OPSEC. Operattional Security

RickNva-.

Here is what I do: I paid cash for a burner that is a flip phone and then I just buy prepaid minutes from "tracfone" which is the prepaid provider. I pay cash for everything. You can get minutes lots of places.

If you want to be extra secure, you may consider buying phone / minutes from a corner store or place that has les rigorous protocols on maintaining security camera / CCTV footage. Most big stores retain as a matter of policy for 90 days. The rationale for buying from a place w limited CCTV storage is even if the phone number is traced back to a purchase, you want that footage of you to eventually disappear (and sooner the better). If you are extremely cautious you can wear a hat / COVID mask when you purchase, and / or purchase from a place you can access on foot (and aren't getting into a car w license plates tied to you for and the parking lot). I will admit that just buying in cash from a smaller store is probably secure enough, as I can't find marine a universe where LEO would be trying to find the identity of an unknown suspect buying a burner phone, but the always think better safe than sorry.

Once you have the phone, I would turn it off and not ever turn it on at your home. You don't want it pinging to towers near your home on any regular frequency (LEO can get tower data easily).

As for smartphone vs flip phone, I would get a smart phone if you want to use apps or websites. Just make sure you have a secure encrypted email (proton mail, etc) that you associate w all such logins and don't use that email for anything else.

Just my thoughts and. 02. I am sure others have ideas too.

Best of luck, BSOT, and Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays.

-Jack.

[QUOTE=RickNva;7140999]As I'm considering moving from MPs to providers, I want to get a burner phone.

Where are good places to buy one without the paperwork tying phone to me?

Are flip-phones better than smartphones?

Other tips or suggestions welcomed.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=RickNva;7140999]As I'm considering moving from MPs to providers, I want to get a burner phone.

Where are good places to buy one without the paperwork tying phone to me?

Are flip-phones better than smartphones?

Other tips or suggestions welcomed.[/QUOTE]You can get a prepaid phone using cash from any retailer like Walmart or Best Buy. I think even CVS sells them. Paperwork is only required if you're not doing prepaid.

Theoretically a flip phone could be more private because you don't have several different vendors trying to keep track of your internet usage. But the service provider would still have location texts and calls so I don't know that it's really much better. Any phone can be tracked since it has to connect to a cell tower. At least with a smart phone you can use encrypted messaging apps like Telegram or imessage when you have to text.

Can someone inbox me about the BEG bust? I keep seeing them referenced regularly. How did they get busted?

I have posted about this here, look up my past postings. Additionally, I would not use WiFi routinely. I do use the free wifi at fast food places periodically, to do software / app updates without burning the megabytes I have to pay for. I give them my fake email address that you sometimes must give to get access. I definitely do not use my home WIFI, or turn on the bluetooth on the phone. As others said, I do not have the phone on at my home. You can use a prepaid debit to buy minutes / megabytes on the TracFone website, that should be anonymous. You should use Google Voice or another texting app for an additional layer of security / flexibility. It also enables you to get onto a browser and see your texts. This is handy from home (provided your internet hygiene is as good).

[QUOTE=FarFarAway;7144048]I have posted about this here, look up my past postings. Additionally, I would not use WiFi routinely. I do use the free wifi at fast food places periodically, to do software / app updates without burning the megabytes I have to pay for. I give them my fake email address that you sometimes must give to get access. I definitely do not use my home WIFI, or turn on the bluetooth on the phone. As others said, I do not have the phone on at my home. You can use a prepaid debit to buy minutes / megabytes on the TracFone website, that should be anonymous. You should use Google Voice or another texting app for an additional layer of security / flexibility. It also enables you to get onto a browser and see your texts. This is handy from home (provided your internet hygiene is as good).[/QUOTE]The moment you use anything google, your opsec goes out of the window.

[QUOTE=CanaPunter;7144402]The moment you use anything google, your opsec goes out of the window.[/QUOTE]It is a question of what you are concerned about. Do you want to avoid getting busted for conspiracy to commit crimes, including the victimless crime of patronizing a prostitute? It is likely that if google has evidence of that and LE wants to use it, yes, you are in trouble. Elsewhere, there is a current large discussion about some guys in Seattle who did get convicted of promoting prostitution for their posts on this site. And that didn't have anything to do w Google.

However, if you are only concerned about keeping your real identity from some girl you are banging, to prevent her from extorting you, and keeping your SO from finding out, I am not too sure that there is a bigger risk using Android than Apple devices. There is that find my iPhone feature that puts the latter at risk. God forbid the SO knows about that. That is also why you leave OFF your wifi. If you are in the wilds, where you have no reason to be, and your phone is (automatically) trying to log into the WiFi at a no-tell hoe-tel, that record will be in Google's bowels somewhere. So you need to turn off wifi on BOTH your burner and your IRL phone.

[QUOTE=DownloadX;7055477]Local LE are super duper lazy, more than people realize. If you hand them everything they need, they'll do their job. Very few are going to spend more than a few minutes figuring it out unless their boss tells them. Several times I have had police knock on my door due to a neighbor's report. I ignored them. They left. They never returned.

This is why they do organized stings. It takes a crew of each person doing a simple job, getting the evidence they know they need, keeping it simple and repetitive. Half of those cases never even make it to court because the prosecutor's job is to pick strong cases and ignore the weaker ones.

A sting makes a strong case because the police are the witness. Not so when two consenting adults are in a room, then they need to do a lot more work to capture each element of proof. It's simply way more work.

This is taking local LE. Feds are the opposite, very thorough and meticulous. But they only handle trafficking cases since prostitution is not a federal crime. In the Boston 10 case the Feds handed over their evidence to local LE in Massachusetts and Virginia, holding a press conference saying they cannot pursue those cases themselves. Massachusetts took the evidence, Virginia however refused. It was too much work for them, that's how lazy they are. We are talking video surveillance the Feds did, plus text messages. Not "client lists". Client lists are not proof of a crime. They are worthless in a local prostitution case because you need more evidence, which means a lot more work to get that. They are not like the Feds.

So it goes both ways. We have a case where Feds have detailed evidence and security footage of clients entering the brothel and their name and ID, even text messages, but Virginia was like "that's still too much work" and didn't pursue. Whereas Massachusets did. Once again LE does not want client lists, that is not enough. If they were going by that, it would be thousands of clients over multiple locations. Not 28 people for years of business.[/QUOTE]What about photo I'd's. Don't agency have those.

The oddest thing has occurred w / my Google Voice number. I have used the same # for many years. A POT tried to call me the other day and the call got short-circuited. She ends up talking to some guy Steve, not me, and it flips her out. I start having several women I am messaging with report similar things.

I run GV on my burner phone. I have rarely used the actual burner #. So I used the burner to call my GV #. It goes to voicemail, I leave 'Steve' a message, somewhat explaining the issue. He phones me back later. Very odd to be getting a call on the burner number from my GV #. We speak briefly. He tells me he has a 'government' mobile phone with that number, he has had it for a couple of months. He 'kindly' offers to tell callers that they should contact me a different way. My attitude was that he has stolen my GV # and he has to stop using it. When I said this, he got pissed off and hang up on me.

I have gone through the help service on Google to try to get this sorted out. It amazes me that a number that Google has been supporting for many years could be given out to someone else. The weird thing. I am still getting texts to my number, he seems to be getting actual calls. If this changes, I am screwed. I have certainly contemplated just getting a new GV #. This is a pretty easy task that can be done online. However, I would then need to go back through my contacts and have everyone switch to the new #. A pain for them and for me. And I would lose all the old history of my contact w / a number. I have been on sugar dating sites a long time, sometimes contact gets broken for whatever reason. A year or two later, I come back on the site, I get in touch w / a profile, and once they give me their cell #, it turns out I messaged them a bunch before. I can see all that, it is helpful for me (I usually don't remind them of this).

I also sometimes get long-ago contacts wanting to get together again, it is great to see these texts in the inbox.

I got my flip phone burner, but going to switch it for a smart burner to get some apps, ad after reading some very helpful info in this thread I believe I got all I need to be safe. I saw that someone mentioned to find a photo of someone that looks like me as an extra form of security, so my question is would it work if I use AI app to alter my face shape, eyes, nose etc.

Thanks.

Anyone try a prepaid Ezzocard for anonymous online transactions such as seeking's monthly fee or to send money to a sugar baby via CashApp?

According to their website [URL]ezzocard.com[/URL] you can buy the prepaid cards anonymously using crypto. And you can register them using any name and US address. You can load as much as a g on them.

Having to buy Blackhawk Visa cards at Home Depot and load them with cash is annoying and inconvenient. Looking for a better solution.

[QUOTE=BroadwayJay;7164253]Anyone try a prepaid Ezzocard for anonymous online transactions such as seeking's monthly fee or to send money to a sugar baby via CashApp?

According to their website [URL]ezzocard.com[/URL] you can buy the prepaid cards anonymously using crypto. And you can register them using any name and US address. You can load as much as a g on them.

Having to buy Blackhawk Visa cards at Home Depot and load them with cash is annoying and inconvenient. Looking for a better solution.[/QUOTE]Crypto is way more inconvenient. There are lots of Home Depots around. How many Crypto ATMs?

[QUOTE=Sal9969;7158257]I got my flip phone burner, but going to switch it for a smart burner to get some apps, ad after reading some very helpful info in this thread I believe I got all I need to be safe. I saw that someone mentioned to find a photo of someone that looks like me as an extra form of security, so my question is would it work if I use AI app to alter my face shape, eyes, nose etc.

Thanks.[/QUOTE]Go make a fake female account on a dating site like Match, etc and then scroll through dudes' profiles somewhere out of state and try to find one that looks similar to you. I have used this method for a long time to create a couple of fake profiles on LinkedIn and other social media sites in order to create a backstop when using it to monger or for casual hookups.

[QUOTE=Serpico99;7164545]Go make a fake female account on a dating site like Match, etc and then scroll through dudes' profiles somewhere out of state and try to find one that looks similar to you. I have used this method for a long time to create a couple of fake profiles on LinkedIn and other social media sites in order to create a backstop when using it to monger or for casual hookups.[/QUOTE]Better, use a facial rec site w / your real photo. Once they find you, ask them to exclude you from search results. Then take some of the pix of the guys they found who are close to you and use them as doppelgängers.

[QUOTE=FarFarAway;7164697]Better, use a facial rec site w / your real photo. Once they find you, ask them to exclude you from search results. Then take some of the pix of the guys they found who are close to you and use them as doppelgngers.[/QUOTE]This but just be sure to reverse check the photo you select to make sure your real pics don't show up in the results.

[QUOTE=BroadwayJay;7164253]Having to buy Blackhawk Visa cards at Home Depot and load them with cash is annoying and inconvenient. Looking for a better solution.[/QUOTE]Other than maybe Monero, crypto's have a ledger recording every transaction on the block chains, so are not as anonymous as folks think.

Lou.

I got a burner from TracFone I posted about earlier. I needed a new IRL phone, and ended up getting exactly the same model, Galaxy A15. I figure this works for me. I am always worried about a burner being found, so long as I never have both together, it is very hard to which is which.

Setting up a new Android phone was scary. I had to go through a bunch of apps and opt out of all sorts of privacy-robbing access they wanted to other things on my phone. Yes, IK that reduces their functionality, but it also reduces the ability that Google is able to invade my privacy. One in particular that freaked me out, the phone wanted the right to look for other devices in proximity (such as my burner phone) to connect to.

I turned off as many of those things as I could. I have posted earlier never to have WiFi on your IRL phone when you are someplace you wouldn't want to be known. It was apparent that all of these things, and location services in particular for apps, could reveal the same. Never never never.

I use to use a burner phone, but switched to a burner app a couple years ago so I would not have to carry around a second phone. Now I have a phone that supports multiple eSIMs. Has anyone used this? Any recommendations?

I saw this on the AR site. Not sure where but found this interesting and I wonder if the monger's future ex may have been on to him and had a PI snoop around. [URL]https://a*********.net/index.php?threads/getting-doxed-by-provider.258181/[/URL].

[QUOTE=DarkRai2;7197293]I saw this on the AR site. Not sure where but found this interesting and I wonder if the monger's future ex may have been on to him and had a PI snoop around.[/QUOTE]Link does not work.

[QUOTE=SlyFrog;7197172]I use to use a burner phone, but switched to a burner app a couple years ago so I would not have to carry around a second phone. Now I have a phone that supports multiple eSIMs. Has anyone used this? Any recommendations?[/QUOTE]Having two sims on the same phone has its pros and cons. If you want to truly segment personal and hobby life, this doesn't quite get you there. Some folks suggest a burner phone with an esim that is only turned on away from home when hobbying. You can achieve this with a secondary esim on your personal device, but remember that it has all your apps and other information still on the device from your primary use.

Also, you need to be careful to toggle the sims off when not using. Its easy to accidentally send a message from the wrong sim to someone. Weigh what works for you and whether you have the discipline to work with two sims on the same device.

Thank you. This is great information.

I think I will stick with a burner app for now.

[QUOTE=Dm311;7199794]Having two sims on the same phone has its pros and cons. If you want to truly segment personal and hobby life, this doesn't quite get you there. Some folks suggest a burner phone with an esim that is only turned on away from home when hobbying. You can achieve this with a secondary esim on your personal device, but remember that it has all your apps and other information still on the device from your primary use.

Also, you need to be careful to toggle the sims off when not using. Its easy to accidentally send a message from the wrong sim to someone. Weigh what works for you and whether you have the discipline to work with two sims on the same device.[/QUOTE]

I was FCing w / a SB in a hotel she booked. I thought I would get her to tell me about her fantasies and find them on a porn site to show her, to get her going.

I brought my regular laptop to the hotel. I turned on WiFi and started to connect. Even though it was a down-market brand, I realized then that it was part of the Marriott group, because the name came up on my WiFi. I just stayed in a Marriott last weekend on a pleasure trip, and my WiFi perked right up when it saw it could connect to a Marriott local network. I suddenly feared Marriott might connect me to my IRL identity being in that hotel. I didn't want that to happen so I killed my WiFi. Do you think this will come back to haunt me? Is Marriott now going to be spamming me for the hotel my SB booked?

In a bigger question, what if any way should we be using WiFi when we are in no-tell hotels? Is there a for sure safe way to do so?

[QUOTE=FarFarAway;7202700]

In a bigger question, what if any way should we be using WiFi when we are in no-tell hotels? Is there a for sure safe way to do so?[/QUOTE]Nope, no "sure fire safe way". All wifi can be tracked to an extent. But so can the cellular in your phone, so. *shrugs*.

Lou.

[QUOTE=Proflou2019;7203025]Nope, no "sure fire safe way". All wifi can be tracked to an extent. But so can the cellular in your phone, so. .[/QUOTE]If you have a blanket hotel wifi password you are OK.

If you login with your username and room number, they got you.

Anyone had any success, or other experiences with Mint Mobile as an alternate phone?

Thanks,

Q.

[QUOTE=Proflou2019;7203025]Nope, no "sure fire safe way". All wifi can be tracked to an extent. But so can the cellular in your phone, so. *shrugs*.

Lou.[/QUOTE]Whenever I'm in a hotel, mongering or not, I always use a VPN before logging in. Again, not foolproof, but better than nothing.

[QUOTE=SonChi;7203613]If you have a blanket hotel wifi password you are OK.

If you login with your username and room number, they got you.[/QUOTE]Do you mean like, I get WIFI free at Hilton? But that is based on them recognizing me as one of their frequent travelers. So they know it is me from my computer. Like cookies. How would that be safe? I mean Hilton doesn't have motivation to out me to my warden, but they could do it inadvertently.

[QUOTE=FarFarAway;7204341]Do you mean like, I get WIFI free at Hilton? But that is based on them recognizing me as one of their frequent travelers. So they know it is me from my computer. Like cookies. How would that be safe? I mean Hilton doesn't have motivation to out me to my warden, but they could do it inadvertently.[/QUOTE]I Assume yes if log-in with your name and room # and or if you are Honors or Bonvoy member. Most hotel chains have "free public wifi" with very limited bandwidth and have the ability to block VPN's due to security concerns. This doesn't have anything to do with Opsec but some hotels chains even block HDMI ports on TV's; I found that out at a Hilton when I plugged my Amazon firestick in to watch Thursday night football.

[QUOTE=SonChi;7203613]If you have a blanket hotel wifi password you are OK.

If you login with your username and room number, they got you.[/QUOTE]Not how it works. Every physical device that connects to a WiFi has a unique hardware descriptor. I guarantee you in these managed systems like hotels use, EVERY device that connects is logged, and where you go while connected is tracked.

Same with the WiFi at Mickey D's, Starbucks, the mall, whatever.

Lou.

[QUOTE=FarFarAway;7204341]Do you mean like, I get WIFI free at Hilton? But that is based on them recognizing me as one of their frequent travelers. So they know it is me from my computer. Like cookies. How would that be safe? I mean Hilton doesn't have motivation to out me to my warden, but they could do it inadvertently.[/QUOTE]Yeah, Hilton has zero interest in outing you, but that's not really the point. If you're otherwise outed, your devices CAN be inspected and logs subpoenaed from owners of WiFi's you used to further whatever investigation may be happening.

Lou.

T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and a host of other mobile providers (Metro PCS, etc.) offer 5 G internet gateways designed to be used as your primary home internet service. They all have SIM cards and connect via the mobile network. My unit is small enough that it fits in a carry-on and I've traveled with it on multiple occasions. I've seen articles claiming that, once they're activated at your home address, they're geographically restricted. Can't speak for others but mine has worked perfectly all across the country. I plug in the unit and have a much faster connection than the hotel Wi-fi and it completely bypasses the hotel's network, equipment, and logs.

Additionally, I always use a VPN whenever I do anything online. I know nothing is 100% secure, but at least I've cut the hotel completely out of the loop.

[QUOTE=Proflou2019;7205636]Not how it works. Every physical device that connects to a WiFi has a unique hardware descriptor. I guarantee you in these managed systems like hotels use, EVERY device that connects is logged, and where you go while connected is tracked.

Same with the WiFi at Mickey D's, Starbucks, the mall, whatever.

Lou.[/QUOTE]A MAC address. These can be spoofed. I have a little piece of software that does it on my mac.

There is a very popular notel in the west end of Tyson's across from my favorite 911 car dealer.

This hotel is getting very run down, looks bad. Rooms are dirty and outdated.

First off. Saw Karen there from ff, go into the room and the maid is cleaning the room, I'm like WTF? She translates it's ok and tips the maid.

So much for discretion.

Saw civi, room confusion, trash blowing around, I see condom boxes swirling in the wind outside the room.

Call me old fashioned but I prefer the illusion of discretion.

That location is overused, situational awareness at all times, head on a swivel.

[QUOTE=FarFarAway;7209012]A MAC address. These can be spoofed. I have a little piece of software that does it on my mac.[/QUOTE]Tails is another option.

[URL]https://tails.net/[/URL]

I have a photo of a POT that facecheck traces to an Instagram account. I can't locate the actual account however. And I won't pay facecheck's exorbitant fee. I could provide the photo to anyone who can help me out to get to that Instagram. This sugar baby POT is a ballet dancer, I'm supposed to FC w / her tomorrow.

Also, let's revive this thread.

[QUOTE=FarFarAway;7328631]I have a photo of a POT that facecheck traces to an Instagram account. I can't locate the actual account however. And I won't pay facecheck's exorbitant fee. I could provide the photo to anyone who can help me out to get to that Instagram. This sugar baby POT is a ballet dancer, I'm supposed to FC w / her tomorrow.

Also, let's revive this thread.[/QUOTE]Have you tried [URL]https://www.duplichecker.com/reverse-image-search.php?[/URL].

[QUOTE=BuckshotWatson;7330440]Have you tried [URL]https://www.duplichecker.com/reverse-image-search.php?[/URL].[/QUOTE]I did. But that site isn't free. It would be ideal to find something free or cheap. I was hoping someone might volunteer who had access.

I have solid practices, and mostly haven't had any trouble. I am in a large west coast metro area, and have figured the big population provides me some safety. There are just a large amount of people here, most who have nothing to do w / the dating sites I am on. However, I had two recent incidents that gave me that 'OMG' feeling. I need to be UTR, as I have a SO.

I was meeting a POT for coffee, a M&G. She unfortunately is very striking and was dressed very provocatively, tight short dress, big boobs on display. We take a seat at an outside table, I look across the plaza, and there is a couple from my development. Good friends, but thankfully engaged w / a number of other people. Maybe they didn't see us. I explained to the gal, and after a discreet amount of time, I exited a different route so I didn't have to walk past them.

Even weirder. I was going to a hotel to meet a sugar baby, who had booked a room. I am about to walk in the front door, and a woman was coming out who 'reminded' me of the wife of my spouse's uncle. However, they live on the east coast. Then, someone very much like the uncle walks out. I just keep on walking and go around the corner of the building so they can't see me. I hunker down and wait a long time for them to disperse. I later hear through the family grapevine that these actual people were in the state at that time. I have no idea why there were in my area, and it was the absolute worst luck that they happened to not only be in the same hotel as my SB, but the timing was such that we bumped into one another. One possibility why this 'bump' hasn't been mentioned. The uncle was known to step out on occasion, perhaps it wasn't his wife.

[QUOTE=FarFarAway;7328631]I have a photo of a POT that facecheck traces to an Instagram account. I can't locate the actual account however. And I won't pay facecheck's exorbitant fee. I could provide the photo to anyone who can help me out to get to that Instagram. This sugar baby POT is a ballet dancer, I'm supposed to FC w / her tomorrow.

Also, let's revive this thread.[/QUOTE]Have you tried Tineye?

More ladies on the low-end are requiring FaceTime (or the Android equivalent) verification. Sometimes they're up front and post it in the ad, but others will spring it on you during the set up. Unless you have a safe burner that is not tied to your name then this is dangerous as it requires you to give out your real number.

I offer to send a "live pic" where I can put on a hat and sunglasses. That worked once. Or use snapchat.

I understand the high-end ladies doing this, but for the Landmark Latinas this is a bit much.