The solution? TrueCrypt's hidden operating system feature. With this feature you create an encrypted DECOY operating system on your computer, along with a fully encrypted and hidden operating system. When the computer is powered on, you are prompted for a password. You simply enter the decoy password to boot the decoy operating system, and you enter the secret password to boot the hidden operating system.

With TrueCrypt's plausible deniability, there is no way the authorities (or anyone for that matter) can truly determine if there is a hidden operating system on the computer (even drive sector analysis reveals random garbage). If they do discover that there is another encrypted partition on the hard disk, you simply give them the other decoy password to the outer volume of the second encrypted partition, which also contains some “super secret” decoy files.

As I see it, this is the only way to really stay out of trouble. Go ahead and give customs the decoy password! Let them play around on your decoy operating system. If they aren’t satisfied and want the password to your second encrypted partition, go ahead and give them the outer volume password! Let them check out your “phone list”, “calorie counting spreadsheet”, and “Cancun party pics”. Worst case scenario, they confiscate the laptop. Big deal – at least they’ll never get your data. And better yet, if they mount the outer volume and start writing data to it, it will destroy the hidden operating system (even better).

A hidden operating system combined with a TrueCrypt encrypted MicroSD card hidden in a hollow Shomer-Tec nickel is a dynamite combo.

I highly recommend that anyone attempting to setup a hidden operating system start with a fresh hard disk and read the documentation on the subject at the TrueCrypt website. You can start by following the attached link.

Submitted Link #1: http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/?s=hidden-operating-...

... That may work well for you readers in your 30s, Mike, but we who are in our 80s prefer to cross borders with a "clean" netbook. We leave all the secret files in another laptop that stays at home, safely hidden in a secret compartment. :-)

I have crossed multiple times in my personally-owned LLC-titled vehicle on both the Canadian and Mexican border and have inquired each time with my co-workers as to what shows up when my plate is run. No information about my registration is visible without extensive research (i.e. secondary inspection). The reason I have to ask is because probably only 10% of vehicles crossing populate registration information for the CBP Officer to see. I asked about this and was told it had to do with the county the vehicles are registered in.

Some counties report there registration information and some don’t. In my experience, like I said, nearly 90% don’t. The part Victor will probably care the most about- there is no formal way for his name to be coupled to his LLC when crossing the border. The Officers questioning is simply to help ease his mind that the vehicle isn’t stolen.

Provide proof (needed in only the most extreme of circumstances, though) that he owns the company that owns the car and he will be on his way without a single word being typed regarding his association to his LLC. For what it’s worth, none of my co-workers have ever batted an eye when a traveler is driving a “company-owned” vehicle, it’s just too common. Hope this helps.

... Thanks, Ben, for this information. Highly appreciated!

Anyone who's crossed the border within the last few years knows that there's a lot of information collected. As far as I know, your car is photographed front and back (including the license plate) as it approaches the officer, and many times (though not always) your travel documents are scanned upon entry (similar to running your credit card through the cc terminal at the store). You're bound to have a secondary inspection of your car sometime (we've had two so far this year).

Our concern is that maybe convincing an officer at the border that the LLC-owned car is yours would not be the same as convincing a traffic cop. This seems especially so because our names do not appear on the LLC papers. Besides, if somehow you do convince him, wouldn't this link your true name with the LLC in a government's database, thus defeating the purpose of dissociating your name from the LLC's? Any suggestions?

... I haven't crossed the Mexican border lately but a few years ago I crossed in a borrowed car. I was asked about it, but they didn't ask me to prove I'd borrowed it. I do cross the Canadian border frequently, using four different vehicles. Each is titled in a different LLC. So far, no comment has ever been made about that. In my opinion, crossing the border in your car is not likely to cause you problems.

As for proving you own the car, if your LLC came from Rosie, she will have enclosed an official-looking receipt in your name so carry that with you. I'm not sure about Kitty but I think she either gives you a bill of sale or will, if you ask for it.

However, if you are heading into Mexico on some unusually sensitive or secretive mission, rent a car.

Titan LEV looks a lot like an Ubuntu install with a few extra packages. (Notably WINE and IEs4Linux for the windows doppleganger mode) I noticed the video advertisement failed to mention peripheral support or what version of IE you'd be running. I would wager that your peripherals aren't supported beyond what comes with stock Ubuntu and IE5, 5.5, and 6 are the only ones supported.

someone would eventually notice Firefox does not support active X stuff (that's an IE exclusive thing).

I'm only semi-paranoid about two things. One, asset protection. Two, my physical location. No one should have the ability to track where you live, what hotel you're staying at, etc. Outside of those two things, I really don't care.

I'm on Facebook and various other social networking sites. I love how you can network, find new friends, and customers. I use my real name on those sites. Someone can look me up on Google. However, I am VERY careful about what I put up on Facebook. No party pictures. No deeply personal, political, sexual orientation, etc. info. And definitely no home address.

I have close friends over to my place from time to time. 1 to 2 people MAX. No parties. That's asking for trouble on so many levels. If I want to party, I'll go out to a pub. I am also active on some forums. Depending on what I post, I usually try to mask my IP, but not always. Never post anything stupid, and you should be fine. And NEVER use your real name on a forum.

I realize that if someone REALLY wanted to find me, they could do it. So I have basic emergency plans in place if something bad happens. Get gun training. At the end of the day, relax with most of the privacy stuff, because you might find yourself living in a shack in Montana, writing down crazy political beliefs, which is no way to live.

If you want to have an extra level, you could have two OS-operating systmes-on your computer. I have Windows Vista and Ubuntu 9.04. I use Windows for use of printers and other hardware that may not be compatable with Ubuntu or Linux based OS. The method of installing dual boot OS is easy and can be found by googling dual boot or some similar term and following the directions.

Before installing your Unbuntu, make sure that you have all the software you will be using for your Windows. Make sure you keep all your data on an external Hard Drive. I do and just keep some pictures on my computer for wallpaper changing. If you make a mistake in installing the 2 OS, just start over, it is a learning experience and enjoyable. With Windows 7 due out next July, you may want to practice with the OS you have now.

Submitted Link #1: http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig9/green-p2.1.1.html...

Dear...part of what you're struggling with is just the season of life. When my kids were toddlers and privacy not near the concern that it is now...things can just be plain ole hard and lonesome. Especially since you're working with your hubby. That alone keeps you, well, alone.

Now as far as privacy. I've had to pick and chose how far I'm going to go with this. I have had to catch myself getting downright paranoid over privacy things and THAT'S not where I want to live. So I guess where that leaves me is this: I pick my friends carefully (and it sounds like you do to.) I have the added twist that I'm a published writer so I AM on the net. One must evaluate what works for them.

When my kids are grown and we are more free financially, we know what we will do to step up our privacy. But for right now, I choose not to get too panicky, exercise discretion and enjoy my kids as much as possible because the years really do fly by quickly. Hope this helps....You truly have the most important job on the planet!

Do banks do this too, for ordinary checking account holders? I want to know if I could get away with giving my bank either a CMRA address or the street address of my post office with the PO box number as the apartment number.

... I have not had any problem when opening accounts in small banks, as outlined in "Invisible Money." The Alaska ghost address works just fine.

Does anyone else struggle with this or have found some ways to cope without handing out your cell # to everyone, e-mailing everything, texting or Facebook, etc.? Do you compromise with your friends - suggestions? Thank you.

Yes, I'm well aware that I can walk into any retail store, dressed in cross-gender clothing, wearing a hat and sunglasses, and buy a prepaid phone, then give bogus info upon activation, and only use the phone for calls to parties that can't be cross-referenced back to my true identity. But in the particular case I referenced, I was only trying to get the free $25 airtime card. As annoyed as I was with the customer service people, I remained very aware that ordering through the internet was not my only option.

Again, in my particular case, after many conversations with customer service people, it was clear that the problem was not in my means of payment or the PO box billing address on file with my bank. The problem was in the delivery address. T-Mobile only allows delivery to a residential home or a place of business where the recipient/customer is the one personally signing for the box. Again, that's a fraud prevention tactic on their part to avoid customers claiming they never received the product. They do not accept the UPS Store's signature as a substitute for the customer's signature. They appear to have a database of all the UPS Store addresses - they KNEW that I was attempting to arrange delivery to a UPS store, and they refused to deliver to that location.

Ultimately, no harm done except for the triple-hold on my debit card while their "fraud department" sorted out the details...

JJL is still "spot-on" with his advice that one needs a nominee and a residential-appearing ghost address. T-Mobile Prepaid Online Purchasing Department continues to prove that.

You wrote, "Today I found out my home address has been compromised and the only source I can think of would be the school district (from registering our children) or my landlord (filling out a credit app) ..."

I see both as possible leaks. In the future never give a school your true home address and have a nominee handle the rental if you can't bypass the credit check somehow.