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From / Date: |
Question / Answer: |
| 6776. |
Everett
Panama City Beach, FL
Age: 57
Nov 26, 2009
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Practical Internet privacy
EXCELLENT article on internet, phone, and payment privacy. He also includes the link to his previous article on the same subject. Here's an excerpt about anonymous phone calls.
On my own system, I just plug in a USB phone or headset (alt.). My daughter uses this USB cordless phone (alt.). Don’t run the CD – these particular USB phones just plug in and work fully with the "X-Lite" free soft-phone (alt.). Note: When installing X-Lite, disable "Run at start-up". Always start manually, after the VPN is connected.
I actually did a US radio interview recently using this setup, through a Luxembourg VPN. The studio called up my anonymous international number and it worked for an hour as well as any normal phone call. In this scenario, possible privacy concerns are a lower priority, and Skype might have been preferable, for higher audio quality. Note: Sign up and use Skype only with a VPN, turn off the "Run at start-up" option and only start manually after your VPN is connected.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig9/green-p3.1.1.html...
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| 6774. |
Charles
Summit NJ
Age: 58
Nov 25, 2009
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Tax payments
RE: Richard 6762.
I checked your link. This is for individual taxpayers who have NOT previously signed up with EFTPS. The info on that link does NOT apply if you either: [1] sign up with EFTPS ahead of time, or [2] use a tax pro.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
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| 6773. |
Jiim
Greenville NC
Age: 35
Nov 25, 2009
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6771. leonard / FED EX
6771. leonard
columbia, sc
re: #6752 jim
Jim, in your post you wrote...fedex has their own delivery signature tag, because of this fedex is someone i would not recommend...<>My q is, what is a dst and why don't you rec fedex?<>Excuse my ignorance and thank you for all of your help.
Fed Ex has a sticky door tag (Like a post it note) that requires a signature before they will leave a package by the door. They place this on the door if you are not home and you can sign this Fed Ex tag and if you are not there the next day they will then leave the package if the signed Fed Ex tag has been left on the door.
I have asked our Fed Ex driver to leave our packages and they will not do it.
Our business is on a side street and we are not in a high crime area.
Fed Ex for us has different drivers and different times of delivery for there ground shipments.
Where our UPS driver comes about the same time every day and our UPS driver will leave a package by the door for us when we have stepped out of the office.
With HTBI this may work for you but it would delay your package by a day unless your driver would leave you a few DST for use when you plan to recive a package.
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| 6772. |
Dorothy
Topeka, KS
Age: 40
Nov 25, 2009
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#6763, Richard, free SMS on free phone services
Richard, Googgle Voice supports SMS messages, but I have personally found the SMS "support" to be rather unwieldy. I have to log in to Google Voice's website, rather than actually receiving the SMS on my cell phone. You mentioned something about being able to receive SMS from the free phone service, and I think the best you are going to be able to get with that is this: You will have to log in to google.com/voice to check your SMS messages. That, however, is better than no privacy at all. Here's the plan: Sign up with Google Voice with a prepaid phone. Use that prepaid phone to do everything. Did I mention that you will "enroll" the prepaid phone from a library or WiFi hot-spot using an anonymous computer and an assumed name? When you go to retrieve the SMS messages from Google, you will need to practice "private" message retrieval practices. This is perhaps the most difficult aspect of all of HTBI practicies - the part where you *remember* to follow through *every* time you need to retrieve messages. It is *difficult* but it is *worth it!*.
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| 6771. |
leonard
columbia, sc
Age: 35
Nov 25, 2009
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re: #6752 jim
Jim, in your post you wrote...fedex has their own delivery signature tag, because of this fedex is someone i would not recommend...<>My q is, what is a dst and why don't you rec fedex?<>Excuse my ignorance and thank you for all of your help.
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| 6770. |
Pierre
Victoria, BC
Age: 53
Nov 25, 2009
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Post 6758
Just to correct on point Mr. Luna. The equivalent of the SSN in Canada is the Social Insurance Number (SIN). This is the identifying number used by Canadian government to collect taxes, issue pension cheques, etc. Yes, we also have an health insurance number which is issued by the province in which you reside and it's for health care services only.
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Thanks for correcting my wrong answer, Pierre!
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| 6769. |
Chris
White Plains, NY
Age: 38
Nov 25, 2009
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Form I-9 - Employment Eligibility Verification
After my move this month from KY to NY, I have been trying so hard to follow your guidelines in HTBI. No one has my physical address and I now use a PO box for everything. Even my NY driver's license has my PO box on it. But, I was really stumped when a new job I NEEDED asked me to fill out a Homeland Security Form I-9 - Employment Eligibility Verification and insisted on my physical address. My ghost address was a relative's in CT and I could not use that because my employer knew I lived in NY. Since it is the only time that I have ever given my new physical address to anyone am I okay or did I already ruin my HTBI efforts?
Submitted Link #1: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf...
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Well, Chris, the application does ask for a street address, although it may be ambiguous. (See link I added, below). If you had been temporarily living in a motel, it might have been correct to use the motel address (without room number), and later move to an apartment.However, not having such an arrangement, you did the right thing. The data on that form can be accessed by most any government agency and if you owe any child support payments, you are in trouble. But otherwise, just keep the home address away from anyone else. As I stress in my e-book SKIP COLLEGE, and elsewhere, the only solution for complete privacy is to be self employed.
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| 6768. |
Mary
St Louis. MO
Age: 57
Nov 25, 2009
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Re 6760
I use Google voice which you only use a email addr to sign up (for now). You have a Google phone number that forwards to any phone you have. Therefore one local number. It also has call blocking & other perks. If you change your private contact number at any time, you will still get calls since you will be only giving out your Google phone number. Justa suggestion.
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| 6767. |
Hermann
NeuSchwabanland
Age: 48
Nov 25, 2009
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6760. Karen: Phone Numbers
Sign up for a j2.com account.
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[Q for Hermann: Are you REALLY in Antarctica?]
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| 6766. |
Guy
Ottawa, ON
Age: 35
Nov 25, 2009
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RE: #6758: social security number and Canada
We do have Health Insurance Numbers but they are used only for health insurance at the provincial level. Each province (like a state) administers its own health care.
Federally, there is the Social Insurance Number. The Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a nine-digit number that you need to work in Canada or to have access to government programs and benefits.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sc/sin/index.sh...
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Thank you for the correction, Guy.
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| 6764. |
Drake
LA, CA
Age: 34
Nov 25, 2009
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6757 - ID Theft International
A breach occurred in Spain this month that resulted in Visa and MasterCard replacing hundreds of thousands of cards all over Europe.
Identity Theft is an international problem perfected by organized crime. The attack can come from an individual on the street against a single victim, for relatively small amounts, to be used immediately - or by cells of hardened criminals against millions at a time to be used years from now to steal billions. . . . . Cash is king.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.databreaches.net/?p=8314...
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| 6763. |
Richard
Park City, UT
Age: 30
Nov 24, 2009
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Free Numbers That Support SMS?
Do any free phone numbers support receiving SMS text messages? Some services now require that for verification and I'd rather not use my cell. I haven't been able to find one that does. Thanks.
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| 6762. |
Richard
Park City, UT
Age: 30
Nov 24, 2009
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Tax payments 6677
Thanks Charles, that is very helpful. And as I’m already trusting the IRS for depositing refunds, trusting the Treasury Dept EFTPS with the same bank account for electronic tax payments seems logical. Right now I’d like to still print and mail my returns and pay with bank account, but it only appears possible if a credit card is used. I've included the link if others want to look into it.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=119097,00.h...
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| 6761. |
Scott
Newtown, PA
Age: 43
Nov 24, 2009
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How to register a motor home if it's financed
We are planning to live full time, off the grid, in a 5th wheel motor home. However, we will not be able to purchase with cash and will likely finance it. What is the best way to use an LLC, if I have to deal with a finance company?
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I have never recommended LLCs for loans. What I have--and do--recommend is you wait a bit longer and save more money so you can pay cash for what you call a "5th wheel motor home." (I assume you mean a trailer, to be pulled by a pickup.) Or else buy cheaper units and a set of second hand tools ...
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| 6760. |
Karen
Malaga, Spain
Age: 52
Nov 24, 2009
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Phone Numbers?
Hello - Does anyone know if it's possible for me to live in Spain but to give a local number (Miami, Florida) to my ex-husband?
I don't trust my ex but there are times I must be in contact with him due to circumstances. Is there an internet phone service or cell phone service which will allow me to give out a local U.S. number and either take his voice message or, better yet, forward the call to my phone in Spain?
It does not matter if I have to pay for such a service as long as it works.
Thanks for the help!
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| 6759. |
Susan
Cleveland, OH
Age: 53
Nov 24, 2009
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Re: #6742 - storage units
I am reminded of a passage in the book "Bulletproof Privacy" by Boston T. Party, in which he states that old people and foreigners are often the most authoritarian and deferential to authority (such as police and bureaucrats, or anyone posing as someone official). Don't mean to offend anyone here, but I have observed that as well.
In some cases mom and pop outfits are better than national chains, but this was not one of them. Sometimes a national chain or franchise could be better for privacy, if they are staffed by minimum wage grunts who are just putting in their hours and really don't give a hoot.
If it were me, encountering a Nosy Nellie like that is a signal to go elsewhere.
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| 6758. |
stephanie
denton, tx
Age: 50
Nov 24, 2009
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social security number and Canada
If Canadians do not have social security numbers as we do in the States, does the Canadian government provide their citizens with another form of numeric identification (to collect taxes, etc)?
...
Yes indeed! They all have a health insurance number ... similar to our SSN ... Added 11-25-09: I have been corrected by two Canadians! See 6766 and 6770, above.
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| 6757. |
stephanie
denton, tx
Age: 50
Nov 24, 2009
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identity theft
I either read or see on the news about the latest incidents of identity theft and how prolific it is in the U.S. Do other countries have as much problems with identity theft as we do? Which are the worst and how do they handle it?
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It depends on the country. Japanese don't use credit cards, and in Hong Kong almost everything is paid for in cash. The U.S. is the worst. The best remedy is the one I use: Never get into the credit reporting agencies in the first place.
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| 6756. |
jiim
Greenville NC
Age: 35
Nov 24, 2009
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DL & Taxes Re: 6731, 6733, 6736
I have found that a H&R Block office near a military town may have the answers you need as they deal with a lot of out of state tax issues.
Just call and ask your questions.
"You guys normally do my taxes and I have a off season tax question. I'm a civilian employee that travels into X State and lives in Y State. "
If you do not think you have the right answer just call another office or different tax service.
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| 6753. |
Jack
Portland, OR
Age: 32
Nov 23, 2009
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car service / fake name
The blog today as well as the Q&A section reminded me of another car question. Mr. Luna had suggested, perhaps on his blog, that you should service your car at a place that does not report to CARFAX (if one can be found). If I get a car and title it with an LLC, giving my name to the garage might compromise privacy, especially if it goes to CARFAX. Is it a good idea to give a false name when taking the car in for oil changes, etc.? They always ask for at least your name and phone number. Luna advised using false names for filling prescriptions, so perhaps it would be alright for servicing your car as well..?
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FYI, I use my first and middle name on the rare occasion when I visit a new car dealer.
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