SECURITY & PRIVACY:

FIRST TASKS
Some dinar friends asked me to write out the measures I intend to take now and
immediately
following the RV regarding internet and asset protection. This is based on several
years of
research plus 20+ years of working for law firms. Here ’tis -
Internet security and asset protection tools for now and right after the RV.
Freeze your credit reports and those of your under-age children.
Do it this weekend. It’s free. Consumer advocate Clark Howard tells you how:
https://clark.com/personal-finance-credit/credit-freeze-and-thaw-guide/
Find the best accountants, attorneys, and financial advisors in your area
Please see separate articles on this topic.
Name your Trusts and business entities something other than your name.
Please see separate article on this topic.
Don’t list your name and address on Trust and entity documents.
Hire the law firm to act as receiving agent on your behalf and use the firm’s
address. This is so
thieves cannot use government records to find your name and address to target you.
Put your
house and car in a Trust or entity as appropriate for the same reason. Do the same
for property
taxes, vehicle titles, etc.
Find a computer tech with security expertise.
Do not rely on advice from the workers and repair techs at the computer store. They
are paid to
sell computers. Experts do not work for minimum wage or sales commissions.
Ask your accounting firm to have their forensic researcher give you a
recommendation. Your
tax attorney could also be a good resource.
Ask the expert to order and install computer equipment for you, especially the
computer you will
use for online banking and brokerage house connections.
Have the expert delete all data from your current computer so it is completely
wiped clean.
Capture your family pictures, etc, on a flash drive and/or the Cloud before the
wipe. Ask the
expert to take apart the machine and discard the parts ecologically.
Also ask the expert to install a fireproof safe in your home. The lock should not
require
electricity. Have her show you how to reset the combination.
After the RV, buy a separate computer for finances.
It should not share or sync data with the rest of your computers. I like Mac so I
will buy a PC for
the financial computer.
The financial one will be used solely for online banking and accessing investment
accounts,
such as Vanguard. It will have a hard-wired internet connection. Never go to any
other
websites than your banks or investment companies. No shopping, no surfing, no email
-
nothing.
Have this second internet connection that is hard-wired (not wifi) connected to
your home. This
is the connection you will use for your finances-only computer. No wifi or
bluetooth on this
computer. Use this computer to access bank, credit card, and brokerage websites
only. No
email, no shopping, no surfing: nothing else. Keep this computer away from children
and
visitors (lock it in a cupboard in your bedroom, for example). Have the computer
security tech
or computer store add privacy tools before using.
Never access your largest accounts online. If you need to transfer money to another
account,
go to the bank and do it. Or write a check from your large account and take it to
your local
credit union for deposit.
Buy a black and white laser printer dedicated solely for use by this computer. (Not
laser color,
not ink jet. The security expert can explain why.) Use it to print bank statements
and other
documents you could need in an audit. Do not connect financial computer and this
printer via
wifi: use a cable.
Disconnect Alexa and other Internet of Things (IOT) equipment
These devices constantly record what you say. Similar: refrigerators who listen for
commands,
cameras on your TV (tape over the lens), and other invasive IOT products. IOT items
also
provide a way for hackers to invade your wifi system.
A financial reason: A few years ago, the major news channels reported theft of a
very large
amount of money from a Las Vegas casino. The casino financial accounts were hacked
and
money diverted to Russia. The hackers accessed the casino’s aquarium controls and
got into
the wifi system.
A personal example: An elderly couple were discussing his rapidly declining health
and how he
wanted to find a physician to help him die. That act is not legal in their state.
By talking in front
of Alexa, the recording of those conversations could put the wife in serious
trouble later.
If you cannot live without Alexa, at least get her out of the bedroom.
Get checks that have coded/encrypting routing and account numbers printed on them,
not your real routing and account information.
If your bank doesn’t offer this, change banks. Some credit unions offer them.
Have your credit card companies provide you with one-time-use numbers for online
purchases. Have your banker show you how to use them.
Have only two checking accounts with ATM cards.
Tell the bank you do not want overdraft protection nor do you want them to
automatically
transfer money into the account when funds run low. This prevents a thief from
draining any
connected savings account via multiple charges and ATM withdrawals. If you plan to
spend
more than usual (such as getting cash ATM withdrawals while traveling), raise the
daily limit and
put extra money into the account beforehand.
Stop automatic transfers to pay monthly bills: the ACH ones. You don’t want vendors
to have
access to your bank account. Set up monthly payments via credit card. You have more
consumer protection this way. Do not use cards attached to your bank accounts when
you set
up Lyft, Amazon, eBay, or similar accounts. Use a credit card for better consumer
protection.
Let your credit card and ATM card issuers know when and where you will be traveling
so they
don’t assume a thief in Paris is using your card without permission. Do this
inperson or via
phone. Do not tell them via email or text.
Spread your funds around several local banks, credit unions, and online banks.
Include a bank that has branches where you most like to travel.
Meet the managers and assistant managers in person at each one. Ask the manager at
your
local major bank to meet the person who issues Medallion Signature Guarantees.
Shake hands
with this person a couple of times a year. You will need this relationship later.
If she leaves the
bank, create a relationship with her replacement.
Minimize the information you give to accountants and lawyers.
Designate some accounts and credit cards for personal expenses only - things that
don’t affect
your taxes and you don’t need to track. Payments for vacations, gifts, restaurants,
etc. Your
tax accountant doesn’t need this information. Keep information about these accounts
private.
Your accountant will probably ask about transfers to those accounts, just to be
certain she isn’t
missing any deductions for you. Simply explain they are for personal expenses.
But be certain to track medical, dental, vision, and caregiving costs for insurance
claims, taxes,
HSA accounts, and reimbursements from Trusts and entities. Also track donations to
nonprofits.
Make donations while protecting your ID and contact information.
Instead of writing a check, have your bank issue a Cashier’s Check to protect your
routing and
account numbers.
Make donations anonymously so you aren’t inundated with requests for money. Ask the
charity
to send the receipt to your attorney’s or accountant’s address.
If you would like a few people to share your enjoyment in helping others, use a
nickname.
Perhaps in college or the military, you were known as Brainiac or Lightning. Tell
the charity to
keep the donor name and contact information secret but put your nickname on any
lists they
publish or announce.
Stop mail from coming to your home address.
Set up a PO Box or mail shop box to make it harder for thieves to target you and
your
residence. Have someone you trust pick up your mail while you are traveling. Ask
someone to
pick up any papers left at your home, such as flyers and neighborhood newspapers.
If you want magazines and packages to come to your home, put a name other than
yours on the
subscription. Let your mail delivery person or building concierge know the
alternate name for
mail. You can also place online orders for yourself as “gifts” to this new name at
your home
address. Your dog’s name could be fun.
Create a system to help you remember passwords using a hand-written cheat sheet.
One gal I know uses letters from titles or lines from favorite songs. So she writes
down Bruno to
remind her of the song 24K Magic in the Air. The password is 24Kmit@
This system could also work for sports heroes, bowling stats, events, dates, and
more. Choose
things you did not write down in calendars, announce on Facebook, or mention in
emails.
To make the password longer, add a second part. Summer 93 could tell you to add the
word
Budapest as you took your vacation there that year. So your cheat sheet would read
Bruno&Sum93. The password would be 24Kmit@Budap3st
Or use a password manager. You’ll need a very long jumble of characters for the one
password
to access the manager. Keep a written copy of this password in your bank safe
deposit box.
Never put information in an email or text you wouldn’t put on a roadside billboard.
And stop all banking via your smartphone. Despite what the banks tell you, it’s not
secure.
Sharing data online
My research shows private data is usually shared between clients, business
colleagues,
attorneys, accountants, and others via documents placed in the Cloud in an account
owned by
the client. The client gives the professional the URL and password via phone.
Change the
password frequently.
Never put the url or password in an email or text in case your computer or phone
gets
keystroke-tracking malware.
I prefer password-protected flash drives sent via FedEx or UPS in which the
password is shared
via telephone after the recipient has received the package.
Never input your passwords and PINs into your computer or the Cloud.
Know that robots - “bots” - look for documents with the @ symbol, the words bank
and PIN, and
other “tells.” Have a hand written list for your financial, business, and other
relevant data in your
safe deposit box in the event you suddenly pass away.
Delete Social Media accounts, especially anything related to Facebook, Google, and
WhatsApp.
Back up photos onto a flash drive first. I plan to leave modest information about
my pre-RV life
on the internet via my LinkedIn profile which shows my final modest job and a
website I wrote
about myself describing my modest pre-RV life: my books, volunteer work, hobbies,
dog, etc. It
will look odd if someone Googles me and finds nothing.
If my current phone number appears on an internet search, I will get a new number.
As often as
necessary. Never answer your phone unless you recognize the person calling. People
will
leave a voicemail if they do not want to scam you.
If you get a lot of spoof calls (robots create a fake caller ID number with your
area code), get a
new phone number with an area code for someplace else.
Change to a new email account to get a new address.
The RV will give us an opportunity similar to retirement - we can choose the people
we wish to
keep close.
Stop giving your social security number to medical / dental / vision and other
offices.
They only want it in case they need to turn your account over to collections. Leave
the area
blank. If they insist, tell them you pay in full at each appointment. If they still
insist, find another
provider.
Or provide a dummy social security number. You can find information about these
numbers at
Clark.com I use one the IRS has furnished to Hollywood to use in movies.
Do not let stores and others scan your ID. It’s OK for them to look at to ascertain
your identity
and age. But when they scan your card, they are collecting your drivers license and
other
information. If they insist, shop at another store.
Use RFID wallets and passport holders.
RFID stands for Radio Frequency ID. Your driver’s license, passport, credit cards,
and other
cards emit information . If you use RFID wallets, purses, briefcases, and passport
holders, the
RFID information on your cards is blocked from anyone using a device to try to get
your data.
Written by Canary Girl