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Wired Writer Disappears, Find Him and Make $5k

Posted by samzenpus on from the hiding-in-plain-sight dept.

carp3_noct3m writes "A freelance Wired magazine journalist has decided to see what it is like to disappear from normal life, all while staying on the grid. The catch, is that he is challenging anyone and everyone to find him, take a picture, and speak a special codeword to him. If you can do that, you can make 5000 dollars, which happens to come out of his paycheck for the article he'll be writing. Oh, and to top it all off, whoever finds him gets pictures and interviews in Wired. He has been posting to his Twitter, using TOR for internet, and the Wired website will be posting his credit card transactions."

135 comments

  1. Is this an ad? by VoyagerRadio · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I can't figure out if this is an ad, spam, or something else altogether. Someone want to help me out? Does Slashdot post links to contests?

    --
    Harold
    1. Re:Is this an ad? by Desler · · Score: 2, Insightful

      No, it's just more of idle crap that samzenpus is posting to the wrong section again.

    2. Re:Is this an ad? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yes Slashdot does post links to contests.

    3. Re:Is this an ad? by ottothecow · · Score: 2, Informative
      Hey...I thought it was interesting.

      I got to read the original article (though it would be nice of /. linked to it directly or mentioned it in the summary) and read a few posts of the twitter followers and such. Interesting concept, I wonder how much of it he will get to expense later (and if the 5k out of his salary if found is really enough to make him ultra paranoid about being found)

      --
      Bottles.
    4. Re:Is this an ad? by VoyagerRadio · · Score: 1

      I guess I jumped all over that one, but I'm not totally opposed to contests. (Unfortunately, most contests are simply dressed-up advertisements for the service/website, and hardly dressed-up at that.) Scavenger hunts can be fun, but it sure wastes our time when there's no actual possibility of reaching the goal. Perhaps in this case there is; I would hope Wired wouldn't resort to phony ad/spam scams, but -- except the Wired editors themselves -- who knows?

      --
      Harold
    5. Re:Is this an ad? by mrmeval · · Score: 1

      It's incitement to commit stalking. I'm not sure of the state but in many there is no need for the victim to press charges. That's a nice way to get a felony. It is also spam.

      --
      I'd go on a Vegan diet but the delivery time from Vega is too long. --brownkitty
  2. The catch by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 5, Funny

    The catch, is that he is challenging anyone and everyone to find him, take a picture, and speak a special codeword to him.

    But, but... that would require leaving my basement.

    --
    #DeleteChrome
    1. Re:The catch by psychicsword · · Score: 1

      I wish that it didn't have the take a picture stipulation because then you could just call up his hotel or other forms of shelter when you find him.

    2. Re:The catch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      nah. Just use Photoshop, and bitch about how he wouldn't give you the money on your blog.

    3. Re:The catch by maxwell+demon · · Score: 1

      Well, there's a picture just besides the Slashdot story. Why not take that?

      --
      The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
    4. Re:The catch by Anachragnome · · Score: 4, Funny

      Hack an ATM and use the image from it for the photo.

      You can speak the password to him via the network that McDonalds uses to take orders in the drive-through these days.

      "Ok. I have 3 cheeseburgers, an Iced Tea and the password is "Where the fuck is Waldo? That will be $5,004.89 at the first window. Please pull through."

      No need to leave the basement.

    5. Re:The catch by Antity-H · · Score: 1

      why leave your basement, hack the security camera around him to take the picture, and the cellphone company to find out his phone number. send the picture to the phone number and call him to tell him the codeword easy, nothing to sweat about :)

    6. Re:The catch by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      But, but... that would require leaving my basement.

      I wish that it didn't have the take a picture stipulation because then you could just call up his hotel or other forms of shelter when you find him.

      Luke, trainee jedi-geek that you are, you show your geek-naïveté in approaching the problem from such a brute-force perspective. The true geek would do all their stalking using quite conventional transaction-tracking. Then, having determined the hotel/ rehab-clinic/ brothel/ mountain hovel/ etc that he is staying in (assuming that he's not on a road trip), your uber-geek credentials would be established by getting the hotel-etc's CCTV system to take the photos for you.

      If the hotel-etc does not have a CCTV system, then your geek challenge escalates to that of socially engineering the management into installing a CCTV system (to your specifications ; at their expense). Naturally, this system should have security to protect your prize from being found by other stalker-geeks ; that's part of the specification you'll need to write ; if the target is on a road trip, then you simply need to work out where he'll be in the future and get a system installed ahead of time.

      Now you have the problem of speaking the code word to him. That's tricky. It'll also be quite location dependent. Hmm ... does anyone like DHL or FedEx do collections? I'm sure someone would ... I'll assume DHL for simplicity.

      So you send a picture from the CCTV system to the target by DHL, along with a self-addressed envelope, and instruct the courier to deliver one package and collect the return package. Then telephone the target and deliver the code word and tell them to write a cheque in your name, but not to sign it. The DHL boy then knocks on the door, delivers the photos (not the negatives, if he's in a brothel ; that's your retirement fund), collects the cheque after the target has signed it, and posts it back to you.

      No need to leave your parent-proofed cellar. And that CCTV system that you've installed in the brothel is going to pay back over and over.

      Back to World of Warcraft for you, Luke.

      I did wonder if you could set up a scam with planted evidence that would get the police to do the tracking, photographing and delivery of the code word. Plausible, but it might just get you in trouble for wasting police time. Oh, Doh! , you do it through a proxy so that it's Mayor West of Quahog who wastes the police's time. That's my uber-geek aspirations blown then, isn't it?

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    7. Re:The catch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then the guy working the drive-through gets the money. You didn't quite think this one through, did you?

    8. Re:The catch by Anachragnome · · Score: 1

      Everyone knows that every true geek has a Mother that works the drive-thru window at McDonald's.

      How they hell you think they get sustenance delivered to the basement?

  3. blarg by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


    It'll be funny when a Mac user wins the $5K and has to admit finding him on the other side of a glory hole.

    .

    --
    Trolling is a art,
    1. Re:blarg by yoyhed · · Score: 0

      It'll be funny when a Mac user wins the $5K and has to admit finding him on the other side of a glory hole.

      LOLOL BECAUSE MACS ARE GAY AND THUS THEIR USERS ARE.

      Hilarious.

      --
      WHO NEEDS SHIFT WHEN YOU HAVE CAPSLOCK/ DAMN1
    2. Re:blarg by yoyhed · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I've never owned a Mac. I'm not butthurt. I just think irrelevant jokes that completely set themselves up, especially when based on an unfunny generalization, are not funny.

      --
      WHO NEEDS SHIFT WHEN YOU HAVE CAPSLOCK/ DAMN1
    3. Re:blarg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Waahhhhh wahhhhh WAAAHHHHH waahhhhh wahhhh waahhhh i need my blankey waahhhhhh

    4. Re:blarg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You could have saved yourself the effort of writing the whiny rant by just saying "yes".

    5. Re:blarg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh no, this poor baby was insulted.... over the Internet. Someone call the whhaaaaaaaaambulans.

    6. Re:blarg by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      it was sf, right?

    7. Re:blarg by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 1

      Won't work. The whhaaaaaaaaambulans nurse is busy having lunch with his colleagues, trying to get their desserts by grossing them out with his "war stories".

  4. Far too easy. by ep32g79 · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is too easy, Just get a judge to tell you where he is.

    1. Re:Far too easy. by blueg3 · · Score: 1

      His identity is "Evan Ratliff". There, just like the judge!

  5. Already Been Done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This has already been done by a journalist and his security-industry buddy.
    They wrote a book about it and presented at a recent hacker conference (it might have been the last HOPE, or maybe last year's defcon)

    Good job being original, guy

    1. Re:Already Been Done by mrdoogee · · Score: 3, Informative

      I thought that one was about "falling off the grid". What this guy is doing is trying to stay hidden while still using modern conveniences and only the skills that an average citizen has at their disposal. I.E., hiding while staying on "THE GRID".

    2. Re:Already Been Done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Good job being original, guy

      He is from Wired, what did you expect?

    3. Re:Already Been Done by JWSmythe · · Score: 2, Interesting

          Big deal. I fall "off the grid" all the time. That's where I am right now, not for any particular reason, other than I can. I'm not using any credit cards. I have a prepaid credit card, but rarely use it. The phone number everyone knows forwards three times, and ends up on a prepaid cell with no GPS capabilities. If I have the urge, I just pick up a new prepaid phone, and change the forwarding. I can change the last hop, or several of them.

          I occasionally pop up in an unexpected city. I'll buy gas with the prepaid card. I'll tell someone to meet me in a particular location. I always pick a location close to them, so if I were being followed, they'd have to get to the city first before they could intercept me. Before they could get a flight half way there, I'd already be on the move. Gas is paid in cash. I sleep in my car, acquaintances houses, or less desirable hotels that I can pay cash at and give a false name for. "Sorry, someone stole my wallet with my drivers license. I'm from Nebraska, and can't get it replaced until I get back there." I'm driving a borrowed car from an old but obscure friend. It's not actually his car, but it belongs to another friend of his (who I know even know) that said he can use it for anything he wants. Voila. A vehicle that's safe to drive, that no one would recognize. :)

          When I talk to friends, I tell them each different cities. There are a few official reasons that I'd reappear, which I have as necessary. Otherwise, I'm "off the grid" doing odd jobs. Getting another "real" job is almost impossible these days. Free access points are abundant. I use them for a few minutes, check my mail, read Slashdot, and move again. Only I know my schedule, and only the people I'm doing work for know when I'm going to be anywhere. They don't know each other, and don't know that I'm playing "off grid". They wouldn't have anyone to report it to anyways.

          I drive routes I wouldn't normally drive, making "wrong" turns and letting the GPS redirect me through alternative routes.

          I've been this way for a couple months now.

          I popped "on grid" today. 5 people who know me saw me. I ran a credit card transaction for gas. Now, I'm 500 miles from there, and will be even more by morning. I'm maintaining a nondescript, nonthreatening look, and driving the speed limits. The police won't stop me, but if they do and run my drivers license, I'll pop off grid just as fast as I appeared.

          If someone doesn't want to be found, they won't be. If someone wanted to find me, they'd always be looking in the wrong decoy cities. If I told you I was sitting in Atlanta, and had driven near Atlanta International Airport sometime today, what does that tell you? Nothing. I'm in an area with 5.3 million people. The odds that you'll spot me are minimal at best.

          The target of the article is in a large metro area (San Francisco). He's thrown himself in front of a large crowd, begging to be caught. There may be a few Wired readers, and a few Slashdot readers there. Someone's going to want the $5k. I'm not going to bother. It's not worth my time or energy to go out there to find him. Maybe for $50k I'd find him in a few days, but otherwise, it's no worth it.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    4. Re:Already Been Done by fbjon · · Score: 1

      So you're doing it for the thrill of it, necessity, or paranoia?

      --
      True confidence comes not from realising you are as good as your peers, but that your peers are as bad as you are.
    5. Re:Already Been Done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Isn't this just the Running Man? The Steven King book, rather than the film, has the hero trying to elude his pursuers for 30 days, but is obliged to mail in a video tape twice a day if he wants to get paid.

      Of course, in the book the pursuers are trying to kill him, not shout "boo"...

    6. Re:Already Been Done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      He's not doing it at all. I've known a pathological fantasist since I was a child, and this sounds exactly like the kind of story she would come out with.

    7. Re:Already Been Done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey, no harm in feeding other people's delusions, right? :)

    8. Re:Already Been Done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The phone number everyone knows forwards three times, and ends up on a prepaid cell with no GPS capabilities.

      My BS meter just went up to 11. Thanks for playing though!

    9. Re:Already Been Done by JWSmythe · · Score: 1

          I guess it could be considered "thrill". It started out as a observation of how life decisions made me untrackable. Various people I've been with (when I pop up) note "You pay with cash for everything?" or "Who's car are you driving today?" Someone commented (on the phone) a few days ago that I have more phone numbers than the Dell support centers. :) It's not that I *have* the numbers, it's just that I change them frequently enough that anything they store won't be good too long after that. I've lightened up my life so I can pack two suitcases, and be mobile for months. That started with work, but applied very nicely to life. The two suitcases are a luxury, where I'll have enough clothes for a couple weeks without washing anything. :) Once a friend said "you're driving another car every time I see you." It's an interesting way to spice things up. It's all perfectly legal. I don't have to be "at home" every day. There's no law that dictates it, at least for now. I don't "go home", because "home" is anywhere I want to be, and where a friend may be.

          I'm not hiding from anything. I needed to speak with law enforcement several days ago, so I planned to end up in the right city at the right time, talked to them, and left. It's ok, it's nothing criminal. :) If "they" wanted to find me, "they" had the perfect opportunity.

          BTW, my life decisions have moved me yet again, so even the location references I gave yesterday aren't even close to valid. 8 hours of driving at an average of 60mph changes my location by 540 miles. It's hard to date this way, but I'm too busy right now to maintain a good relationship, so I don't need it.

          It's more of a game, and it keeps things interesting. I've seen more of the country in a few months than most people see in years, where they're tied down to "go to work, go home and sleep, go back to work.". I have a line on a "solid" job, where I'd work remotely. There's no harm in it. I can work from anywhere. I may be in New York one day, Los Angeles a few days later, and everywhere I can get a network connection in between is my "office". I could opt to fly to Europe (by boat is too slow), and continue wandering from there. There's no harm in it, and keeps things interesting. I may be working from New York, and visit the city in my spare time. Next week, it may from near the Grand Canyon in a few weeks, and I'll have a wonderful view after work. :) I won't run out of places to go anytime soon. I had settled down once. Well, a few times. It gets boring after a while. You see the same house, and the same neighbors. Who needs that. It's more interesting to see new things all the time. I'm always learning something. Maybe it's the history of an area, or new experiences from a new friend. Sometimes it's learning a new work trick from someone who I wouldn't have otherwise encountered. There's a lot to learn for anyone, and no single job, location, or friend, will ever teach it to you.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    10. Re:Already Been Done by JWSmythe · · Score: 1

          To which part? That there are easily usable systems which forward phone calls, and you can chain those, or that you can disable the GPS on most cell phones (like, really disable, not just turn an option off).

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
  6. Taking all the fun out of it by horatio · · Score: 5, Funny

    You will be excluded from winning if you commit a crime in your efforts to find me, contact my family, or physically harm me.

    Man, talk about taking all the fun of a game.

    --
    There is very little future in being right when your boss is wrong.
    1. Re:Taking all the fun out of it by sgauss · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Well, if I believe my television, you should still be able to waterboard him!

    2. Re:Taking all the fun out of it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So much for my plan to track him down and kick him in the junk.

    3. Re:Taking all the fun out of it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So much for my plan to track him down and fondle his junk

      ftfy

    4. Re:Taking all the fun out of it by jollyreaper · · Score: 1

      You will be excluded from winning if you commit a crime in your efforts to find me, contact my family, or physically harm me.

      How about if we locate him, then wait until he's just falling asleep, sneak into his bedroom and then say in a gravely voice "Tag, you're it"? Does scaring the pee out of someone count as physical harm?

      --
      Kwisatz Haderach
      Sell the spice to CHOAM
      This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
    5. Re:Taking all the fun out of it by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1

      . . . contact my family . . ..

      I saw a documentary about so-called "Bounty Hunters" in the US. The guy claimed that family members were to most likely to reveal where you are hiding. He added a quip like:

      "For every person, there are two folks who love you, two people that hate you, and six people who don't give a damn about you. I just need to find the last eight, and they will lead me to my target."

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    6. Re:Taking all the fun out of it by mrdoogee · · Score: 1

      contact my family

      My only real objection to his terms. I get that he wishes to keep his family from harassment (specifically his kids if he has them) but most agencies tasked with finding people start with the family, mostly because it is the best way to find someone. This gives him a much more sporting chance, though which I guess was his intent.

    7. Re:Taking all the fun out of it by H0p313ss · · Score: 1

      Well, if I believe my television, you should still be able to waterboard him!

      Yes... apparently getting him abducted by the CIA, secretly flown to Syria and tortured for months on end is perfectly legal in the US.

      --
      XML is a known as a key material required to create SMD: Software of Mass Destruction
    8. Re:Taking all the fun out of it by dk90406 · · Score: 1

      You will be excluded from winning if you commit a crime i

      That is sad. That removes cracking, phishing etc. from the approaches. It would have been interesting to have an more open playing field - that would potentially reveal something useful (weakness in FedEx for instance, dangers of social engineering).
      I fully agree that the family should be left alone, as this is only a game.

    9. Re:Taking all the fun out of it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Rats. There goes my strategy.

    10. Re:Taking all the fun out of it by maevius · · Score: 1

      I think it's impossible to find someone this way without breaking the law, it's more probable that he was forced to put that exclusion. Except of course if you own a big corporation that is allowed by law to collect private information via the terms and conditions...

    11. Re:Taking all the fun out of it by maevius · · Score: 1

      He obviously writes an article about the possibility of finding someone through technology and not by sticking a gun to a family member's head

  7. Relocation costs? by greymond · · Score: 1

    Can I get reimbursed for my relocation costs? $5k isn't enough of a reward to justify traveling to the places he's at.

    --
    Ave Molech Setting
    1. Re:Relocation costs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Jesus. If you refuse to travel without your twin bed and computer room, then forget it and stay in your basement. This contest isn't for you.

  8. watchout! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The codeword is "I'll pay you $50 if I can eat out your asshole."

  9. Bring in the Internet Special Cases Bureau by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bring in the Internet Special Cases Bureau, also known as 4chan. He'll be found in 12 hours.

    And for added fun, we'll end up with a couple dozen 'shopped pictures of him.

  10. hey guy... by hort_wort · · Score: 5, Funny

    Come to my house and let me win the contest. I'll give you $3000. I'd be happy to tell wired the advanced methods I used to win.

    1. Re:hey guy... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Since he'll be paying it from his own money, he'll still be out 2000 dollars.
      I guess you're going to give him a hell of a blowjob to warrant that kind of money, right?

  11. What season is it? by Groo+Wanderer · · Score: 0

    I forget, is this bow or gun season for Wired writers? The local DNR is waffling, the closest they could come is 'long pork', but that is much too broad for the purposes of this game.

                          -Charlie

  12. Sounds like a good time for a photoshop contest by BigGar' · · Score: 1

    This guy is going to bee seen everywhere!!!

    --


    Shop smart, Shop S-Mart.
    1. Re:Sounds like a good time for a photoshop contest by Hunter0000 · · Score: 1

      Fortunately there are only about a millions words to choose from to guess the secret word ( http://www.languagemonitor.com/ ).

      Good luck.

    2. Re:Sounds like a good time for a photoshop contest by EkriirkE · · Score: 2, Funny

      It'd be a fluke if you got it the first time.

      --
      from 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0
      to 45 2F 6E 40 3C DF 10 71 4E 41 DF AA 25 7D 31 3F
  13. how do we know ... by neonprimetime · · Score: 1

    ... that he is not already dead?

  14. No problemo by nizo · · Score: 4, Funny

    1. Post his picture in the general vicinity wherever his credit card transactions are, with the note "Have you seen this child molester?" underneath.
    2. Take pictures of him/give him the codeword in jail* a few days later.
    3. Profit!

    * Though I'm not sure how the whole secret word thing will work if a mob beats him to death.

    --
    I Am My Own Worst Enemy
    1. Re:No problemo by Ponga · · Score: 1

      I'm confused. Living "off the grid" means NOT using a credit card. By my definition anyway...

    2. Re:No problemo by Khyber · · Score: 2, Informative

      Then re-read TFS or TFA because he says he's staying ON GRID and it's explicitly mentioned.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    3. Re:No problemo by Rob+Kaper · · Score: 1

      But he is staying on the grid. Not that everyone and their uncle has access to his creditcard transaction log, but he's not going hermit on us.

    4. Re:No problemo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The summary says "staying on the grid". Not off. That's why such a stunt is appropriate for Wired magazine.

    5. Re:No problemo by schnablebg · · Score: 1

      This approach has been proven to be quite effective.

    6. Re:No problemo by BikeHelmet · · Score: 1

      Defamation/slander? Didn't he say you couldn't break the law?

    7. Re:No problemo by John+Hasler · · Score: 1

      > Living "off the grid" means NOT using a credit card.

      It used to mean either generating your own electicity or doing without.

      --
      Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
    8. Re:No problemo by Ponga · · Score: 1

      RTFA, are you crazy!?

      (My bad...)

    9. Re:No problemo by Jared555 · · Score: 1

      I think the term 'off the grid' has been used in this fashion for a while now.

    10. Re:No problemo by quanticle · · Score: 1

      From TFA:

      The Web page will provide everything a plugged-in investigator would have, including activity on my frequent flier, credit card, and ATM accounts â" if Iâ(TM)m foolish enough to use them.

      I'm pretty sure he knows enough about tracking to not use credit cards.

      --
      We all know what to do, but we don't know how to get re-elected once we have done it
  15. Privacy illusion. by girlintraining · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I knew a friend once that did skip-tracing. He tracked a guy down who changed his name, flew to the middle-east under an assumed identity and fake passport, dyed his hair, and more. His big downfall? He used a credit card once he landed -- which was under his old name. And this was using just information available to the credit bureaus to find him. Also... witness protection program? Yup... he found a few of them too. I bet I could have this guy nailed in about four hours if I called the police up and said I was a famous celebrity and he was defaming me on Twitter. Game over.

    All he's proving is that Joe Average doesn't have much power. Big deal. Your neighbor isn't the one you should be worried about finding you anyway -- they lack the technical resources, skills, and moral flexibility to do so. Now, if he wants to do a REAL test of his privacy -- photoshop some photos of a male politician in a pink tutu and make disparaging comments about his sexual orientation. I bet you get a knock on your door within a day. -_-

    --
    #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
    1. Re:Privacy illusion. by mcpkaaos · · Score: 2, Funny

      I bet you get a knock on your door within a day. -_-

      Or a foot tap.

      --
      It goes from God, to Jerry, to me.
    2. Re:Privacy illusion. by Joe+Snipe · · Score: 1

      So then call your friend and have him help you and split the cash.

      --
      Sometimes, life itself is sarcasm...
    3. Re:Privacy illusion. by DerekLyons · · Score: 1

      Now, if he wants to do a REAL test of his privacy -- photoshop some photos of a male politician in a pink tutu and make disparaging comments about his sexual orientation. I bet you get a knock on your door within a day.

      That is, if the politician is a Democrat and not a Republican.
       
      (But seriously folks, it is just me or are the paranoia levels on Slashdot reaching an all time high?)

    4. Re:Privacy illusion. by Achromatic1978 · · Score: 1

      I knew a friend once that did skip-tracing. .... Also... witness protection program? Yup... he found a few of them too.

      Why was a skip tracer hunting people in witness protection? Maybe he didn't care too much about where his paycheck came from...

    5. Re:Privacy illusion. by girlintraining · · Score: 1

      Why was a skip tracer hunting people in witness protection? Maybe he didn't care too much about where his paycheck came from...

      He did care--But people who enter the witness protection program aren't issued new social security numbers.

      --
      #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
  16. Can't be too dificult. by MartinSchou · · Score: 1

    Step 1) Withdraw a large amount of money
    Step 2) Buy the most common car on the roads second hand.
    Step 3) Find a national park that has wireless internet coverage
    Step 4) Buy a nice tent and other camping equipment
    Step 5) Buy a prepaid wireless internet subscription

    Not sure if 3 and 5 are possible in the US, but they are in Sweden.

    1. Re:Can't be too dificult. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You could be right, though he said he is abiding by specific rules for himself; he will not hide out in the wilderness, he will continue to visit his usual stomping grounds, e.g. book stores, taco stands, sports bars, urban areas, retail stores, etc. He also will not be hiding with friends or family, they won't even know where he's headed. I believe he has already purchased a second hand vehicle. Which might explain his $60 purchases at Oil Can Henry's, he most likely bought one or more of the following; oil cans, gas and/or supplies for the vehicle (car, motorcycle, scooter, bicycle lol?). His purchases at Best Buy might be for one or two of the following; wireless extenders, extra battery, charging units, a throw-away portable cell phone, calling cards, etc. His purchases at REI might include one or two of the following; GPS, hiking shoes, a backpack, a tent, a propane stove, survival gear, etc. A real mystery is what he paid $171 for at a seafood bar for, maybe just a going away party with his family/friends until they see him again? The federal express package might be something he is going to pick up somewhere else, perhaps cans of soup or dried food goods. Or, he shipped his cell phone, still charged and on to a friend in TN so that people trying to track his cell phone would be tracking the package instead. It has been successfully delivered btw, I just checked fedex. He fedex'd the envelope at a fedex kinko's on August 12th, it arrived at a residence in Memphis, TN not signed for. On August 8th he shipped the larger package, 0.5 lbs, at a Kinko's in NY, signed by D.PERSON at Washington, D.C. But, he did all this before it was announced that he'd be tracked, so I suppose my theory about throwing off the cell trace might be wrong, not to exclude the possibly though that he put his cell in the envelope for other reasons.

      All of the D.PERSON living in D.C. listed in the yellow pages:
      Dawn Person 15 57th St SE Washington, DC Age 35-39 Phone # available.
      Deonne S Person 3348 Clay St NE Washington, DC No phone # available.
      Donald E Person 1207 Park Rd NW Washington, DC Phone # available.
      Donald E Person 3318 Sherman Ave NW, Apt 108 Washington, DC Age 55-59 No phone # available.
      Donna M Person 1406 Perry Pl NW Washington, DC No phone # available.
      Duvaul T Person 1166 Morse St NE Washington, DC. No phone # available.

      One could social engineer one of these people into giving you details about Ratliff, if for example you claimed to he contacted you asking you to cover for him while he's on this "project." Get their trust, get them to admit what they know about his locations or plans.

    2. Re:Can't be too dificult. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The parks all discourage long term residence. You can hang out a week, maybe a little more. Supposedly they track how long you spend at the parks and can deny you access if you just hop between 2 or 3 parks. I have never really put this to the test.

    3. Re:Can't be too dificult. by Cylix · · Score: 1

      Actually, you don't even have to go this far with the restriction of keeping nearly everything legal.

      I could think of a half dozen ways to find him illegally. That said, I don't believe there is much of a point to all of this with such a restriction.

      On the flip side, if you could somehow manage to take him to court it would be win/win. If he shows, you get paid and if he doesn't you can get a default judgment.

      I just need to find a way to get wronged!

      --
      "You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours." -- Yogi Berra
  17. Somebody call 4chan by imsabbel · · Score: 1

    This seems to be an easy challange to fill /b/ s warchest...

    --
    HI O WISE PRINCE. WHT TOOK U SO DAM LONG?
    1. Re:Somebody call 4chan by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 1

      I was about to say just this.

      That place makes everyones' Bacon Factor one.

      --
      Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
    2. Re:Somebody call 4chan by mrdoogee · · Score: 1

      Problem is, They'll break his rules faster than you can say Sasquatch. They'll find him, but using undoubtedly illegal methods.

  18. Why this fails by popo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The problem, as any Wired writer should know -- is that information wants to be free.

    As the writer himself has observed: Contacting his family or breaking the law are easy ways to retrieve the information.

    Those activities may disqualify the offending "player", but they do not disqualify the underlying data -- which wants to be free -- and can easily be passed on to any party in order to claim the prize.

    So like most "hacks", social-engineering will trump using the "grid".

    And the take-away here is this: There are no rules. There is only data, and it will be free.

    The poor writer is going to find much of his personal life violated, I'm afraid. But the blame falls to him. He should have known better.

    --
    ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
  19. too easy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Contest ends when somebody emails the right codeword to his editor.

    Can you say "dictionary attack"?

  20. You are Lobby Ludd and I claim my five pounds by fridaynightsmoke · · Score: 1

    Such an original idea. Perhaps next they can get an action photo of a football match, airbrush out the football and then invite readers to "spot the ball".

    --
    This is a substitute for a clever sig that fits within the maximum number of characters.
  21. [citation needed] by HanClinto · · Score: 2, Insightful

    [citation needed]

    Not necessarily doubting you -- just saying that your post is incredibly unhelpful.

  22. On his way to Tennessee. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    He is driving to Tennessee.

    He got his oil changed and radiator flushed. He sent two items to Tennessee via fedex with these tracking numbers, "868322701268" and "869744129440". He purchased "Garmin MapSource 24K TOPO - National Parks" at REI so he could stay off of the radar. What has tipped me off to that as he purchased a flash memory card at Best Buy and then returned it because he didn't need it.

    He isn't traveling alone as he spent $170 at a restaurant.

    It should take him about 5 days to drive to Tennessee. But more than likely he will be taking a few extra days at the National parks. What a vacation if you ask me, all expenses paid.

    Nathan

    1. Re:On his way to Tennessee. by Octogonal+Raven · · Score: 0

      He is driving to Tennessee.

      He got his oil changed and radiator flushed. He sent two items to Tennessee via fedex with these tracking numbers, "868322701268" and "869744129440". He purchased "Garmin MapSource 24K TOPO - National Parks" at REI so he could stay off of the radar. What has tipped me off to that as he purchased a flash memory card at Best Buy and then returned it because he didn't need it.

      He isn't traveling alone as he spent $170 at a restaurant.

      It should take him about 5 days to drive to Tennessee. But more than likely he will be taking a few extra days at the National parks. What a vacation if you ask me, all expenses paid.

      Nathan

      Incorrect. The packages were shipped to DC and Memphis, respectively. http://bit.ly/17KWPG

      --
      In God we trust, all others we virus scan.
    2. Re:On his way to Tennessee. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I looked at the signature of who signed for it and the address at the top was Memphis. I incorrectly assumed that was the location it was delivered to. It is Fedex's address not the delivered address.

      You are correct as the second one is in the DC area somewhere.

      Nathan

  23. Ok, I'll take it. by faragon · · Score: 1

    Now, how do you want he, dead or alive?

  24. PI's eligible? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Persons with a private investigators license, or just those willing to shell out the big bucks for access to some of the less restricted resources will have a much easier time locating him than someone else. Otherwise a lot of the info you'd need would be restricted to law enforcement and you'd be stuck a step behind listening to where he just was based on twitter/facebook posts/pictures.

  25. I could get him in ten minutes. by Khyber · · Score: 0

    Just give me his credit card number, expiration date, and I'll destroy his credit limit in five minutes, ordering all sorts of things and using my real address as the shipping and billing address. Credit institution calls the man a minute after that, gives him the info on my purchases, he shows up at my door in another three minutes, tops!

    Instant $5K out of his paycheck AND added bonus of wreaking havoc with the credit system at the same time!

    --
    Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    1. Re:I could get him in ten minutes. by Lurker2288 · · Score: 1

      There WAS a comment on the Wired site that if you could somehow force him to come to you, that would be just as valid as going to where you think he is. Just sayin.

    2. Re:I could get him in ten minutes. by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Credit card fraud. You're not allowed to break the law to find him.

      --
      Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
    3. Re:I could get him in ten minutes. by charlesnw · · Score: 1

      Um. How is it a crime if the information is provided to you?

      --
      Charles Wyble System Engineer
    4. Re:I could get him in ten minutes. by Xylaan · · Score: 1

      Simply having the credit card information does not make you an authorized user. Using the information without authorization counts as fraud.

    5. Re:I could get him in ten minutes. by Minwee · · Score: 1

      Except that if you had RTFA, you would be disqualified of the contest for "commiting a crime".

      I understand that people around here don't like to read the articles but that's just because they can't be bothered, not because it's against the law.

      Reading The Frakkin' Article is not a crime!

  26. Off the grid AND using credit cards? WTF? by kperrier · · Score: 0

    How can you be "off the grid" if you are using credit cards?

    1. Re:Off the grid AND using credit cards? WTF? by LordKronos · · Score: 3, Insightful

      How can you be "off the grid" if you are using credit cards?

      How can you be commenting on the article when you didn't read the summary?

    2. Re:Off the grid AND using credit cards? WTF? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nevermind credit cards, how can you be "off the grid" and sending out tweets over TOR.

    3. Re:Off the grid AND using credit cards? WTF? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You must be new here...

    4. Re:Off the grid AND using credit cards? WTF? by Desler · · Score: 1
      Where did it say he was going to be off the grid?

      A freelance Wired magazine journalist has decided to see what it is like to disappear from normal life, all while staying on the grid.

    5. Re:Off the grid AND using credit cards? WTF? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How can you be commenting on the article when you didn't read the summary?

      Hi, you must be new here...

  27. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  28. That guy is a PRO nerd by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 2, Funny

    He's been inside so long his eyes have gone pale.

    --
    Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
    1. Re:That guy is a PRO nerd by Lord+Ender · · Score: 3, Funny

      The spice must flow.

      --
      A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
  29. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  30. gh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just knowing what a glory hole is makes you gay.

    1. Re:gh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      AC is gay! Who knew!

  31. I found him! by hoggoth · · Score: 1

    And I took this photo to prove it.
    I'm calling the Wired editors now to give the password and collect my money.

    --
    - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
    1. Re:I found him! by kz45 · · Score: 1

      nice photoshop job.

  32. I half-ass did this a few years ago by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 3, Interesting

    But not for fun and it was a lot longer than 30 days. A psychotic roommate accused me of attempted murder so I got the heck out of Dodge. While I didn't quit my job and move to a new country, I moved to a new place that couldn't be linked to me in any way. All utilities were in a new roommate's name. I received no mail at the new address. Everything (credit cards, DMV, voter registration, HR records, cell phone bill, bank statements, insurance, etc.) went to a mail drop. When I went out with friends, I'd meet them at our destination. For nearly 3 months, nobody knew where I lived but my new roommates and they knew the situation. For the next 5 or 6 months, only 4 other people knew where I lived. Good thing because my old roommate tried to track me down a couple of times but none of our mutual friends knew where I was. And they were glad that they didn't have to decide whether to give up the info.

    I know I didn't drop entirely off the grid but that wasn't my intent. My intent was to make my new home a sanctuary. I didn't want to have to worry about cops busting down my door in the middle of the night. I didn't want the old roommate showing up to try and work things out or "settle the score". Sure, I could be found at the office any time but at least I could go home at night and know that the only kind of disruption I could face was a phone call.

    Funny thing is my "safe house" was nicer than any place I'd ever lived before. My bedroom with private bath was on the top floor of a brand new 3-story condo. 8 miles from the office on the only stretch of the freeway that doesn't slow to a crawl during rush hour. Private park, BBQs, gym, pool, and hot tubs across the street.

    1. Re:I half-ass did this a few years ago by pavon · · Score: 1

      Hmm, so is this where I should feel bad for realizing that I had been living in my new house for 6-7 months before any of my friends knew the address, and unlike the parent I wasn't even trying to keep it a secret?

    2. Re:I half-ass did this a few years ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Funny thing is my "safe house" was nicer than any place I'd ever lived before. My bedroom with private bath was on the top floor of a brand new 3-story condo. 8 miles from the office on the only stretch of the freeway that doesn't slow to a crawl during rush hour. Private park, BBQs, gym, pool, and hot tubs across the street.

      Thanks for the info, I'll be there in a minute! Don't try to run away this time!!

      (kidding)

    3. Re:I half-ass did this a few years ago by Achromatic1978 · · Score: 1

      A psychotic roommate accused me of attempted murder

      I didn't want to have to worry about cops busting down my door in the middle of the night

      so I got the heck out of Dodge.

      Wait, someone accuses you of attempted murder, so you figure the best way not to be hassled by the cops about it is to 'run and hide'?!?!?!?!

    4. Re:I half-ass did this a few years ago by JWSmythe · · Score: 2, Insightful

      He wasn't hiding very well if he still showed up to the same job. The cops are more than happy to walk into your office, throw you on the floor, and arrest in front of all your coworkers, just as much as they are willing to arrest you in the privacy of your own home.

          Isn't it easier to explain to the coworkers that you were out "sick" for a few days, rather than trying to explain the arrest at work?

          Brilliant.

          How about this. With an attorney, you go to the investigator DIRECTLY and explain the situation. "Never happened, wasn't there, didn't know the guy." They get bogus complaints all the time, and know how to filter them. No body, no witnesses (except one loon), no missing persons report, then there was no murder. That's not even enough to get a warrant (usually) to search for physical evidence.

          I actually knew some people that claimed they were serial killers. They didn't know each other, and would sometimes claim to have done the same crimes, with different descriptions. They'd take credit for crimes, even though they were never anywhere near where the crimes happened. From what I understand, the police get false confessions all the time, from people who want the attention.

          BTW, did I mention I knew the shooters involved in the Kennedy assassination? I was there and had drinks with them. George and Felix were interesting fellows. Maybe I can be famous too.

          (Note: I got that information from publicly available conspiracy theories. I wasn't even born when the Kennedy assassination happened.)

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    5. Re:I half-ass did this a few years ago by Lunzo · · Score: 1

      I think the key words you missed in the GP were "psychotic roommate". The poster was hiding from him, not the cops.

    6. Re:I half-ass did this a few years ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why didn't your "psychotic" roommate or the police for that matter just show at your job at 900am, when you were guaranteed to be there?

    7. Re:I half-ass did this a few years ago by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 1

      Obviously, your reading skills are poor. I made a point of explaining my goal very clearly. And don't 'quote' things that aren't quotes.

      My goal was to avoid being hassled AT HOME. My goal was to direct any inquiries to my office where the police would be more likely to be civil and respectful. And there's the legal department and corporate counsel here if it came to that. Also, any contact would occur during business hours when it would be easier to arrange bail, formal legal representation, etc. I explained the situation to my boss who said the accusation was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard and that I'm one of the most level-headed people he's ever met. I explained the situation to head off potential problems should my psychotic former roommate manage to convince a detective to come have a talk with me. My boss would be curious and probably give me some "you sure can pick 'em" jibes but he wouldn't be worried.

      I also didn't want my former roommate to be able to track me down. As I said, attempts were made to locate my new home. Again, all methods of direct contact were steered to a place where confrontation was less likely than in a private setting. With no paperwork of any kind tying me to the new property, there would be no way to track me there short of hiring a PI to follow me home from work. I wasn't too worried about that because of the expense involved.

      It was never my intention to "hide". It was my intention to control access and make any type of contact on my own terms, not those of my former roommate or the police. If anyone wanted to find me, they were welcome to stop by my office. But my home was off limits.

    8. Re:I half-ass did this a few years ago by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 1

      Obviously, the accusation was pure fantasy with nothing to back it up. The roommate did try to find my home but never showed up at my office. I assume because it's preferable to keep the looney-tunes stuff private. I assume the police never showed up because they sniffed out the crazy. Or the roommate never reported "the incident" to the cops.

  33. I know exactly where he is... by Ralph+Spoilsport · · Score: 1

    With Waldo! Can you find him?

    --
    Shoes for Industry. Shoes for the Dead.
  34. Some Wired employees read /. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    John Thrimpson does not.

    Here is a link to prove it...

    http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=&ie=UTF8&ll=37.063296,-95.674465&spn=0.001931,0.003428&t=h&z=18

  35. How Not To Be Seen by dark&stormynight · · Score: 1

    Reminds me of the old Monty Python sketch...How Not To Be Seen.

    This is Mr. Evan Ratliff of San Francisco, United States. Mr. Ratliff cannot be seen. However, I will ask him to stand up.

    Mr. Ratliff, would you stand up please.

    BOOM!

    Mr. Ratliff has not learned the first lesson of not being seen...not to stand up.

  36. Only 5K?? by pyrothebouncer · · Score: 0

    Kinda paltry to go after a small sum like that. I know it is part of his share for the article, but if WIRED was behind it they could offer a better sum like 50k or something in that range. I guess I won't look for him, mostly only because I need 5k beforehand to afford some transportation.

    --
    Mumble mumble mum....
  37. What to Say To Him by adavies42 · · Score: 1

    Whoever finds him, I strongly recommend you say "You are Evan Ratliff and I claim my five grand!"

    --
    Media that can be recorded and distributed can be recorded and distributed.
    -kfg
  38. This whole time... by mldi · · Score: 1

    ... he's chowing down the Cheetohs and Pepsi in his mother's basement playing WoW with a bot posting the tweets.

    --
    If you aren't suspicious of your government's actions, you aren't doing your job as a responsible citizen.
  39. Another WIRED Ad by DynaSoar · · Score: 2, Insightful

    How much is Slashdot getting paid for these ads for Wired? It better be plenty because they're cutting into the credibility here. This latest, a PR boosting (for Wired at the writer) contest announcement, posted in of all places Your Rights Online, is proof positive that if the new eds know what they're doing, they know they're steering this ship towards the icebergs.

    The only thing this article has to do with My Rights Online is people are going to say with mod points that I don't have the right to tell you this shit needs to stop.

    --
    "I may be synthetic, but I'm not stupid." -- Bishop 341-B
  40. Find him via pharmacy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    gotta wonder if he gets any RXs filled. Fake a few calls, find the last filled RX, figure out how many days until refill, call and find out if it was sent to another location on that day?

  41. Steven Rambam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Hopefully there will be no surprises this year. In 2006, privacy expert Steven Rambamâ(TM)s two hour panel was disrupted by federal authorities who arrested him at the conference just prior to its commencement. In the end, he was completely vindicated and went on to finally give his talk several months later to a packed house at a local university. This year, Steven will be on for three hours, in part to make up for what you may have missed last time, but mostly because what he says about the state of privacy in our society will captivate you."

    Audio:
    http://www.thelasthope.org/media/audio/64kbps/Featured_Speaker_-_Steven_Rambam_(Part_1).mp3
    http://www.thelasthope.org/media/audio/64kbps/Featured_Speaker_-_Steven_Rambam_(Part_2).mp3

  42. Still working on Satoshi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There's a Japanese guy out there who still hasn't been found yet.

  43. Twitter Account Suspended by cdoggyd · · Score: 1

    His Twitter account has been suspended for "strange activity."

  44. Lobby Lud & Kolley Kibber by illtud · · Score: 1

    For all of those saying "It's been done before", can I direct you to:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobby_Lud
    &
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brighton_Rock_(novel)

    Grahame Green used this in his novel Brighton Rock (read it, the film's well worth watching as well). Newspapers used this as a marketing gimmick waaay back. "You are and I claim my five pounds" was a usenet catchphrase a back in the day (AICMFP).

    Bah, I feel old now.