OPSEC. Operattional Security

[QUOTE=GoRedSkins;7385420]Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but here goes.

Visited an AMP that I have been to many times. About 10-20 minutes into massage, there's subtle knocking on the door which is unusual, then girls phone beeps signaling text received. After reading the text, she flips out, puts her robe back on, and tells me to hop up and get dressed. Confused, I ask her why. "Police" she says. I toss on my shorts and lay back face down. She covers me with a towel and continues massaging though I can tell she's nervous. In the distance I hear radio chatter that could be PD or FD communications. Eventually she leaves the room and says to stay here. After about 10 minutes she says they're leaving, then asks if I want extras LOL. I decline, and nervously GTFO, but noticed no PD or anything out of the ordinary outside. From her broken English all I could understand is that something happened, and they popped in to ask a couple of questions, then left. It definitely spooked the mamasan and employees.

Not sure what I would've done if cops came in and asked me questions. I feel like they were just caught in the crossfire of unrelated PD activity and there's nothing to worry about. However, should I avoid this place for a while in case they might have popped up on the radar of the PD?[/QUOTE]Something very similar to this happened to me years ago. I documented this somewhere in the massage thread. There were loud knocks on the door saying health inspection health inspection They ask me questions. One of them said something to the effect of "you didn't just pick this Place why are you here. " I said I was feeling sore and just got a massage. They didn't do anything though. Eventually the left. But that was the end of me going to AMPs. I started going Indies from then that point forward.

[QUOTE=Skooby;7392518]Something very similar to this happened to me years ago. I documented this somewhere in the massage thread. There were loud knocks on the door saying health inspection health inspection They ask me questions. One of them said something to the effect of "you didn't just pick this Place why are you here. " I said I was feeling sore and just got a massage. They didn't do anything though. Eventually the left. But that was the end of me going to AMPs. I started going Indies from then that point forward.[/QUOTE]At this point I think Indies might be the best bet. A couple weeks after that incident, the place shut down for "personal reasons" but apparently have recently opened back up in the same spot. I'd be nervous to return in case they're under some sort of surveillance. Sometimes I wonder if the individual forums themselves are being looked at by the local PDs. I would guess it's likely.

[QUOTE=GoRedSkins;7405034]At this point I think Indies might be the best bet. A couple weeks after that incident, the place shut down for "personal reasons" but apparently have recently opened back up in the same spot. I'd be nervous to return in case they're under some sort of surveillance. Sometimes I wonder if the individual forums themselves are being looked at by the local PDs. I would guess it's likely.[/QUOTE]I wonder that too.

The reports on this forum are very useful obviously but everyone has to perform their own due diligence.

Anyone have anything new on facial recognition sites? Both ones we can use to get information about, say, sugarbabies we are talking with, or those we need to be aware of and get our IRL photos taken out of the results listings. So girls can't find out our real identities. I just know of [URL]pimeyes.com[/URL] and facecheck. I'd.

Just throwing it out there that there are many more AMPs in the DMV that there are LE resources to police. If you think of all the incidents reported in the media over the past few years, it's still just a drop in the bucket when compared to the total number of massage shops. Which means that it's a crapshoot, with low odds, that any specific monger will be visiting any specific AMP on the specific day (and time) when LE raids the place. Notice that I said LE, not Health Dept, because only LE is worth worrying about from the client side of things. AMP owners may need to worry about Health Dept issues, but not mongers.

That being said, low odds isn't the same as zero, so there are still reasonable and prudent steps that can be taken. For example, if the Mamasan or masseuse ushers me to the room closest to the entrance, I politely ask for a room further to the rear. I've been in an AMP during an LE visit and even an extra few seconds helps when you want to throw a towel over yourself. And the towel should always be close at hand, no matter what stage of massage or extras you're in. Also, while there are no guarantees, there definitely are times when an LE visit is less likely. If you think about it, the patrol function for LE runs 24/7, but many LE functions (like court and Dist Atty's office) tend to operate during normal business hours. So, if LE is planning a legit raid on an AMP, they're more likely to do it during the week and during the normal business day. They don't know exactly what they'll encounter and, if they stumble upon someone with a warrant, or drugs, or any other unexpected scenario, it's easier to deal with than it would be after hours or on the weekend. There's a fair amount of logistics involved, including stuff you don't usually think about like having enough female officers to do the body searches for any women detained or arrested. And also having someone fluent in the language used by the masseuses. The main point is that there's little to no upside to conduct such an operation at odd hours.

As far as surveillance is concerned, that can be happening and there'd be no way for either the client or the AMP to know. One or more cameras could be placed anywhere and would be more cost effective than officers or agents in an unmarked car. If that's a concern, one piece of advice that's been posted many times is to park somewhere around the block, or otherwise not in the same field of view as the AMP, and walk to the door. If you're concerned about your face being on camera, wearing sunglasses and one of those cheap paper face masks (remember COVID?) should put those concerns to rest.

Probably the biggest concern for any monger should be how they might handle being stopped and questioned by LE, either inside the AMP or when leaving. If that happens, it's highly likely they'll pull out all their intimidation tactics (Does your wife know you're here? Does your boss? What if we call them?) and every monger would be smart to make a plan in advance for any such scenarios. As we saw in the Boston agency bust, some unprepared mongers will fold like a cheap lawn chair. Again, the odds are already in your favor, but you can increase your edge even more with a little forethought and preparation.

Stay safe and happy hunting!

P.S. I posted this article in the News and Media forum, but also relevant here as it might be part of a good safety plan to invest in a Faraday bag for your phone.

[URL]https://archive.ph/2NGXH[/URL]

It's my understanding that it works as an encrypted phone-within-a-phone, with the ability to set it up under a completely different profile. I know Pixel phones have it, not sure about other brands. Plenty of "how to" articles for regular uses, but obviously nothing with a mongering focus. It would really be interesting to hear from a forum member who is using it. Here's one of the generic articles: [URL]https://neveropen.tech/the-single-best-pixel-feature-that-turned-me-into-a-power-user/[/URL].

[QUOTE=FarFarAway;7411175]Anyone have anything new on facial recognition sites? Both ones we can use to get information about, say, sugarbabies we are talking with, or those we need to be aware of and get our IRL photos taken out of the results listings. So girls can't find out our real identities. I just know of [URL]pimeyes.com[/URL] and facecheck. I'd.[/QUOTE]I saw posted elsewhere a site that seems to be new.

[URL]http://lenso.ai[/URL]

I tried to find myself on there using the pic I send to POTs on sugar dating sites. I didn't get a hit. IDK how to think of this. Someone should get a membership, see if it is worth it or a threat.

Paying for illicit services (email, website membership, hotel rooms, ED drugs, dating services, etc.) is a challenge for many, and has gotten worse seemingly. Lots of pay mechanisms I guess must be careful about financial fraud these days, and the steps they take to cut down on that make it hard for mongers to pay for stuff without giving up personal information. I have a challenge paying for my sugar email, my alter ego [URL]seeking.com[/URL] membership, etc.

I am wondering if anyone has any updated info / approaches to this? Are any of the apps like PayPal, etc. , useful? How about Google Pay, Apple Pay, etc. ? Is there anything new coming to move this even more troublesome, or easier?

I have a SO and can never use my real name / for any of this.

I was browsing YouTube the other day and found this video discussing Flock automated license plate reader cameras. Flock sells an AI platform for law enforcement known as Flock NOVA (not specific to Northern Virginia). This program is sold with the tagline, "Search Once, See Everything. "

The video is here.

[URL]https://youtu.be/o_gVnx_wOHA?si=xz0kuNfcna8bGBj4[/URL]

To cut to the chase, Flock NOVA aggregates tons of data based on your license plate and name and other personal data. The video author shows several screens of code in the Flock NOVA software which query various websites for information about YOU. The screen at 9:38 caught my eye. It lists the various adult entertainment websites Flock NOVA queries. Take a look, I bet some look familiar. One that is very familiar is [URL]http://usasexguide.nl[/URL].

So, imagine, you're pulled over by a cop, he runs your tags, and Barney Fife discovers not only your name, but the adult websites you've visited.

I'm not a security expert, just an honest man who dabbles in this hobby, but doesn't want to see anyone get hurt. My SO is unaware of my activities, and I exercise an appropriate level of OPSEC for my situation. But this really wigged me out. Thought you all should know.

My friends, "1984" is here and worse than any of us thought. Stay safe.

I don't claim to be an expert, but I have been doing this for a while. Posting this as a conversation starter for mongers to share techniques that work for them. The great thing about this forum is the ability to share helpful information. I'll go first:

1. Burner phone or really good burner app.

2. Hobby email that's resistant to LEO's prying eyes. I use [URL]protonmail.com[/URL] (aka proton (dot) me). They're based in Switzerland and also encrypt everything. They also throw in a pretty good VPN for free. I use their email as a repository for all my hobby-related info. I put phone numbers, links, session notes, and anything else in draft messages that are never sent. I rarely lose track of my ATF providers because I've saved their contact info.

3. As much as I can control, nothing stays on my device. If LE sees that I'm visiting protonmail, or using their VPN, they can have fun trying to get my info from Switzerland.

4. No matter the contact method, I NEVER engage in any explicit conversation. I want to know the price for a certain amount of time for their company, that's it! If a provider volunteers explicit info "X dollars for BBBJ" or "X dollars for FS," I politely reply that I'm just looking for massage, or a cuddle, and we can discuss details in person. Some won't take the hint so, in the interests of safety and OPSEC, I move on.

5. I never specify where I saw their ad. I just say web or internet. That way I'm not creating an association with an ad that may have explicit info. If the provider asks specifically I just say I've been browsing so much I lost track.

6. I never use biometrics for ANYTHING! Not fingerprints, not facial recognition, nada. There are court decisions in which it was decided that biometrics do NOT have an expectation of privacy, but both PINs and passwords are protected and you can't be forced to reveal them. For sure they can try to pressure and coerce you, but they can't legally force you.

7. I NEVER give out my personal info (PII) no Zoom, no Facetime, etc. There's no piece of tail that's worth the risk. The internet is forever and you lose control over anything you send. You can talk about low odds and probabilities all you want, it only takes once to ruin your life. IME, there are plenty of indies who you can either see directly or work out a less intrusive verification system.

8. Hopefully mongers have the discipline to use their burner phone or app for everything related to the hobby. For the times you forget, at least have your phone set up so it's not uploading personal shit to the cloud. I'm an Android user, so I can't speak to iOS. But here are a couple of useful resources:

[URL]https://sourceforge.net/projects/universal-android-deb.mirror/[/URL]

[URL]https://yout-ube.com/watch?v=z52_v0RFKp8[/URL]

[URL]https://netguard.me/[/URL] (no root app internet access blocker).

[URL]https://net-blocker-block-internet-per-app.en.softonic.com/android[/URL] (similar to netguard).

That's all that comes to mind at the moment. Throwing it out there for the forum.

P.S. There's also a private folder on Android 16 that acts as a secure virtual machine. I'm just starting to explore that feature.

I too use Proton Mail for my hobby email. This email account (unpaid. No paper trail) includes some minimal space on Proton Drive. Rather than write draft emails to myself, I store hobby info such as contact numbers, pictures, logs et cetera in my Proton Drive account.

For my Proton account (Mail and Drive. Both accessible through one Username and Password), I use a Username and Password that isn't written down ANYWHERE. As I'm getting up in years, should I unexpectedly pass, all Proton data is erased after 2 years of account activity.

[QUOTE=JmSuttr;7508345]
2. Hobby email that's resistant to LEO's prying eyes. I use [URL]protonmail.com[/URL] (aka proton (dot) me). They're based in Switzerland and also encrypt everything. They also throw in a pretty good VPN for free. I use their email as a repository for all my hobby-related info. I put phone numbers, links, session notes, and anything else in draft messages that are never sent. I rarely lose track of my ATF providers because I've saved their contact info.[/QUOTE]

I just got a new car. A major German maker. It has an app that is pretty much required to use all the features, including navigation, that is essential to my commuting. The app constantly monitors vehicle location. I am sure there is some sort of electronic record of this. So how do I drive this car to any place I might meet someone for play? I am specifically seeking knowledge from folks who have deactivated a function in their car info system and / or their app to get this discretion. Otherwise, this is a very serious vulnerability.

[URL]https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/personal-information/how-to-stop-your-car-from-collecting-sharing-driving-data-a1233378612/[/URL]

[URL]https://vehicleprivacyreport.com/[/URL]

[URL]https://privacy4cars.com/[/URL]

I've done some research on this issue and, to make a long story short, most car manufacturers have embedded the telemetry features so deeply into their on-board systems that it's nearly impossible to fully remove them. Even if you opt out, that may only mean that they continue collecting your data but simply don't sell or share it.

There are "how to" videos for some car brands and models, and I'm sure there are mechanics who have the required expertise. They understandably may not want to advertise that service. It's a real crapshoot out there. Whoever comes up with a reliable and affordable blocking system will make a ton of money!

If most of us were aware of the technologies currently in use we wouldn't be doing this any longer, or pretty much anything for that matter. The surveiling of everyone is totally out of control. Anyone thinking every footprint they make at home or away from home isn't stored is lying to themselves. Let me ask two simple questions, then I'll reply with examples to refute anyone who thinks their slick enough to pull either off. How does one aquire a burner phone and use it anonymously without any connection to oneself? Lastly, how can anyone possibly visit any provider without leaving a trail that they were there? We're all kidding ourselves!

[QUOTE=VaPlay;7509743]If most of us were aware of the technologies currently in use we wouldn't be doing this any longer, or pretty much anything for that matter. The surveiling of everyone is totally out of control. Anyone thinking every footprint they make at home or away from home isn't stored is lying to themselves. Let me ask two simple questions, then I'll reply with examples to refute anyone who thinks their slick enough to pull either off. How does one aquire a burner phone and use it anonymously without any connection to oneself? Lastly, how can anyone possibly visit any provider without leaving a trail that they were there? We're all kidding ourselves![/QUOTE]Well my crackphone was bought with cash, the refill cards are the same. Registered it on a burner email. So doubt they will want to spend a lot of manhours trying to track a phone used for this hobby. Now if it were a homicide investigation sure. But with such low hanging fruit out there that requires little effort to make a bust you know which way they will go.