How To Be Invisible (revised edition): The Essential Guide to Protecting Your Personal Privacy, Your Assets, and Your Life

How This Book Can Make You Invisible

Fear of jail is the beginning of wisdom.
-- SEEN ON A BRIGHTLY PAINTED
CHAMBER POT IN NIGERIA
Even though all may be well with you at the present moment, don't be complacent. Danger can strike at any time, at any place, and from any direction. For example, while I was editing this chapter, the following e-mail came in from William Farrell, an investigator for the Department of Defense and a reader of the first edition of How to Be Invisible:

I recently filed a vehicle-fire loss claim with my insurance company (State Farm). I was immediately telephoned by an accusatory and demanding insurance adjuster. Although the local police and fire department have investigated and found the fire cause to be 'undetermined,' the insurance company has put my spouse and I through two interviews and have requested a third! I have also been asked to sign a general release form that would allow the bearer access to such information as retail buying records, utility records, phone records, financial records, etc. The adjuster also requested copies of telephone (including cell phone) records, and copies of income tax returns. A lesson learned: YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES MAY SUDDENLY PUT YOU UNDER A NOSEY INVESTIGATOR'S MICROSCOPE! BE PREPARED, BE PREPARED, BE PREPARED!
Fortunately for Farrell, he had previously put into practice many of the suggestions from my book. As a result, he managed to keep his true home address and other personal information from the troublesome investigator. (Also, he crossed out some sections of the form before signing.)

The above is just one of a countless number of sudden emergencies my readers tell me about, leaving their stories at the COMMENT link on my Web site, www.howtobeinvisible.com. Some readers -- not yet organized -- send me unhappy stories as a warning to others. More frequently, however, the readers have prepared beforehand and wish to share their happy experiences. The purpose of this book is to assist you in being prepared.

Think of this book as flood insurance. If the river near you has not yet started to rise, I can show you how to move to higher ground. If the river is already rising, I hope at least to show you how to build a raft. And just because the river has never flooded before does not mean it will never flood in the future. Unexpected torrential downpours can come in many forms.