Selective Anonymity

There are times when it is good to be anonymous, a blank face among the masses. Sometimes you just don’t want people to know who you are, where you are or even how you are. You just want to be left alone. Case in point, you go through a horrendous divorce. The ex will not stop bothering you so what do you do?

First, I recommend as it was recommended to me, get a post office box to retrieve your mail. These can be had relatively cheaply. It buys you two main things, one it gives you the opportunity to let them and everyone else know how to reach you and two, it gives you the opportunity to live a million miles away from the location you share with everyone else. In my particular situation, it was imperative that my home location be regarded as a well kept secret. When someone says I need to send you something you give them the post office box which can be located many, many miles away from home base. Your home stays tranquil without the bother of the drop in and you have provided them a way to contact you for the usual paper work or notices.

So, what about your phone? Change the number, most carriers will allow you to do this online for a fee. My particular carrier charges $35 to liberate you from your current phone number and give you another one of your choice. I suggest using one with a different area code. This way those midnight or later text messages come to an abrupt halt. Now, do be careful not to slip up and send a text to anyone you don’t want knowing your new number because then they have you. You can call blocked but I find my office phone works just fine in this instance should you ever actually need to talk to them. You can’t, at least I couldn’t readily change my office number so that gives her two methods of contacting you. You are not hiding, just making sure you limit the methods they can harass, I mean, contact you.

The other way to become stealth in this digital age is to use a different email address. I prefer to keep my email addresses intact but it is really not a problem to sign up for a brand new one and just ignore your existing email addresses once you inform the usual myriad of entities of your new email identity.

Finding ways to stay hidden are abundant and do require some effort and yes a little expense but the peace of mind is well worth it. So, whether it is limiting access to your ex, bill collectors or even family, there are a number of ways to protect yourself and your sanity.