Has anyone ever read a spy novel and realized how nice it would be to just take off one day, leave everything behind, and travel the world as a stranger? Taking in cultures, meeting new people, living the life of a spy--well sort of...you wouldn't have to kill anyone. You would just be some anonymous person roaming the world, financial sufficient, meeting people, dazzling women, whatever...the south of France, Instanbul, Amsterdam, etc.

So my question for this forum is: What would it take to do just this? Obviously, if one wanted to be truly anon, they would need a fake identity? Can these truly be bought/created or is this more the work of fiction? (BTW, this would be the only forseeable law that would have to be broken, well, and each successive time the ident was used...but for academic sake, can it be done?)

Money? Would need a lot....

Intelligence: speak multiple languages, understand culture, discipline not to blow all your money on that 5 star hotel in Venice...

Can it be done?

I don't ask because I am a criminal or have to run for any reason...Nothing is farther from the truth...I actually have a good life...but I read a lot...including fiction...and I am intrigued by the powers of being anonymous, roaming the world, exploring, learning, discovering, etc....in the true hacker spirit....of course, I would take my laptop along...with all the free access through out the world, I would need to get my fix every few days (or hours)...

Any thoughts?

Houdini312004

Spies don't really live that life. You watch too many Bond movies. Oh, and moved to Off Topic.

I've always kind of been interested in just leaving and becoming totally anonymous...to me it seems like a huge undertaking though

so look, being anonymous in a single country is one thing, but in many countries...that makes it much harder.

First of all consider the id you'll need...United States you'll need birth certificate, SS, Drivers License and anything else you can think of... now the fact is none of those are too difficult to get ahold of or to change if you know the right people or know what you're doing.

Now as for travelling, you have to have the balls and the knowledge to know how to get a fake passport or to get a legit one with fake info in it, and any kinds of papers you'll need for other countries. You'll probably need to know how to speak a few languages if you intend to spend any amount of time in foreign countries.

Lets consider transportation too, you could get a fake drivers license and you could acquire a car (I say acquire because the fact is you could steal one and repaint it and fake license plates are a must). I wouldn't plan on driving a fancy car though, the cheaper the car the less attention it draws. You'll also need fake license plates...without them you'd have to get insurance to register your vehicle. Now with a fake license plate, I'd personally invest in the best radar detectors and scramblers I could find. With fake docs and a fake plate getting pulled over could end your fun.

What are you going to do about money? Traveling can be expensive. In all honesty...you can steal most anything. Need gas? Get a siphoning system and a large gas can. Need food? It takes little thought to come up with the limitless places you can get food for um....your own special price. Plane tickets? I can't say I know enough about that, but I know there are a lot of sites that list tickets that you can get for cheap so the airline can fill the seats. The fact is you'll have to be packed and have a way of getting to the airport quick for those.

So you're opposed to stealing? Consider the all the illegal substances out there that people are dying to get their hands on. Even better...make your own money. Counter fitting, with all the new technology nothing could be easier.

I've just scratched the surface on all the things you need to think about. The fact is you could do it in a nearly legal way...get a good education and work hard most of your life living with only what you need to get by. Save your pennies and when you have the money just go travel anonymously.

you can never really disappear, trust me

money will only buy you distance, and distance will only get you more time....

that is exactly what im gonna do when i get out of school.get a job 4 a year or so and then travel the whole world.the way to do it wood b to do it legit. fly as little as possible and rent a motorbike every continent you get to.mug ppl at night if you need the money and just hane a backpack with a jacket, your docs and money.

I always trust you Crame.

Bent- sounds good man, because any job for a year would surely get you to another country. I know for sure that you wouldn't blow it on drugs and food and other stupid bullshit. Mugging people by night? Good luck not getting caught in some countries, and good luck not getting the [censored] beat out of you in the rest. And you said "legit?" Yeah, sounds pretty legit man. Too legit even.

The main reason something like this is appealing is the idea of "Sway" like in 25th Hour, mentioned by Imperial. Everyone thinks it's cool, and it's in every organized crime movie ever made, just we didn't know the name. It's beautiful.

More related to topic:

Start saving in mutuals as soon as you can. Keep saving and saving until you think you have enough to support you the rest of your life. I'm not sure about the rules for Roth IRAs, so it might not work if you leave the country. But invest in one and you get alot back at retirement age, this way you might have something if you run out before you die. Back to saving: When you go to do this, put it into an anonymous Swiss bank acct. I think there is some annual fee, but that won't be a problem.

I think by the time you will be able to do this right, you won't want to or won't be able to anymore. You might have a family or a career you like, or you just "grow out of it."

Yeah, like that Osueme character, right?

I know he's rich, but... he bought more time. AND lots of people are looking for him, right?

So... if nobody's looking for you... why can't you disappear?


Some relevant trivia: If you are going to be in Europe, I think you can get a driver's license that will be valid in all EU countries, an international license. This is also valid in the US.