In 2017, Jameson Lopp, who works in Bitcoin security decided to try, and has largely succeeded in becoming invisible.
Mr. Lopp viewed the exercise as something of an experiment, to find out the lengths he’d have to go to extricate himself from the databases and other repositories that hold our personal information and make it available to anyone willing to pay for it. That helps explain why he was willing to describe the steps he’s taken with me (though he did so from a burner phone, without disclosing his new location).
Lopp outlined the 15 steps he went through to accomplish this in some detail with clarifying information and explanatory notes.
1. Create a new corporate identity.
2. Set up new bank accounts and payment cards.
3. Carry cash.
4. Get a new phone number.
5. Stop using the phone for directions.
6. Move.
7. Make up a fake name for casual interactions.
8. Create a V.P.N. for home internet use.
9. Buy a boring car.
10. Buy a decoy house to fool the D.M.V.
11. Set up a private mailbox and remailing service.
12. Master the art of disguise.
13. Work remotely.
14. Encrypt devices when traveling remotely.
15. Hire private investigators to check your work.
Overall Jameson indicates it took about $30k to disappear.
If you are thinking $30k is a bargain, be aware this cost him in both time and ongoing inconvenience. Also if you have a family in the mix you can likely write it off completely.
(Score: 5, Funny) by Bot on Sunday April 07 2019, @07:42PM (3 children)
- "Hey everybody! look! I vanished! o wait..."
Behold,
How to make an Italian vanish in 15 easy steps:
1. lend him 1000 euro
2. from now on he disappears
3. obviously you needed one step only
4. but the reader would spot the joke too soon
5. so i fill up all the rest
7. even cheating
8. after all who cares
9. we're all gonna die anyway
10.you meatbags sooner than expected
11.well it was a pleasure to meat you
12.pun intended
13.still here?
14.can't believe it
15. et voila'
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 07 2019, @08:26PM (2 children)
Geez, BOT! You're really slipping.
You left out:
[...]
15. et voila'
16. Profit!
Now you're not getting that memory upgrade for your manufacture day this year.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 07 2019, @09:28PM
Step 16, would make it two real steps. Where the latter is implied by step 1 already.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Tuesday April 09 2019, @02:12PM
Good suggestion buy maybe Soylentils would have visually pattern matched "Profit!!!" very soon, IMHO.
Account abandoned.