Basic private setup

Voice has it's benefits and its downsides. Realize that all of those great voice mails that are transcribed are stored for 3 months (the whole recording). The same goes for ALL text messages as well as for your call logs.

To clarify, the records are stored for 3 months AFTER they are deleted.

Voice has it's benefits and its downsides. Realize that all of those great voice mails that are transcribed are stored for 3 months (the whole recording). The same goes for ALL text messages as well as for your call logs.

To clarify, the records are stored for 3 months AFTER they are deleted. Originally Posted by AustinBusinessTraveler

The only reason I use Google Voice is to hide my personal cell number, I don't leave VM or text that is incriminating, never discuss details no matter what you use, tracfone or Google Voice and especially email.

I think Google talk and Google Voice are two different things. Originally Posted by SP Hunter

yes they are two different things, My mistake i ment voice, but its still the same. Google logs everything they can. Not only from there proporties but most the web used Google analitcs so you are tracked for the majority of your time spent on the net.

For me, the issue of privacy and invisibility are of paramount importance. Using Google voice/talk/whatever will ALWAYS leave traces, and if they're connected to your "real life" phone, then someone somewhere can connect the dots. That's why I still prefer to have a separate disposable phone. Yes, I have to make sure to keep it hidden, but it's always locked, so no one can "accidentally" get into it, and I've already got a cover story in place in case it's found.

It's still a matter of balancing between privacy and convenience. I lean heavily towards privacy. With an untraceable phone, and a pre-paid internet that also has no identifying labels on it, then I'm virtually invisible. If there's ever concern for being busted or anything else, then it's a simple dump in the trash at any convenience store (or anywhere, for that matter), and then there's nothing to trace back to me.

All this stuff has been hashed and rehashed over and over and over again, but it's how we all learn and get better info out there.

Take my $0.02 and toss it into the wishing well. Maybe you'll grow a magic beanstalk.

How do you send a text through Google voice?

For that matter, how do you make a call through google voice?

Do you have to have a seperate number other than your cell #. I think they gave me the option when I signed up for it and linked it for my normal use (non-hobby).

How do you send a text through Google voice?

For that matter, how do you make a call through google voice?

Do you have to have a seperate number other than your cell #. I think they gave me the option when I signed up for it and linked it for my normal use (non-hobby). Originally Posted by Hamburg

In my case I use an iphone and have google voice app, I can call and text from my google voice number to make an appointment with a new lady that does not have my personal cell. Yes there are some ladies that have my personal cell..

In my case I use an iphone and have google voice app, I can call and text from my google voice number to make an appointment with a new lady that does not have my personal cell. Yes there are some ladies that have my personal cell.. Originally Posted by SP Hunter

re: Google, for anyone that is paranoid about security, I'd be afraid of any of their products including gmail (not suggesting SP Hunter is, just picked one of several posts re: Google to quote)

just a small point on the pre-paid phones.

even though disposable, when you get one at a phone store, you have to give ID -
so I don't know if that's a security point, but it does match you to the phone number. and also maybe you have to give the ID to be able to use credit card refills,
so they match names....

maybe this is avoidable by getting a pre-paid phone from a corner multi-reseller, and buying pre-paid cards with cash.... Originally Posted by VitaMan

I got a TracFone from Wal-Mart (that i don't normally go to) and paid cash, then buy re-fill cards at random locations (CVS, WalGreens, etc), also paying cash. I've never had to give an ID for it. When I activated the phone, I found a payphone next to a Stripes/Valero to call it in. Never gave anyone an ID or a real name. If they can track me, then they're investing WAY too much time and effort into a small-potatoes case. Originally Posted by Greyhound

Worth noting apparently. All too often people make reference to getting a "Hobby Phone." Although it seems obvious to many of us, a hobby phone isn't just another line so the SO doesn't pick up by accident, but it implies a phone that has no trace to our identity.

You can never have too much privacy and security, but in the real world, compromises are sometimes made.

I have a throwaway email, no one has password-
Hobby phone - bought a cricket that was activated on craigslist--pay the cash every month its in the gals name I bought it from.

I do use my home email connection. No cop is ever gonna trace johns through IP connections--I fee safe enough.

I use my laptop. Firefox, everything dumped when it shuts down. My SO hates firefox and thinks my laptop smells.

Shut the laptop off with a cleaner every day--Advanced System Care

No last name. Ever. Period. The end.

Look at this bad boy. Wow. Fingerprint security.

I'm getting one of these to play with.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/19273...usb_stick.html

One of my employer's clients has been using fingerprint locked external hard drives for years.

Yea Mokoa, but this is a fingerprint security flash drive.
Going by Best Buy (I 10) today. Hope its there. Just gonna get the 8 gig.

Make sure you leave nothing "incriminating" in your copy/paste buffer. It's easy to forget about. A shutdown/reboot will of course take care of that.

A lot has been said about using a hobby phone and keeping your real identity separate from your screen names/handles. Many providers/agencies require new clients to give them their real name/employment information, so they now have the link. What if a provider or an agency gets busted, and the link now becomes available to LE? How does one go about minimizing that risk. Question for providers: do you keep real name/employment information on a piece of paper and destroy after verification without it entering your computer system?

Yea Mokoa, but this is a fingerprint security flash drive.
Going by Best Buy (I 10) today. Hope its there. Just gonna get the 8 gig. Originally Posted by flinde

Yes, I saw that.

My point is that the idea is not a new one. The capability has been around for the last couple of decades.

Personally, I would like to see this whole site SSL'd. Its harder for the packets to be sampled. Just thinking that folks are connecting to this site from wifi hotspots, etc. Also, some browsers won't cache the content.