This week we cover ground and electronic tracking.
Ground tracking may involve placing a tracking device - either tonal or GPS system - on a vehicle or object and monitoring its movement in real time. Our guest video this week explains the differences between tonal and GPS tracking. Good information to store on a back burner should you encounter a client matter requiring such services. The info contained in the video helps one determine which type of tracking is the most viable and cost-effective for a specific situation.
How To Tell If You Are Being Ground Tracked:
1. Check your tires for chalk marks. (Easy, inexpensive and foolproof method for someone to check if you are moving your vehicle.)
2. Check under the middle areas of both sides of the vehicle. Tracking devices are generally placed under the middle pillar of a car - not on the rear of the Ferrari as seen in every Magnum P.I. episode.
3. If you think you are being followed, first consider your safety. If you believe you are in danger, call 911 or stop at a local police station. If it's for fun and giggles, stop at an offbeat place - like a monument store next to a cemetery. See who stops too. Wave.
For electronic tracking - Aliases, serious background checks, locating the unlocatable..., we go to our good friends at www.geopointdata.com . Not your daddy's information service. GeoPoint's records are not available to the general public, the nosy media or bored former classmate seekers. (In fact, you can't even get in to see the meat of what they do unless you have been approved.) If you are looking to fill a family reunion venue - head to USSearch. If you have a wrongful death with disappearing witnesses; see the guys at GeoPointData. Everyone leaves a byte trail.
How To Tell If You Are Being Electronically Tracked:
1. Check your credit report. (Everyone is entitled to a free annual credit report. There are three main consumer credit reporting agencies. You can get a free report then every four months.) Check the very bottom of the report. All inquirants must be posted by name and phone number.
2. Note unusual junk mail. Especially free offers that require simply returning a mailer, postage paid.
3. Be wary of "utility" or "directory company" calls requesting contact info updates. The real companies will send ground mail requests.
4. Online. Information requests from your friends at PayPal addressed from (e.g.) paypal@neopost.com is neither from a friend or Paypal. PayPal, Ebay, Lexis... require on-site updates and will send mail to you on their sites.
5. Banking. Check for small deposits to your account. The teller may have been asked for an account balance on the deposit receipt. Most tellers will provide that info to anyone making a deposit into an account. Have your accounts specifically tagged for information release authorization. The bank can also require the depositor's I.D. Be interesting to check bank video if someone tries to deposit into your account and refuses to do so after an I.D. has been requested. (In general, banks allow deposits to be made by anyone. They can, however, be held accountable for releasing information other than to authorized account signatories.)
On the run professionals often do not have the capability to immediately access WiFi connections. Simple tasks such as checking email, viewing your daily schedule, performing quick online research for a matter at hand... are made difficult when one is not in his/her own static environment. Trying to manually access a laptop or handheld's connections manager while out of the office becomes a complicated and very slow process.
Recently, we found ourselves in a crunch situation wherein we had to access email that contained important background information for a case, while already in the field and out of contact with the client. We ran across one of the best tools out there for fast and easy WiFi access with, literally, one mouse click. Easy WiFiRadar. Here's the best part - no credit cards. It's totally FREE - and it works!! We've used it for months now.
Check out the Easy WiFiRadar (www.makayama.com/easywifiradar.html), video above. The instructor delivers a quick tutorial that will have you accessing free WiFi in less than two minutes, in one click, guaranteed.
