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"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. Using real life stories and his own consulting experience, J.J. Luna shows you legal methods for protecting yourself from information predators and how to secure your bank accounts, business dealings, computer files, and even your home address. In this third updated edition, there are new sections on: *New dangers from using smart phones, e-book readers and other electronic devices *Protecting your Facebook, Twitter and online banking accounts *How to rent, buy or build a safe house *How and where to hide cash, silver and gold *And much more"--… (more)
Wow, paranoid. With some good reason but a tough chew for some.
I had some issues with it, aside from some poor copy-editing and substantive editing. First, and most important, I found many things that actually were illegal in this book. This could be a nationality issue - the book is written for Americans and I am not - but because I had picked a chapter in the middle to read for fun before reading the whole thing and found the things I knew to be illegal, I was now questioning the legality of everything in the book. It made the entire thing less enjoyable for me.
The next part was the sexism. Most of the book was simply about the facts but any time there was anything that could be gendered, it reeks of '60's rhetoric - with the man arranging everything and having to protect the poor, little wife. When he suggested names for people he even stuck with only giving male suggestions. I hate to say it but women have even more cause to have to value their privacy, yet it was not a consideration.
It needs to be updated again for modern times. For example, stopgap computers are not always possible as software no longer comes on CD/DVDs. Once one has to log on even once to obtain software, or plug in a stick to transfer files, updating security patches becomes a necessity. As well, more and more, all levels of government just expect people to have access to modern technology and do not have hard-copy alternatives. I cannot count the number of times I have gotten into some upset because a civil servant has told me that I must now go to the public library for Internet access then, if I cannot afford home Internet, because they simply do not have paper applications, not even to order. I now need a smartphone to call a cab. It's ridiculous and technology is becoming unavoidable.
The last issue I am going to mention is the money. His solutions are costly. It is a shame because it is often the people who do not have money who need more protection. For example, it is those in helping professions (cops, social workers, free clinic workers, addiction workers, teachers, therapists, etc.) who attract unwanted attention from those they serve, but their professions do not remunerate them as well as others. The advice he gives doesn't well serve large groups who would likely need it.
While there were some takeaways, most of the advice I will be following was also mentioned in other books on this topic. this isn't going to be the first book I recommend to people. ( )
In 1970, Franco yielded to pressure from the western world, moderated Spain's laws, and allowed Luna to "come in from the cold", which was 11 years running a secret operation.
In a world awash with private investigators out to get you (???), you must sell your house and move if you've ever received a letter or delivery at your true address (???), hire only Jehovah's Witnesses as cleaning ladies (???), ... (Sorry, I just can't go on. The author must have shortened his name from Lunatic.) www.howtobeinvisible.com
This book is dedicated to an anonymous member of Spain's Secret Police. On January 27, 1960, during a brief encounter on a quiet back street in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, I asked him for advice on how best to avoid any problems in the land of Generalissimo Francisco Franco. The advice he gave me has served me well for forty years. He said there was only one way to avoid troubles with the authorities: "Make yourself invisible."
First words
Sometimes life has a way of appearing as nothing more than a string of minor and major disasters, a series of challenges that, when considered in their totality, can overwhelm even the most levelheaded of individuals.
Quotations
Last words
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC
▾References
References to this work on external resources.
Wikipedia in English
None
▾Book descriptions
"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. Using real life stories and his own consulting experience, J.J. Luna shows you legal methods for protecting yourself from information predators and how to secure your bank accounts, business dealings, computer files, and even your home address. In this third updated edition, there are new sections on: *New dangers from using smart phones, e-book readers and other electronic devices *Protecting your Facebook, Twitter and online banking accounts *How to rent, buy or build a safe house *How and where to hide cash, silver and gold *And much more"--
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(3.38)
Wikipedia in English
1
I had some issues with it, aside from some poor copy-editing and substantive editing. First, and most important, I found many things that actually were illegal in this book. This could be a nationality issue - the book is written for Americans and I am not - but because I had picked a chapter in the middle to read for fun before reading the whole thing and found the things I knew to be illegal, I was now questioning the legality of everything in the book. It made the entire thing less enjoyable for me.
The next part was the sexism. Most of the book was simply about the facts but any time there was anything that could be gendered, it reeks of '60's rhetoric - with the man arranging everything and having to protect the poor, little wife. When he suggested names for people he even stuck with only giving male suggestions. I hate to say it but women have even more cause to have to value their privacy, yet it was not a consideration.
It needs to be updated again for modern times. For example, stopgap computers are not always possible as software no longer comes on CD/DVDs. Once one has to log on even once to obtain software, or plug in a stick to transfer files, updating security patches becomes a necessity. As well, more and more, all levels of government just expect people to have access to modern technology and do not have hard-copy alternatives. I cannot count the number of times I have gotten into some upset because a civil servant has told me that I must now go to the public library for Internet access then, if I cannot afford home Internet, because they simply do not have paper applications, not even to order. I now need a smartphone to call a cab. It's ridiculous and technology is becoming unavoidable.
The last issue I am going to mention is the money. His solutions are costly. It is a shame because it is often the people who do not have money who need more protection. For example, it is those in helping professions (cops, social workers, free clinic workers, addiction workers, teachers, therapists, etc.) who attract unwanted attention from those they serve, but their professions do not remunerate them as well as others. The advice he gives doesn't well serve large groups who would likely need it.
While there were some takeaways, most of the advice I will be following was also mentioned in other books on this topic. this isn't going to be the first book I recommend to people. (