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How to Be Invisible, Revised Edition: The Essential Guide to Protecting Your Personal Privacy, Your Assets, and Your Life
From cyberspace to crawl spaces, new innovations in information gathering have left the private life of the average person open to scrutiny, and worse, exploitation. In this thoroughly revised update of his immensely popular guide How to Be Invisible, J.J. Luna shows you how to protect yourself from these information predators by securing your vehicle and real estate ownership, your bank accounts, your business dealings, your computer files, your home address, and more.J.J. Luna, a highly trained and experienced security consultant, shows you how to achieve the privacy you crave and deserve, whether you just want to shield yourself from casual scrutiny or take your life savings with you and disappearing without a trace. Whatever your needs, Luna reveals the shocking secrets that private detectives and other seekers of personal information use to uncover information and then shows how to make a serious commitment to safeguarding yourself.There is a prevailing sense in our society that true privacy is a thing of the past. Filled with vivid real life stories drawn from the headlines and from Luna's own consulting experience, How to Be Invisible, Revised Edition is a critical antidote to the privacy concerns that continue only to grow in magnitude as new and more efficient ways of undermining our personal security are made available. Privacy is a commonly-lamented casualty of the Information Age and of the world's changing climate-but that doesn't mean you have to stand for it.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2000
173 people are currently reading
1221 people want to read
About the author
J.J. Luna
21 books22 followersIn 1959, J. J. (Jack) Luna sold his outdoor advertising business in the Upper Midwest and moved with his wife and small children to the Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa. Outwardly, he was a professional writer and photographer. Secretly, he worked underground in an activity that was at that time illegal under the regime of Generalissimo Francisco Franco.
In 1970 Franco yielded to intense pressure from the western world and moderated Spain's laws, leaving Luna free to come in from the cold. By that time, however, privacy had become an ingrained habit. In the years that followed he started up various one-person low-profile businesses, built them up and then sold them.
JJ Hidden HomeLuna is especially interested in designing and building secret spaces and hiding places. He currently has a 3300-square foot three-level safe house for sale that is set in an almost-invisible location despite being within city limits. The exterior is complete but the interior is unfinished, awaiting a buyer who will decide which spaces or rooms are to have secret entrances. The approximate price, when finished according the buyer’s instructions, will be $795,000, plus (if desired) the cost of a secret escape tunnel into the adjoining forest. The location is in the Pacific Northwest.
Luna has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, profiled in Playboy, and interviewed on the G. Gordon Liddy Show. His most popular book, How to be Invisible, is available in all major book stores and on Amazon.com. In addition to writing a series of e-books, he meets with individual clients who are in need of help in the fields of privacy and security.
In 1970 Franco yielded to intense pressure from the western world and moderated Spain's laws, leaving Luna free to come in from the cold. By that time, however, privacy had become an ingrained habit. In the years that followed he started up various one-person low-profile businesses, built them up and then sold them.
JJ Hidden HomeLuna is especially interested in designing and building secret spaces and hiding places. He currently has a 3300-square foot three-level safe house for sale that is set in an almost-invisible location despite being within city limits. The exterior is complete but the interior is unfinished, awaiting a buyer who will decide which spaces or rooms are to have secret entrances. The approximate price, when finished according the buyer’s instructions, will be $795,000, plus (if desired) the cost of a secret escape tunnel into the adjoining forest. The location is in the Pacific Northwest.
Luna has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, profiled in Playboy, and interviewed on the G. Gordon Liddy Show. His most popular book, How to be Invisible, is available in all major book stores and on Amazon.com. In addition to writing a series of e-books, he meets with individual clients who are in need of help in the fields of privacy and security.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
May 11, 2007
An essential guide for paranoiacs, HOW TO BE INVISIBLE will inspire and instruct you to take simple actions that can, on the one hand, protect your property and privacy, but will, on the other hand, exasperate your wife to no fucking end.
January 8, 2011
If you saw the movie Enemy of the State and were inspired to replicate the degree of security that Gene Hackman's character had, this is the book for you. If instead, you were looking for some practical tips on how to maintain a normal life with a little more privacy, then keep looking - this is not that book.
Author JJ Luna defines privacy using rather stringent criteria (i.e. could a professional investigator find you). Given that premise, he recommends setting up 'ghost addresses' (an address associated with your name that does not correspond with your actual physical address), limited liability corporations to disguise ownership of assets and having a 'nominee' (i.e. giving someone you trust a power of attorney to act for you). Should you wish to pursue the last option, the book contains a form for typing up a power of attorney (given that laws tend to the complex and vary by state, pursuing such a course of action without the advice of an attorney seems ill advised at best).
Following JJ Luna's advice appears to necessitate some rather shady behavior and a lot of lying. Incidentally, Luna follows this definition of lying: a lie is a false statement made by one person to another, who is entitled to hear and know the truth, and which false statement tends toward injury to the other. As you may conclude, the clauses 'who is entitled to hear' and 'tends toward injury' are interpreted rather liberally.
This is worth a read just for the fascinating look into the world of the truly paranoid. As a practical guide to increased privacy, it falls short as it appears to involve far too many compromises and massive lifestyle changes for the average person living a conventional existence.
Author JJ Luna defines privacy using rather stringent criteria (i.e. could a professional investigator find you). Given that premise, he recommends setting up 'ghost addresses' (an address associated with your name that does not correspond with your actual physical address), limited liability corporations to disguise ownership of assets and having a 'nominee' (i.e. giving someone you trust a power of attorney to act for you). Should you wish to pursue the last option, the book contains a form for typing up a power of attorney (given that laws tend to the complex and vary by state, pursuing such a course of action without the advice of an attorney seems ill advised at best).
Following JJ Luna's advice appears to necessitate some rather shady behavior and a lot of lying. Incidentally, Luna follows this definition of lying: a lie is a false statement made by one person to another, who is entitled to hear and know the truth, and which false statement tends toward injury to the other. As you may conclude, the clauses 'who is entitled to hear' and 'tends toward injury' are interpreted rather liberally.
This is worth a read just for the fascinating look into the world of the truly paranoid. As a practical guide to increased privacy, it falls short as it appears to involve far too many compromises and massive lifestyle changes for the average person living a conventional existence.
October 2, 2020
This was an interesting read. How do you keep yourself under radar in an information age where anyone, anywhere, can track you down? According to Mr. Luna, you really can become "invisible", but it sure takes a bunch of work to make it happen. This is especially difficult since the acts of Sept 11 2001 blew the whole undercover idea away.
Still, if you really want to give it a go, this book is very comprehensive in its guidelines. The author is an expert because he has actually lived this lifestyle for decades and he offers extra tips for the wary. Each chapter focuses on a specific Invisibility attribute such as:
Money Transfers
Bank Accounts
Cell Phones
Mailboxes
House Deliveries
Alternate Names
Limited Liability Companies
Computers
Email
I finished the 2004 revision, but there should be an even newer release, which would be needed given the world of smartphones, Google Earth, and even local municipalities. As the song says, Ghosts appear and fade away. Like waiters.
Book Season = Year Round (hey, neighbour)
Still, if you really want to give it a go, this book is very comprehensive in its guidelines. The author is an expert because he has actually lived this lifestyle for decades and he offers extra tips for the wary. Each chapter focuses on a specific Invisibility attribute such as:
Money Transfers
Bank Accounts
Cell Phones
Mailboxes
House Deliveries
Alternate Names
Limited Liability Companies
Computers
I finished the 2004 revision, but there should be an even newer release, which would be needed given the world of smartphones, Google Earth, and even local municipalities. As the song says, Ghosts appear and fade away. Like waiters.
Book Season = Year Round (hey, neighbour)
November 5, 2013
“If, in fact, you have ever received a letter or a package at your present address and under your real name, the only way to protect your privacy is to move.” Chapter 6
This quote is the starting point of every step in this book and if that scares you or makes you shake your head in amusement, you should take a look at this book. In the few days it took me to read it I felt like not only was Big Brother watching, but so were Giant Daddy, Nosy Momma, and Little Sister.
3.5 stars
First, this book is full of ways to make yourself disappear, but also full of stories from people who actually have. There is information why it is important that no one have your name and correct address (the author has no mailbox) and how to obtain a ghost address. A Limited Liability Company is one way to protect yourself and the author keeps spares on a shelf. He suggests using nominees (friends, family) to help you open up bank accounts. But, even if you do not to any of these things, just reading the book will open your eyes to ways where you might be vulnerable.
There were a couple recommendations that were new to me. He gives instructions on how to bury ‘treasure’ (whatever that may be to you) in the desert and then how to leave directions after you die. He also recommends that you raise your children to be self-employed, no college, so that they can always be invisible.
I was somewhat naive about all the ways the government, companies, people could keep track of me, but not anymore. I don’t think that the average person can do all or even most of what he suggests. While I see the benefit, not too many people are willing to live this way unless they are forced to. It takes a lot of time and effort to make yourself invisible. If you feel like you need to hide then this is the book for you. It was a very interesting read. If you are curious, I’d recommend checking out his website, www.howtobeinvisible.com.
This quote is the starting point of every step in this book and if that scares you or makes you shake your head in amusement, you should take a look at this book. In the few days it took me to read it I felt like not only was Big Brother watching, but so were Giant Daddy, Nosy Momma, and Little Sister.
3.5 stars
First, this book is full of ways to make yourself disappear, but also full of stories from people who actually have. There is information why it is important that no one have your name and correct address (the author has no mailbox) and how to obtain a ghost address. A Limited Liability Company is one way to protect yourself and the author keeps spares on a shelf. He suggests using nominees (friends, family) to help you open up bank accounts. But, even if you do not to any of these things, just reading the book will open your eyes to ways where you might be vulnerable.
There were a couple recommendations that were new to me. He gives instructions on how to bury ‘treasure’ (whatever that may be to you) in the desert and then how to leave directions after you die. He also recommends that you raise your children to be self-employed, no college, so that they can always be invisible.
I was somewhat naive about all the ways the government, companies, people could keep track of me, but not anymore. I don’t think that the average person can do all or even most of what he suggests. While I see the benefit, not too many people are willing to live this way unless they are forced to. It takes a lot of time and effort to make yourself invisible. If you feel like you need to hide then this is the book for you. It was a very interesting read. If you are curious, I’d recommend checking out his website, www.howtobeinvisible.com.
December 11, 2016
Please note: I read the UPDATED version and it's definitely out of date. Most of the info the author provides is very generic, I can't say it's worth buying. Each 'tip" provided surrounding privacy issues or becoming invisible is information easily found on the web. These days most people know about VPN's, encrypted email accounts, using PO boxes; not to mention TOR browser, Duck Duck Go, which allows for virtual anonymity on-line with the ability to search FREE information on how to protect privacy in real time.
And yes, the author is selling services which alludes to deeper knowledge only he can provide. Considering there's a great deal of focus about hucksters (his competitors) who take your money for fake IDS and other privacy/identity services; it's odd the author fails to see he's essentially doing the same thing. In marketing this is know as a teaser which is this book - A teaser to convince you to buy his insider knowledge.
If you've been in a deep sleep like Rip Van Winkle and just woke up, you might find this book useful. As for the rest of us, nothing about privacy that hasn't been repeated (for FREE!) at least a gazillion times before.
Oh, one final note: Be prepared for a LOT of boring anecdotes about the author's experiences and those of his "associates". Many of which have been picked up from national networks. Yes that's right, the author uses familiar news headlines that have made the rounds on big networks as "personal" accounts.
Mediocre writing. Mediocre information. At 300 pages? 100 would have been more than sufficient!
And yes, the author is selling services which alludes to deeper knowledge only he can provide. Considering there's a great deal of focus about hucksters (his competitors) who take your money for fake IDS and other privacy/identity services; it's odd the author fails to see he's essentially doing the same thing. In marketing this is know as a teaser which is this book - A teaser to convince you to buy his insider knowledge.
If you've been in a deep sleep like Rip Van Winkle and just woke up, you might find this book useful. As for the rest of us, nothing about privacy that hasn't been repeated (for FREE!) at least a gazillion times before.
Oh, one final note: Be prepared for a LOT of boring anecdotes about the author's experiences and those of his "associates". Many of which have been picked up from national networks. Yes that's right, the author uses familiar news headlines that have made the rounds on big networks as "personal" accounts.
Mediocre writing. Mediocre information. At 300 pages? 100 would have been more than sufficient!
July 28, 2013
How To Be Invisible is a must read for anyone living today. In it, the author provides means and methods for the average citizen to protect himself/herself from all that is out there. I am not entirely committed to some of his ideas and/or principles, but, for the most part, they have been tried and are true methods to protect oneself. Can one really become invisible? I do not think the author actually is advocating that. However, one can take many and varied precautions so that no one will be able to easily invade one’s privacy or, worse still, steal part of all of one’s identity. In today’s age of social media and almost continued on-line living, this something we should all strive for—or perhaps face the dire consequences. The author is a master at telling/showing the average person how to run his/her life without losing privacy or breaking laws. Today, we face all sorts of privacy threats: NSA, other branches and arms or the government, ex-employers, ex-lovers/friends/neighbors all of whom can and do often hold a grudge and are determined to get even in any and every way possible. The author has given the modern person a handbook of how to thwart their efforts, while maintain sanity and privacy. I recommend this book for everyone today, as it contains vital information for a good life. I received this book from goodreads.
November 8, 2017
Somebody recommended this book to me and it totally freaked me out. Like, a lot. The instructions felt a little dated, but I still got something out of it. Namely, use a private mail box and keep an air horn by your bed.
November 16, 2014
Dangerously obsolete advice in the age of smartphones and social networks and global adversaries like NSA/GCHQ
February 4, 2014
"Legal means to Create and Maintain the privacy you desire..."
I am not yet paranoid enough to do this, and I hope I never am. But he can tell you how if you need to or want to make yourself impossible to find.
Skimmed.....I did not read this book from page to page, I thought his suggestion on how to use a mnomenic to create secure passwords might have some merit. Thus, my first attempt was successful, my second and third were a disaster. Cause, one would not allow an *, and one required two numerals.
Here is what he suggests..Key in the first letter of each word, do you know the way to san jose , becomes dyktwtsj then somewhere in the middle place a number and a symbol and it becomes dykt#7wtsj Once you have your master you can add something to it, like BC, for blue Cross. bcdynt#7wtsj You get the idea, except...didn't work. The whole idea is to prevent the need for writing down your 999 pass words. (why does a recipe page need a password jeez!)
Don't bother reading this book, unless?????
I am not yet paranoid enough to do this, and I hope I never am. But he can tell you how if you need to or want to make yourself impossible to find.
Skimmed.....I did not read this book from page to page, I thought his suggestion on how to use a mnomenic to create secure passwords might have some merit. Thus, my first attempt was successful, my second and third were a disaster. Cause, one would not allow an *, and one required two numerals.
Here is what he suggests..Key in the first letter of each word, do you know the way to san jose , becomes dyktwtsj then somewhere in the middle place a number and a symbol and it becomes dykt#7wtsj Once you have your master you can add something to it, like BC, for blue Cross. bcdynt#7wtsj You get the idea, except...didn't work. The whole idea is to prevent the need for writing down your 999 pass words. (why does a recipe page need a password jeez!)
Don't bother reading this book, unless?????
July 21, 2015
This is one of those books you can't judge by the covers or the blurbs. I thought it would give me tips to supplement what I already do to avoid having my identity stolen. But no, this is much more than that.
J.J. Luna is an expert who offers advice on how to live off the grid to varying degrees. After I realized the real aim of the book, I read it for fascination value. I did glean a few practical tips for my life and as a friend who will be reading the book pointed out, that one tidbit makes it worthwhile.
Luna offers practical tips and not everything is clear to me, however he's clear on offering legal ways to be less of a presence in the world.
By the way, I shouldn't even be posting this or on this website at all. It's one more way I'm tipping my hand to who I am. Food for thought.
J.J. Luna is an expert who offers advice on how to live off the grid to varying degrees. After I realized the real aim of the book, I read it for fascination value. I did glean a few practical tips for my life and as a friend who will be reading the book pointed out, that one tidbit makes it worthwhile.
Luna offers practical tips and not everything is clear to me, however he's clear on offering legal ways to be less of a presence in the world.
By the way, I shouldn't even be posting this or on this website at all. It's one more way I'm tipping my hand to who I am. Food for thought.
February 10, 2015
Some may say well parts of this are common sense, "Common sense, isn't so common". B. Franklin, it's the combination the layers that one can create. Lets face it, no pun intended, FaceBook and Google maybe fighting for who has the biggest ______. But in the mean time the invasive practices have infiltrated almost every part of out lives, they know what we sound like, GoogleVoice, Siri and other Talk to text and similar applications. After 9/11 it became obvious that we would become a police state, scanning faces of a everyone in airports as the pass by, license plate scanners. Hack able smart cars and houses. It's our worst nightmare. It's a book about back to basics, do it now for your children's sake! I say in 15 years will be the point of no return. You can't hide once all the information has been collected its too late! Heed Mr. Luna's suggestion. Start now!!
January 9, 2013
An interesting read, but its clear that a multitude of his suggestions are no longer feasible given recent legislation (open a bank account with a passport and out of state mailing address or a utility bill in the name of an LLC? HA! Good luck!) This technique would rely heavily on nominees, and I think people are less inclined than ever to do such a thing. I found his chapters on LLCs and Corporations, as well as mail-rerouting informative.
(You are forewarned: expect to spend time mentally replacing his archaic phrasing ("Husband, make sure you tell your wives. . .!") with more appropriate phrasing with the same intention ("Discuss with your loved ones. . .!") to keep it palatable).
(You are forewarned: expect to spend time mentally replacing his archaic phrasing ("Husband, make sure you tell your wives. . .!") with more appropriate phrasing with the same intention ("Discuss with your loved ones. . .!") to keep it palatable).
May 26, 2014
This was an interesting read. This showed me that what I thought my right to privacy is in this electronic age is no more then an illusion. Utter privacy is a privilege that few of us can economically afford. The author is an expert of this material and dividing the goal of why a person seeks a certain level of privacy is important. After finishing this book I have a clear understanding about how to develop the resources to be invisible. The challenges described by Luna make a convincing case as to how and why privacy is important for the average citizen today. This was a good read.
Mr. Joe
Mr. Joe
February 27, 2016
Picked this book up on a recommendation from Frank Ahern's How to Disappear, and found it an overall superior choice - a very interesting read on how to keep or reclaim your privacy. It's imprudent to let so much true information about yourself remain readily accessible to prying hands and J.J. Luna will show you both why and how to undo the damage. Definitely recommended, especially to the "I've got nothing to hide" folks, to whom this may be a shocking eye-opener on all the ways they make themselves needlessly vulnerable.
March 9, 2017
shady to say the least. if you're looking to put yourself in some bizarre witness protection plan this is the book for you and by God have mercy on your soul. ps its a little out of date with current federal laws
June 19, 2014
Spectacularly informative. Side effects include paranoia... To anyone who thinks privacy is impossible in a digital age, I encourage you to read this! Or at least my review here: http://wordowl.tumblr.com/post/891638...
August 16, 2019
Or at least once or twice removed
I once wrote a novel called "The Invisible Man." One of the purposes was to get a nodding reader to perk up enough to read the first two or three pages. (As Casey Stengel said, "You could look it up": Putman's eventually published the book when I was still in my twenties with the title "A Perfectly Natural Act.") My anti-hero certainly thought he was invisible. Whether he really was or not is an open question. J.J. Luna's nonfiction hero (himself, and the reader if you follow his advice) is invisible in the sense that he has greatly obscured the connection between his physical self and the world's record-keeping devices. Although such "invisibility" has nothing like the power of the fantasy with which I used to guide myself to sleep at night (instead of counting sheep I would imagine myself invisible), it can be of tremendous practical value in this age of Big Brother.
Why would anyone legitimately want to hide themselves? you ask. Luna, a one-time fuzzy presence in Franco's Spain, gives some excellent reasons: somebody (not just Uncle Sam) might take it upon themselves to go after your assets. An ex-lover or ex-spouse might want revenge. You might get sued (a "legal mugging") or you might just want to avoid the usual harassment from telemarketers and other pests. Or you might just have some questionable assets that you want to keep hidden. Luna makes the point (tongue in cheek, I would say) that he does not advise breaking the law, and that this book is not intended to help law-breakers. (However if they choose to take advantage of his advice...well, his book is only a tool.)
Luna himself has made a living selling and consulting on "privacy." Reading between the lines, I would say specifically that he made a lot of money forming what generically might be called "dummy corporations" and selling them. I admire (I think) such creative self-employment.
Luna describes four "levels" of privacy, each with a bigger price tag. At Level One you'll have "more privacy than 98 percent of the general population." At Level Four "you are duplicating the federal Witness Security Program." Incidentally, if you're planning on hiding yourself from the world in preparation for the commission of some sort of "revenge" crime yourself, you might want to notice Luna's caveat on page 6, a sort of gumshoe dictum: "if someone with unlimited funds is after you, you will eventually be found."
His first and most important rule is (p. 244 and elsewhere) "Do not...ever...allow your real name to be coupled with your home address." To accomplish this Luna shows you how to set up a "ghost address," preferably in another state. He also advises you to never give out your social security number, and relates how you can usually accomplish that. He says you should use your passport rather than your driver's license when you absolutely must identify yourself because it contains less information (no home address, no SSN). Do not use your real name for any of your utilities. Have your cell phone in a different name than your home phone. Cell phones are useful in that they have no set location. For example if you have to call 911, your true address doesn't show. Naturally you don't use the checks from your bank. Your checks will have no name on them and no address. In fact your signature should illegible. (Luna claims on page 80 that "among European businessmen, illegible is the order of the day.") And of course (p. 84) you "Get off voter rolls and never return."
This is an interest read with a lot of good (if sometimes expensive) techniques for improving your privacy. Also, there are sprinkled throughout the texts little tidbits of worthwhile advice. For example here's how to defeat the redial feature on your telephone: When you finish the call, hang up and then pick up the receiver and punch in a single digit. Then hang up. "If anyone checks the 'last number called' all they will find is that single digit" (p. 114). Luna sent money orders to sites on the Web offering fake ID (p. 85). "Sometimes I received a grossly inferior product. Other times I received nothing at all." He quotes a newsletter to the effect that there are no fake ID sites on the Web offering "anything even vaguely worth buying." That info alone (for some) might be worth the price of this book and more.
I would like to make the ironic observation that what Luna reveals about himself in terms of his vocation, habits, likes and dislikes, prejudices, past travels and general world view makes it now impossible for him to stay hidden (should anybody be interested in finding him). However, the man is at least in his seventies, so I suppose it really doesn't matter that much anymore. On second thought, realizing that this Luna is a very tricky dude, it may be that the seemingly veracious personal info in the text is just misleading!
On third thought, it could just be that Luna's long life of anonymity has inspired him to seek out a little fame before he disappears completely. (Insert here a joke about giving Saint Peter a fake social security number.)
--Dennis Littrell, author of “The World Is Not as We Think It Is”
I once wrote a novel called "The Invisible Man." One of the purposes was to get a nodding reader to perk up enough to read the first two or three pages. (As Casey Stengel said, "You could look it up": Putman's eventually published the book when I was still in my twenties with the title "A Perfectly Natural Act.") My anti-hero certainly thought he was invisible. Whether he really was or not is an open question. J.J. Luna's nonfiction hero (himself, and the reader if you follow his advice) is invisible in the sense that he has greatly obscured the connection between his physical self and the world's record-keeping devices. Although such "invisibility" has nothing like the power of the fantasy with which I used to guide myself to sleep at night (instead of counting sheep I would imagine myself invisible), it can be of tremendous practical value in this age of Big Brother.
Why would anyone legitimately want to hide themselves? you ask. Luna, a one-time fuzzy presence in Franco's Spain, gives some excellent reasons: somebody (not just Uncle Sam) might take it upon themselves to go after your assets. An ex-lover or ex-spouse might want revenge. You might get sued (a "legal mugging") or you might just want to avoid the usual harassment from telemarketers and other pests. Or you might just have some questionable assets that you want to keep hidden. Luna makes the point (tongue in cheek, I would say) that he does not advise breaking the law, and that this book is not intended to help law-breakers. (However if they choose to take advantage of his advice...well, his book is only a tool.)
Luna himself has made a living selling and consulting on "privacy." Reading between the lines, I would say specifically that he made a lot of money forming what generically might be called "dummy corporations" and selling them. I admire (I think) such creative self-employment.
Luna describes four "levels" of privacy, each with a bigger price tag. At Level One you'll have "more privacy than 98 percent of the general population." At Level Four "you are duplicating the federal Witness Security Program." Incidentally, if you're planning on hiding yourself from the world in preparation for the commission of some sort of "revenge" crime yourself, you might want to notice Luna's caveat on page 6, a sort of gumshoe dictum: "if someone with unlimited funds is after you, you will eventually be found."
His first and most important rule is (p. 244 and elsewhere) "Do not...ever...allow your real name to be coupled with your home address." To accomplish this Luna shows you how to set up a "ghost address," preferably in another state. He also advises you to never give out your social security number, and relates how you can usually accomplish that. He says you should use your passport rather than your driver's license when you absolutely must identify yourself because it contains less information (no home address, no SSN). Do not use your real name for any of your utilities. Have your cell phone in a different name than your home phone. Cell phones are useful in that they have no set location. For example if you have to call 911, your true address doesn't show. Naturally you don't use the checks from your bank. Your checks will have no name on them and no address. In fact your signature should illegible. (Luna claims on page 80 that "among European businessmen, illegible is the order of the day.") And of course (p. 84) you "Get off voter rolls and never return."
This is an interest read with a lot of good (if sometimes expensive) techniques for improving your privacy. Also, there are sprinkled throughout the texts little tidbits of worthwhile advice. For example here's how to defeat the redial feature on your telephone: When you finish the call, hang up and then pick up the receiver and punch in a single digit. Then hang up. "If anyone checks the 'last number called' all they will find is that single digit" (p. 114). Luna sent money orders to sites on the Web offering fake ID (p. 85). "Sometimes I received a grossly inferior product. Other times I received nothing at all." He quotes a newsletter to the effect that there are no fake ID sites on the Web offering "anything even vaguely worth buying." That info alone (for some) might be worth the price of this book and more.
I would like to make the ironic observation that what Luna reveals about himself in terms of his vocation, habits, likes and dislikes, prejudices, past travels and general world view makes it now impossible for him to stay hidden (should anybody be interested in finding him). However, the man is at least in his seventies, so I suppose it really doesn't matter that much anymore. On second thought, realizing that this Luna is a very tricky dude, it may be that the seemingly veracious personal info in the text is just misleading!
On third thought, it could just be that Luna's long life of anonymity has inspired him to seek out a little fame before he disappears completely. (Insert here a joke about giving Saint Peter a fake social security number.)
--Dennis Littrell, author of “The World Is Not as We Think It Is”
May 30, 2015
it makes you a bit paranoid, but he has a point.
Read
August 18, 2021Outdated and contains advice mostly irrelevant in EU.
February 15, 2021
This has been my first book on personal privacy and security and I have to say that while much of it was like trying to learn a new language, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this brand new world!
I love how JJ Luna infused his own personal stories as well as the reports from readers and consultation clients of his into the overall teaching of the book. I’ll certainly be making an effort to implement these strategies into my life, especially with the rise of the modern technocratic surveillance and police states here in the US.
And as an extra added bonus that I personally enjoyed— he threw in TONS of book recommendations throughout the book that I thought all sounded fascinating and will be sure to check out!
Now... onto Burners and Black Markets by Lance Henderson and How to Disappear by Jack Ahearn. Goodbye everyone! 👻
I love how JJ Luna infused his own personal stories as well as the reports from readers and consultation clients of his into the overall teaching of the book. I’ll certainly be making an effort to implement these strategies into my life, especially with the rise of the modern technocratic surveillance and police states here in the US.
And as an extra added bonus that I personally enjoyed— he threw in TONS of book recommendations throughout the book that I thought all sounded fascinating and will be sure to check out!
Now... onto Burners and Black Markets by Lance Henderson and How to Disappear by Jack Ahearn. Goodbye everyone! 👻
August 4, 2017
High on self-promotion, low on information. There is a little bit of cool stuff about what P.I.'s do to catch people but it's a lot of patting himself on the back "look at what I've done" etc. And whats up with the inside back cover photo? A pic next to a helicoptor? Like dude you're not James Bond.
And who moves AWAY from the US in one of the best economic times of the twentieth century? Like seriously dude. Endures 20 years of hardship and bitches about it.
Also seems like a geriatric regarding comments about young people etc. You can see he's out of touch in a few chapters. I mean, the guy is easily 70+.
Just read blogs and use google to find info on staying private.
And who moves AWAY from the US in one of the best economic times of the twentieth century? Like seriously dude. Endures 20 years of hardship and bitches about it.
Also seems like a geriatric regarding comments about young people etc. You can see he's out of touch in a few chapters. I mean, the guy is easily 70+.
Just read blogs and use google to find info on staying private.
September 9, 2020
Bought the book in 2004 and only read it now. OK overall, not really actionable advice for most people and I found the author's nod-wink acceptance of Mary Kay Letourneau having sex with a 13-year-old to be bizarre, while giving advice later to protect the reader's hypothetical 12-year-old daughter from pedophiles online. What a difference a year makes!
Still, it's written well in terms of structure and flow, and I look forward to going to his website to see what his community of privacy advocates have discovered for themselves in the 16 years since this was published.
Still, it's written well in terms of structure and flow, and I look forward to going to his website to see what his community of privacy advocates have discovered for themselves in the 16 years since this was published.
January 22, 2022
Enlightening
I would never have thought of these things by myself. But I have considered the predator nature of the current society, that one is not entitled to what he has but is the target of those who must take. Our parents fought against this mentality but unless values of ownership, honesty and decency pervade our world we are slipping into a void best called the Fourth Reich and this is one way to fight it while preserving the freedom we do have left. Thanks to its author
I would never have thought of these things by myself. But I have considered the predator nature of the current society, that one is not entitled to what he has but is the target of those who must take. Our parents fought against this mentality but unless values of ownership, honesty and decency pervade our world we are slipping into a void best called the Fourth Reich and this is one way to fight it while preserving the freedom we do have left. Thanks to its author
June 17, 2017
I enjoyed the information, but it seemed extreme and paranoid most of the time. Luna gives specific examples of crimes against those whose identity have been compromised. I realize that they are out there. However, the author would have strengthened his case if he had data showing the incidence of those crimes that involve an identity leak.
April 20, 2023
Quite good. Even though I read the 2004 version, I saw the preview pages for 2012 edition, there wasn't much difference. This book is quite outdated now considering its main focus is to help a paranoid person keep certain details to him/her-self.
There needs to be a new version, an update in accordance with the new technology around us, whether its smartphones or the data mining.
There needs to be a new version, an update in accordance with the new technology around us, whether its smartphones or the data mining.
January 20, 2021
I like this book. At this point it is fairly dated but still has some advice that is very applicable. Lots of the advice lends itself to those of means.
Even in lieu of the downsides I found it quite entertaining and will certainly be doing some of the recommendations ASAP.
Even in lieu of the downsides I found it quite entertaining and will certainly be doing some of the recommendations ASAP.
August 28, 2022
It's not perfect but it's also pretty cool to see all of the information that we willingly give away which we don't actually have to. If nothing else, you can see that it's actually optional to give so much identifying information about yourself to non-governmental entities.
December 30, 2024
Si bien hay algunos puntos que no son aplicables a México (cómo las PO Boxes) hay algunos puntos bastante interesantes para reducir tu generación de información en medios físicos.
Un libro imprescindible para aquellos frikis entusiastas de la seguridad y la privacidad.
Un libro imprescindible para aquellos frikis entusiastas de la seguridad y la privacidad.
August 9, 2018
There are many great ideas here on how to keep your privacy. I know I will be implementing some of them.
December 2, 2018
THE manual on staying private - period
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