OK so I've had my confidential bio-data exposed ( I don't want to say "cover blown" because I believe my real identity is my private property and I have the right to withhold it from anyone I don't yet trust unless they are gubmint officials as long as I am not committing fraud. ) here in the Phils after about 3 1/2 weeks. I had already told acquaintances I was giving them a fake name because of a sensitive job, so it didn't seem to cause any disruption when they found the real name.
Here's how it happened and how you can keep it from happening to you.
1) Establishing your pseudonym is obviously the first step.
I made up an email account name [email protected] and always corresponded from that account. I use that account for nothing else within the USA so googling firstname.lastname doesn't find anything. Maybe using a quite common name would make things impenetrably confusing which would be good.
I started a Skype account with an obvious fake handle. A fake handle is better than an unlikely name because it won't prompt the question "iS that your real name?"
2) Any questions about "Is that your real name ?" are answered "No, and I'm not telling you my real name because I have a sensitive job."
Some girls inexplicably ask for address--? Did anyone else get that? That immediately raised a red flag for identity theft and I usually blocked them immediately.
3) Here are the physical failure points: Luggage tags, Biz cards if loose in luggage, expensive items you've added ID stickers to ( cameras, music equipment, iPhones, Computers), Incidental papers that collect as you travel like boarding passes, receipts etc.Obviously all wallet contents.
4) Here are the tricky crossroads where I got made:
a) CHECKING IN TO ROOMS WITH A GIRL WITH YOU. This is where I got nailed, even if she hadn't seen the name and phone sticker on my computer. You walk up to the desk and they ask your name to match to the reservation. I was stuck and used my real name. I thought after I could hold up an ID card, but then if she starts pronouncing it to check if she understands, you're made again.
b) Reserving rooms directly on phone-- not over internet -- with girl in room. You'll need ID when you show up so you have to use real name.
WHAT TO DO:
1) Get biz cards with just a domain name and faux email on them and hand-write whatever info you want someone to know when you give each one out.
2) Make some excuse so a girl is not with you when you check in or out.
3) get everything with ID on it together in one of your 2-4 wallets, money belts, passport pouches, whatever you carry it in and put it in your safe in your room.
4) Have all stickers on valuables with a the fake email address so people can contact you if they want to give something back. I already got a a pair of sunglasses back from a hotel that I left in the gym like this. I also had a landlord in the Phils call me about some money I had left there. I told her I left it because I broke something and wanted to pay for the item.
5) Have luggage tags with just your alternate email.
Also, for safety, since I have a EU legal second passport, I have that taped with several hundred bucks and credit card taped to wall of suitcase inside lining, I could get everything in my hotel room and everything on my person robbed, and if I had that suitcase left I can re-establish my first passport identity, transfer money to the account from which the emergency card draws, and cavort onward.
Here's how it happened and how you can keep it from happening to you.
1) Establishing your pseudonym is obviously the first step.
I made up an email account name [email protected] and always corresponded from that account. I use that account for nothing else within the USA so googling firstname.lastname doesn't find anything. Maybe using a quite common name would make things impenetrably confusing which would be good.
I started a Skype account with an obvious fake handle. A fake handle is better than an unlikely name because it won't prompt the question "iS that your real name?"
2) Any questions about "Is that your real name ?" are answered "No, and I'm not telling you my real name because I have a sensitive job."
Some girls inexplicably ask for address--? Did anyone else get that? That immediately raised a red flag for identity theft and I usually blocked them immediately.
3) Here are the physical failure points: Luggage tags, Biz cards if loose in luggage, expensive items you've added ID stickers to ( cameras, music equipment, iPhones, Computers), Incidental papers that collect as you travel like boarding passes, receipts etc.Obviously all wallet contents.
4) Here are the tricky crossroads where I got made:
a) CHECKING IN TO ROOMS WITH A GIRL WITH YOU. This is where I got nailed, even if she hadn't seen the name and phone sticker on my computer. You walk up to the desk and they ask your name to match to the reservation. I was stuck and used my real name. I thought after I could hold up an ID card, but then if she starts pronouncing it to check if she understands, you're made again.
b) Reserving rooms directly on phone-- not over internet -- with girl in room. You'll need ID when you show up so you have to use real name.
WHAT TO DO:
1) Get biz cards with just a domain name and faux email on them and hand-write whatever info you want someone to know when you give each one out.
2) Make some excuse so a girl is not with you when you check in or out.
3) get everything with ID on it together in one of your 2-4 wallets, money belts, passport pouches, whatever you carry it in and put it in your safe in your room.
4) Have all stickers on valuables with a the fake email address so people can contact you if they want to give something back. I already got a a pair of sunglasses back from a hotel that I left in the gym like this. I also had a landlord in the Phils call me about some money I had left there. I told her I left it because I broke something and wanted to pay for the item.
5) Have luggage tags with just your alternate email.
Also, for safety, since I have a EU legal second passport, I have that taped with several hundred bucks and credit card taped to wall of suitcase inside lining, I could get everything in my hotel room and everything on my person robbed, and if I had that suitcase left I can re-establish my first passport identity, transfer money to the account from which the emergency card draws, and cavort onward.