Theoretically: How would you disappear?
Discussion
Got talking to a friend this evening and one of our common acquaintances recently just didn't come home one day after work and has never been heard from since. It's been nearly 6 months and his parents hired a private investigator back in February to track him down who found him and made contact but he refuses to get in contact and doesn't want his whereabouts known. His parents are just happy to know he is alive and well somewhere!
So ignoring the why and other complicated stuff how would you up and leave your life behind if you were of that mindset? How do you take funds with you? How do you build a new life without ID, references, backstory etc? I can't think of a sound way to do it without people being able to track you down!
So ignoring the why and other complicated stuff how would you up and leave your life behind if you were of that mindset? How do you take funds with you? How do you build a new life without ID, references, backstory etc? I can't think of a sound way to do it without people being able to track you down!
Been thinking about this, but more an attempt to win one if those tv ' cant catch me ' type progs... i think it could be quite easy, but would need a bit of forward planning.. the first step would be to drop the tv crew that follow you.
Not sure if there are any restrictions but the one i watched was too contrived by the chasers with immeadiate access to cctv systems and atm transactions.
I would love to have a crack at it...and once i have dropped the followers think that i could have an easy time for the four? weeks. hiding in open view so to speak... set up costs about 1500 or even less if you decide to skimp a bit and they would be chasing shadows.
Not sure if there are any restrictions but the one i watched was too contrived by the chasers with immeadiate access to cctv systems and atm transactions.
I would love to have a crack at it...and once i have dropped the followers think that i could have an easy time for the four? weeks. hiding in open view so to speak... set up costs about 1500 or even less if you decide to skimp a bit and they would be chasing shadows.
aterribleusername said:
Got talking to a friend this evening and one of our common acquaintances recently just didn't come home one day after work and has never been heard from since. It's been nearly 6 months and his parents hired a private investigator back in February to track him down who found him and made contact but he refuses to get in contact and doesn't want his whereabouts known. His parents are just happy to know he is alive and well somewhere!
So ignoring the why and other complicated stuff how would you up and leave your life behind if you were of that mindset? How do you take funds with you? How do you build a new life without ID, references, backstory etc? I can't think of a sound way to do it without people being able to track you down!
It's probably quite a common fantasy of lots of people to just up sticks, disappear and start a new life somewhere else. A completely blank slate. The reality is, like your friend described, that it's pretty hard, unless you take huge amounts of cash from your account and live off cash for the rest of your life - pretty hard in this country. So ignoring the why and other complicated stuff how would you up and leave your life behind if you were of that mindset? How do you take funds with you? How do you build a new life without ID, references, backstory etc? I can't think of a sound way to do it without people being able to track you down!
If you're going to disappear in the UK you're going to need some form of ID to open an account, join a GP surgery and rent somewhere to live. You could go the whole hog and steal a dead person's ID and start building up a completely new identity that way but that's going to extremes, not to mention rather illegal. Generally, people (and I'm talking adults here) who go missing like your friend's friend, can be traced with a bit of effort from investigators but they just tell people to go away if they don't want any more contact.
If you really wanted to disappear with a lower chance of being detected I guess you could take your cash, smuggle it into a completely different country, exchange it for local currency and live in a beach hut for the rest of your life where your cash might last you longer. I'm sure many people have done that over the years and started a new life quite happily. It's probably easier doing that in a less developed country where fewer questions would be asked. It's probably not going to work in Switzerland or Germany, but you might have a slightly better chance in Senegal or Togo.
Surely it depends if you’re leaving friends & family, or the authorities?
The former, like the OP’s case, just up and go away. You can take your money with you, as banks etc shouldn’t disclose account activity to a third party. Without any evidence of a crime the police won’t put much effort into a “missing person”. You could change name by seed poll to obfuscate any enquiries.
Hiding from the authorities, much harder long term.
The former, like the OP’s case, just up and go away. You can take your money with you, as banks etc shouldn’t disclose account activity to a third party. Without any evidence of a crime the police won’t put much effort into a “missing person”. You could change name by seed poll to obfuscate any enquiries.
Hiding from the authorities, much harder long term.
If you've got time to pre plan it. Start with pay as you go iPad and phone bought with cash and registered under someone else's name.
A few months prior withdraw half your cash and transer some into bitcoin wallet. Used the bitcoin wallet to buy new passport and id.
Leave the country via an untracked means think boats from France in reverse, the difficult bit is avoiding CCTV if you expect to be tracked as a missing person.
Once in France fly onto the next country. Say thailand for example where your money will go far. If you've left with a good amount of money use new identity to set up bank accounts/investments to live off.
I'm sure it'd be more complicated that that if you wanted to drop off face of earth but I do know of someone who'd done it for a few years they weren't particularly trying to do the above more just not contacting family anymore so they was found with a little bit of effort,
A few months prior withdraw half your cash and transer some into bitcoin wallet. Used the bitcoin wallet to buy new passport and id.
Leave the country via an untracked means think boats from France in reverse, the difficult bit is avoiding CCTV if you expect to be tracked as a missing person.
Once in France fly onto the next country. Say thailand for example where your money will go far. If you've left with a good amount of money use new identity to set up bank accounts/investments to live off.
I'm sure it'd be more complicated that that if you wanted to drop off face of earth but I do know of someone who'd done it for a few years they weren't particularly trying to do the above more just not contacting family anymore so they was found with a little bit of effort,
Way back in the late 80's when i was drinking too much and getting involved with stuff I shouldn't have been involved with I did a disappearing act, changed my job, moved house and phone number. Not seen anyone from that past life since, stopped drinking too much as well. It was easy, and I only moved 2 miles up the road. I would guess it would be easy enough to do the same with family, the tax man and alike it may be more difficult.
silverfoxcc said:
Been thinking about this, but more an attempt to win one if those tv ' cant catch me ' type progs... i think it could be quite easy, but would need a bit of forward planning.. the first step would be to drop the tv crew that follow you.
Not sure if there are any restrictions but the one i watched was too contrived by the chasers with immeadiate access to cctv systems and atm transactions.
I would love to have a crack at it...and once i have dropped the followers think that i could have an easy time for the four? weeks. hiding in open view so to speak... set up costs about 1500 or even less if you decide to skimp a bit and they would be chasing shadows.
It's going to be a very short TV programme if the person disappearing is allowed to drop the TV crew following them. Not sure if there are any restrictions but the one i watched was too contrived by the chasers with immeadiate access to cctv systems and atm transactions.
I would love to have a crack at it...and once i have dropped the followers think that i could have an easy time for the four? weeks. hiding in open view so to speak... set up costs about 1500 or even less if you decide to skimp a bit and they would be chasing shadows.
NuckyThompson said:
If you've got time to pre plan it. Start with pay as you go iPad and phone bought with cash and registered under someone else's name.
A few months prior withdraw half your cash and transer some into bitcoin wallet. Used the bitcoin wallet to buy new passport and id.
Leave the country via an untracked means think boats from France in reverse, the difficult bit is avoiding CCTV if you expect to be tracked as a missing person.
Once in France fly onto the next country. Say thailand for example where your money will go far. If you've left with a good amount of money use new identity to set up bank accounts/investments to live off.
I'm sure it'd be more complicated that that if you wanted to drop off face of earth but I do know of someone who'd done it for a few years they weren't particularly trying to do the above more just not contacting family anymore so they was found with a little bit of effort,
Surely a fake passport would not allow you to board a plane and/or cross a border in any country with modern passport control systems? Aren't there worldwide databases or passport information sharing systems that would flag a fake passport as soon as it was scanned?A few months prior withdraw half your cash and transer some into bitcoin wallet. Used the bitcoin wallet to buy new passport and id.
Leave the country via an untracked means think boats from France in reverse, the difficult bit is avoiding CCTV if you expect to be tracked as a missing person.
Once in France fly onto the next country. Say thailand for example where your money will go far. If you've left with a good amount of money use new identity to set up bank accounts/investments to live off.
I'm sure it'd be more complicated that that if you wanted to drop off face of earth but I do know of someone who'd done it for a few years they weren't particularly trying to do the above more just not contacting family anymore so they was found with a little bit of effort,
I mean sure, a high quality fake passport would probably get you across a middle-of-nowhere border between places like Sudan and Uganda, but surely wouldn't pass being scanned anywhere else?
I'm probably wrong, but I assumed border controls were digitally linked these days.
silverfoxcc said:
Been thinking about this, but more an attempt to win one if those tv ' cant catch me ' type progs... i think it could be quite easy, but would need a bit of forward planning.. the first step would be to drop the tv crew that follow you.
Not sure if there are any restrictions but the one i watched was too contrived by the chasers with immeadiate access to cctv systems and atm transactions.
I would love to have a crack at it...and once i have dropped the followers think that i could have an easy time for the four? weeks. hiding in open view so to speak... set up costs about 1500 or even less if you decide to skimp a bit and they would be chasing shadows.
The first series of that (hunted?) had two soldiers, who set up caches of pay as you go phones, food, money, tents, camping kit etc, then disappeared for weeks into the wilderness. TV of course wanted something more so one of them 'had' to be missing his kids and made contact with the wife for a meet...Not sure if there are any restrictions but the one i watched was too contrived by the chasers with immeadiate access to cctv systems and atm transactions.
I would love to have a crack at it...and once i have dropped the followers think that i could have an easy time for the four? weeks. hiding in open view so to speak... set up costs about 1500 or even less if you decide to skimp a bit and they would be chasing shadows.
It's the digital trace, so stay off phones, no banks, so cash etc. Then avoid any forms of tracking, cctv - there's a reason one series had them start from London
, number plate recognition etc. Does that mean buying an old motorbike for cash, (one number plate) not register it ,and use that to get around?Byker28i said:
silverfoxcc said:
Been thinking about this, but more an attempt to win one if those tv ' cant catch me ' type progs... i think it could be quite easy, but would need a bit of forward planning.. the first step would be to drop the tv crew that follow you.
Not sure if there are any restrictions but the one i watched was too contrived by the chasers with immeadiate access to cctv systems and atm transactions.
I would love to have a crack at it...and once i have dropped the followers think that i could have an easy time for the four? weeks. hiding in open view so to speak... set up costs about 1500 or even less if you decide to skimp a bit and they would be chasing shadows.
The first series of that (hunted?) had two soldiers, who set up caches of pay as you go phones, food, money, tents, camping kit etc, then disappeared for weeks into the wilderness. TV of course wanted something more so one of them 'had' to be missing his kids and made contact with the wife for a meet...Not sure if there are any restrictions but the one i watched was too contrived by the chasers with immeadiate access to cctv systems and atm transactions.
I would love to have a crack at it...and once i have dropped the followers think that i could have an easy time for the four? weeks. hiding in open view so to speak... set up costs about 1500 or even less if you decide to skimp a bit and they would be chasing shadows.
It's the digital trace, so stay off phones, no banks, so cash etc. Then avoid any forms of tracking, cctv - there's a reason one series had them start from London
, number plate recognition etc. Does that mean buying an old motorbike for cash, (one number plate) not register it ,and use that to get around?It probably depends on what you're trying to leave and how hard people would look.
Assuming you're looking to avoid being found by normal people (i.e. not the police) and you'll be actively looked for, and also assuming you don't have dodgy connections who can source you a hooky set of ID, I'd probably do the following:
Consolidate all money into an international bank like Revolut. Take a substantial amount of cash out for the purposes of relocating and living quietly.
Leave the UK as inconspicuously as possible, heading to France. Either on foot, or with a bicycle. Once in France, I would probably look to live as simply as possible, quietly and out of the way - probably somewhere in the mountains. I would take advantage of the freedom of movement through Europe and cross borders via footpaths. Cash in hand jobs if necessary.
Once cash reserves were dwindling, I'd activate my exit plan - similar to the above. Essentially, pull cash - leaving a footprint, but then immediately head to an exit - e.g. Southern Spain for Africa. Rinse and repeat.
I expect it becomes a whole lot harder if you're actually being pursued by the fuzz. In which case for simplicity, I'd probably seek out somewhere without an extradition agreement, just in case. Vietnam, Cuba or Afghanistan seem reasonable options. Of course, getting there poses the single biggest issue.
I'd probably be opting for Vietnam or Afghanistan as it seems simpler to travel overland in an incognito way. Money probably represents the biggest issue, but if I was a wrong-un, or was intending to commit a pre-meditated big crime, part of my prep would be the money access problem.
As for actually leaving the UK, I'd probably approach an old school acquaintance with a sob-story and get them to smuggle me to France. Failing that, a short tour of the dive pubs on the south coast seeking a boozy boat-dweller who's up for making a few grand.
Clearly the hardest people to leave are those you're close to. I'd probably send postcards en-route to my close friends, explaining. But the only scenario that puts me on the run is if I've had to go mega-Taken-spec and avenge the quadruple murders of my wife, kids and dog. Dad would understand (and possibly aid and abet, which solves the care in his old age problem nicely too - thank you HMPS). Everyone else is dead.
Assuming you're looking to avoid being found by normal people (i.e. not the police) and you'll be actively looked for, and also assuming you don't have dodgy connections who can source you a hooky set of ID, I'd probably do the following:
Consolidate all money into an international bank like Revolut. Take a substantial amount of cash out for the purposes of relocating and living quietly.
Leave the UK as inconspicuously as possible, heading to France. Either on foot, or with a bicycle. Once in France, I would probably look to live as simply as possible, quietly and out of the way - probably somewhere in the mountains. I would take advantage of the freedom of movement through Europe and cross borders via footpaths. Cash in hand jobs if necessary.
Once cash reserves were dwindling, I'd activate my exit plan - similar to the above. Essentially, pull cash - leaving a footprint, but then immediately head to an exit - e.g. Southern Spain for Africa. Rinse and repeat.
I expect it becomes a whole lot harder if you're actually being pursued by the fuzz. In which case for simplicity, I'd probably seek out somewhere without an extradition agreement, just in case. Vietnam, Cuba or Afghanistan seem reasonable options. Of course, getting there poses the single biggest issue.
I'd probably be opting for Vietnam or Afghanistan as it seems simpler to travel overland in an incognito way. Money probably represents the biggest issue, but if I was a wrong-un, or was intending to commit a pre-meditated big crime, part of my prep would be the money access problem.
As for actually leaving the UK, I'd probably approach an old school acquaintance with a sob-story and get them to smuggle me to France. Failing that, a short tour of the dive pubs on the south coast seeking a boozy boat-dweller who's up for making a few grand.
Clearly the hardest people to leave are those you're close to. I'd probably send postcards en-route to my close friends, explaining. But the only scenario that puts me on the run is if I've had to go mega-Taken-spec and avenge the quadruple murders of my wife, kids and dog. Dad would understand (and possibly aid and abet, which solves the care in his old age problem nicely too - thank you HMPS). Everyone else is dead.
Mont Blanc said:
NuckyThompson said:
If you've got time to pre plan it. Start with pay as you go iPad and phone bought with cash and registered under someone else's name.
A few months prior withdraw half your cash and transer some into bitcoin wallet. Used the bitcoin wallet to buy new passport and id.
Leave the country via an untracked means think boats from France in reverse, the difficult bit is avoiding CCTV if you expect to be tracked as a missing person.
Once in France fly onto the next country. Say thailand for example where your money will go far. If you've left with a good amount of money use new identity to set up bank accounts/investments to live off.
I'm sure it'd be more complicated that that if you wanted to drop off face of earth but I do know of someone who'd done it for a few years they weren't particularly trying to do the above more just not contacting family anymore so they was found with a little bit of effort,
Surely a fake passport would not allow you to board a plane and/or cross a border in any country with modern passport control systems? Aren't there worldwide databases or passport information sharing systems that would flag a fake passport as soon as it was scanned?A few months prior withdraw half your cash and transer some into bitcoin wallet. Used the bitcoin wallet to buy new passport and id.
Leave the country via an untracked means think boats from France in reverse, the difficult bit is avoiding CCTV if you expect to be tracked as a missing person.
Once in France fly onto the next country. Say thailand for example where your money will go far. If you've left with a good amount of money use new identity to set up bank accounts/investments to live off.
I'm sure it'd be more complicated that that if you wanted to drop off face of earth but I do know of someone who'd done it for a few years they weren't particularly trying to do the above more just not contacting family anymore so they was found with a little bit of effort,
I mean sure, a high quality fake passport would probably get you across a middle-of-nowhere border between places like Sudan and Uganda, but surely wouldn't pass being scanned anywhere else?
I'm probably wrong, but I assumed border controls were digitally linked these days.
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