“If that’s what I think it is — they’re really rare, and really valuable.“— Ron Weasley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Listen.
I was torn about how to approach this book.
Remind me to look at the Date of Publication next time I haunt a thrift store in search of self-help!
This book was first published in March 2004.
Er, things have changed a bit (!!!) since then – especially in the world of technology.
Also, NOT.
How to Be Invisible by JJ Luna has some outdated stuff… and a whole bunch of timeless stuff…
Like…
Always pay cash for things you don’t want your name associated with…
That’s my bad grammar, not his. But you get the drift.
If being afraid – VERY afraid – is your bag, then this is the book for you.
Some might say paranoid.
Luna says, “Do not, as long as you live, never allow your true name to be connected to your true home address.”
Well, crap! Too late. Much, MUCH too late.
I mean…
Seriously?
How does one DO that, anyway?
Luna will tell you that… and so much more. So, so, so much more!
I’d never heard of him. Perhaps you’re interested, too?
From his website:
JJ Luna has studied privacy for more than the proverbial 10,000 hours. He once lived in Spain and remained invisible even when Generalissimo Francisco Franco ruled the country with an iron fist. He is an expert in protecting himself, his family, his clients, and his assets. How to be Invisible, Third Edition, is a critical antidote to the spread of new and efficient ways of undermining our personal privacy and security.
- Never again will you open your door unless the caller is a friend.
- If a stalker tries to find you after you move, he will hit a dead end.
- If you follow his advice, not even the police will be able to track you down.
Back in the olden days of 2017 (when this blog-gig of mine began), I wrote about The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker. It remains one of my fave books about protecting yourself ever! I bet I think about it a few times a year… and I read it 25 years ago!
This book is different.
While De Becker mainly talks about in-person encounters, Luna talks most about what happens behind the scenes.
Both books are scary as hell if you take the stories (and possible stories of what *can happen*) to heart.
And both are SUPER INTERESTING.
As I turned the pages of this book, I read things like this:
- A federal court of appeals has ruled that using a fase Social Security number to obtain a driver’s license is illegal. Other than that, there appears to be no legal penalty for giving a wrong number as long as there is no intent to… with a list of SS-related frauds. Otherwise, you’re free to make one up!
- Set up a “Ghost Address” – a future address you will use that is not in any database, and has no connection to where you really live. Luna has two PO boxes, three ghost addressses in North America and two more in Spain’s Canary Islands. Uh, okay.
- Raise your children to be self-employed when they leave home, so that their names never, ever, go into the National Directory for New Hires. Say what? Is there actually such a thing? Yep! In my research, I learned that: The National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) is a database (part of the Federal Parent Locator Service [FPLS]) that contains personal and financial data on nearly every working American, as well as those receiving unemployment insurance benefits. (Link) If you’ve ever held a job… you’re in it!
- Never, ever put a resume on the Internet. NEVER EVER! Why? Malevolent people will steal and use your personal information. Once again, too late for so many of us. *sigh*
You get the idea, I’m sure. And these are just four lines out of a 300-page book!
As you might imagine, there are extensive chapters of medical information, your money, travel, cell phones, vehicles, mailboxes, and… this shouldn’t be surprising… even garbage. Yeah, trash.
And don’t even get me started on Nominees! What is a nominee, you might ask? Well, just like it sounds. You nominate someone (a third party) to be… uh… you. So, says Luna, you pick your pal, Debbie. She lives in one state. You live in another. You want to open a bank account, so you choose an independent bank in a state neither of you resides in. Blah, blah, blah, blah, you pay Debbie a flat fee for setting things up for you. She won’t be you forever, after all. Just to get the account open without anyone – especially not the bank – knowing who you are or where you live. For some reason (you’ll have to read all the details) this is legal.
Or, hey! Just use cash. Don’t use a bank. Luna gives you lots of ideas about where to hide valuables. You know, like in a dog house or a hole in the ground.
Look, this book is certainly entertaining. It’s probably on every outlander or outlaw’s reading list, you know if they’re reading stuff.
It’s interesting, for sure! Maybe you can glean some insights about being careful with your private info.
Or, you can be like me.
Blabby McBlabby Mouth.
Not that I’m encouraging it.
After reading this book, I’m kinda wondering if my honest nature will bite me in the ass one day.
Ah well… Feedle de de… I’ll worry about it tomorrow.
(It may be the fall of me!)
The Self-Help Whisperer® 