.

I paid with cash and when they asked me, I mistakenly gave them a number for my favorite radio station.

At the turnstile, "Place you right index finger here" was always obeyed, I refused and then the clerk asked for some photo ID, and then wrote my name on the back of the ticket, no big deal.

A problem occurred when my friends 11 yr old daughter refused to give them her fingerprint. Since she had no photo ID they refused her entry. With tickets already purchased and everyone except the child already inside the gate, the parents relented and allowed the child to have her fingerprint scanned.

So if you go to Disney with children, I'd suggest you have a photo ID handy to show to the drone at the turnstile fingerprint scanner, one that appears to be from a school, local public library, or where ever.