How to Disappear Without a Trace: Strategies and Countermeasures
In today’s digital age, disappearing has never been easier, and you don’t need a magician to do it. Numerous websites offer services to help anyone vanish from the online world. They promise to remove your information from the internet, delete background check items, clean your online record, and erase all your data.
For those willing to delve into the depths of online privacy, there are even books like How to Disappear from the Internet Completely While Leaving False Trails and How to Disappear: Erase Your Digital Footprint, Leave False Trails, and Vanish Without a Trace. These resources provide a wealth of techniques designed to confound investigators and searchers. But fear not; the more you know about these methods, the easier it becomes to reverse-engineer their efforts and bring invisible individuals back into the spotlight.
Drawing from insights by experts at Thomson Reuters, skip tracers, privacy consultants, and private investigators, here are ten strategies used by those looking to vanish from the internet and the countermeasures to make them visible again.
1. Social Media: A Double-Edged Sword
In his book How to Disappear, privacy consultant Frank Ahearn advises stopping all social media activity and shutting down social profiles entirely for those who wish to hide. However, for searchers, social media remains a goldmine of information as long as it hasn’t been deleted or made private. Public records services like Thomson Reuters CLEAR can compile a comprehensive picture of an individual’s social media activity, including friends and family, who often inadvertently reveal crucial information.
- Countermeasure: Search for active and inactive social media accounts. Look for tagged photos, comments, and posts from friends and family members. These can provide critical leads on the individual’s whereabouts.
Case Study: The Capture of John McAfee
In 2012, antivirus software pioneer John McAfee was on the run from authorities. Despite his efforts to stay off the grid, a photo taken by a Vice magazine journalist and posted online inadvertently included EXIF data that revealed McAfee’s location in Guatemala. This mistake led to his capture by local authorities.
2. Misspelled Names: A Deliberate Tactic
Privacy consultants suggest that individuals sign up for services with slightly misspelled names and correct them later, creating multiple aliases. For example, if someone’s name is Arthur Aronson, they might change it to Arturo Aaronson or Arthur Erickson. This tactic aims to scatter their information across various platforms. However, sophisticated algorithms in public records databases can still track these variations by matching other data points such as birth dates and addresses.
- Countermeasure: Use public records databases with algorithms designed to recognize and match slightly misspelled names with other identifying information, such as birth dates and addresses.
Case Study: The Many Aliases of Jason Derek Brown
Jason Derek Brown wanted for murder and armed robbery since 2004, used multiple aliases to evade capture. He created identities with slight variations of his name, making it difficult for authorities to track him. Despite this, diligent work by the FBI using advanced databases and cross-referencing eventually linked his aliases, keeping the manhunt active.
3. Synthetic Identities
Creating a synthetic identity involves using a mix of natural and fabricated information. For example, the correct name and address might be paired with an incorrect social security number. Public records databases like CLEAR can identify and flag these anomalies for further investigation, ensuring that even well-crafted synthetic identities can be traced.
- Countermeasure: Look for inconsistencies in the data. Synthetic identities often have discrepancies that can be identified with thorough cross-referencing of public records.
Case Study: The Synthetic Identity Fraud of Ken Cooley
Ken Cooley used synthetic identities to commit financial fraud, pairing legitimate addresses with fabricated social security numbers. His scheme was uncovered when discrepancies in the data were identified during a routine check by credit reporting agencies, leading to his arrest and conviction in 2013.
4. Multiple Data Sources
Individuals attempting to erase their presence may request data purchasers to correct or delete their personal information. However, public records services aggregate data from various sources, from utility bills to credit bureaus, making it nearly impossible to erase an entire profile. By cross-referencing data from multiple sources, these services can uncover even the most well-hidden details.
- Countermeasure: Utilize comprehensive public records databases that compile information from numerous sources, increasing the chances of finding accurate and complete records.
Case Study: The Capture of James “Whitey” Bulger
Notorious mobster James “Whitey” Bulger was on the run for 16 years. Despite his efforts to erase his presence, data from multiple sources, including utility bills and rental agreements, eventually led to his capture in Santa Monica in 2011.
5. Physical Residences
Those who wish to disappear might rent a personal mailbox (PMB) and use it as their address for official documents. This tactic aims to divert attention from their physical location. However, public records databases, which aggregate data from various sources, can still uncover a person’s physical address despite these efforts.
- Countermeasure: Investigate changes in address records, utility registrations, and property records to identify the individual’s physical location.
Case Study: The Hunt for Eric Robert Rudolph
Eric Robert Rudolph, the Olympic Park Bomber, used PMBs and fake addresses to avoid detection. However, public records and changes in utility registrations helped authorities narrow down his location, leading to his capture in North Carolina in 2003.
6. Voter Registration
Registering to vote exposes individuals to public records. In his book Extreme Privacy, Michael Bazzell warns that voter registration details are intricate to keep private. These records include names, social security numbers, dates of birth, and addresses, providing valuable information for searchers.
- Countermeasure: Access voter registration records to gather critical personal information that can be cross-referenced with other data sources.
Case Study: The Tracking of Lori Erica Ruff
Lori Erica Ruff, who had stolen another person’s identity, was tracked down through voter registration records. Investigators discovered discrepancies in her registration details, eventually leading to the revelation of her true identity after she died in 2010.
7. Motor Vehicle Records
Owning a vehicle leaves a significant paper trail. Motor vehicle records are publicly accessible and challenging to erase. Even if a person retitles their vehicle under a trust, the vehicle identification number (VIN) can still be traced back to them through public records databases.
- Countermeasure: Search motor vehicle records for ownership details, registration information, and VIN data to track down the individual.
Case Study: The Capture of Ted Kaczynski
Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, was traced through motor vehicle records, among other means. Despite living off the grid, vehicle registrations and other public records provided crucial information that led to his arrest in 1996.
8. Photo Metadata
Photos contain EXIF data, which includes information such as the date and time the photo was taken, the camera make and model, and sometimes even geolocation. By analyzing this metadata, searchers can establish patterns and track an individual’s movements.
- Countermeasure: Utilize EXIF viewers and mapping tools to extract and analyze metadata from online images, identifying patterns and locations.
Case Study: Ross Ulbricht and the Silk Road
The Silk Road marketplace’s creator, Ross Ulbricht, was partly identified and captured due to photo metadata. FBI agents found a photo on his social media that contained EXIF data revealing his location, contributing to his arrest in 2013.
9. Hobbies and Routines
A person’s hobbies and routines can be revealing. Skip tracers often use people’s passions to locate them. These details can reveal an individual’s whereabouts, whether it’s a fishing license or an airline pilot’s license. It’s challenging to abandon lifelong hobbies, making them a valuable resource for searchers.
- Countermeasure: To uncover their location and identify and investigate licenses, memberships, and other hobbies and interests records.
Case Study: The Capture of Randy Quaid
Actor Randy Quaid, who fled the U.S. to avoid legal issues, was known for his passion for acting. Despite his attempts to stay hidden, his involvement in small theatre productions and film projects in Canada provided leads that eventually led to authorities identifying his location.
10. Googling and Social Media Searches
Starting with Google, searchers can input all known information about an individual. Social media platforms like Facebook offer robust search tools to find people based on criteria such as name, location, and mutual friends. Even if individuals have no social media presence, their friends and family might inadvertently reveal crucial information.
- Countermeasure: Conduct thorough online searches using keywords, names, and related information. Explore social media platforms extensively to piece together the individual’s online presence.
Case Study: The Discovery of Jihadi John
Mohammed Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, was identified by investigative journalists through meticulous online searches and social media analysis. By piecing together information from various online sources, they revealed his identity and background.
Conclusion
At Amicus International Consulting, we understand the complexities of disappearing and creating new identities. Our team of experts provides the support and guidance needed to navigate this challenging process. If you’re considering vanishing from the digital world or need to find someone who has, contact us today for professional assistance.
Knowledge is power; tracking down even the most elusive individuals becomes possible with the right tools and strategies.
