INTERVIEW WITH SHELDON CHARRETT

by Quixer.com

 

I recently had the opportunity to interview Sheldon, a man very familiar with personal privacy and fake identification.  His recently published book “Secrets of A Back Alley ID Man” is available at Palladin-Press.com.  Sheldon is widely known for his books “The Modern Identity Changer” and “Identity, Privacy, and Personal Freedom.” 

 

(My questions appear in Italics)

 

First off, can you tell us a little bit about yourself... How long ago did you get started in this "industry" and  what were your original motivations?  Do you think your motivations have stayed the same over all these years?

 

My interest in this area sprang from my duties as a private investigator.  To conduct plausible ruses, I needed ID cards with various names and purported trades. For example, to get a wire on somebody's line, a PI might need to pose as a telephone repairman. Having an ID issued by AT&T helps get your, ahem, foot in the door.

 

I found later on that clients also needed, how shall I put it, non-state-issued ID. Battered wives, people escaping from the mob, and falsely accused individuals are a few examples of people in need of and ID man.

 

You have stated countless times your belief in preserving personal privacy.  Why should an average individual with nothing to hide be concerned with such issues?  Aren't

criminals the only ones changing their identities?

 

The few above examples show that criminals are not the only market for new ID. There are many more such examples. As far as the average person with "nothing to hide" is concerned, why not just defecate in a glass bathroom with no curtains? Provided you are doing it the same way as anybody else, using the proper amount of toilet paper, not touching yourself too long in the wrong areas, what have you to hide? Why do

need privacy in the toilet?

 

People with "nothing to hide" or otherwise, need to be concerned with our privacy for no other reason than because it is one of our most sacred inalienable rights. It's not something we *need*, per se, but then neither is land ownership or material possessions. We have to protect our privacy because it is a human right that we have. The fact that most everybody in existence cherishes and savors their privacy is actually the *second* most important reason to protect it.

 

Your most recently titled book, "Secrets of A Back Alley ID Man" gives step by step instructions on how to make a relatively inexpensive rainbow hologram with an alps printer.   Can you give us any more details as to how this method was discovered?  Is there any information that didn't quite make it into the book but might be useful to readers?

 

First I'd like to point out that the Alps method is only the seed of an idea. It is in dire need of refinement, mostly because it is dangerous to the Alps printer to employ the method. I threw the idea out there hoping that someone else would run with the baton. I'm hoping folks share their refinements on my discussion board. The method was discovered after lengthy discussions with a man named Bill who is credited (anonymously at his request) in my book. Bill came up with the idea of clogging the diffractive film. I chewed on that idea for many weeks. Laminating the film had two unwanted effects: clogging

and/or burning the film. It simply dawned on me that burning the film in a controlled way would be a great way to make holograms. But how do you do that? I knew the Alps printhead used a thermal technique in the dye-sublimation mode and simply decided to do a "negative" dye-sub printing onto the diffractive film. It worked. However, I melted the ribbon in the ink cartridge. These cartridges are $5 a whack so I discontinued that line of research. Besides, I didn't want to destroy the Alps printhead--especially since they're not making them anymore.

 

The results using the above method were quite stunning but subsequent incorrect lamination ruined the holo. I think the foregoing information would be useful to any reader interested in refining the method.

 

In recent news, we have learned that the terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center buildings had used a possible fake New Jersey license (http://www.itn.co.uk/specials/world/americas/010912bin_laden.shtml) as a part of their sophisticated plan.  Do you have any concerns over what might happen if your information got into the wrong hands?  Is there anything we can do to keep information like this out of the hands of the 'bad guys' ?

 

Publishing the information helps to show the feds how bad guys might make fake IDs. By knowing the procedure, the feds can educate airport personnel as to how fakes might be discovered. I don't think the information can fall into the wrong hands. I believe it's already in the wrong hands by publication time. Publishing the information helps

keep good people from becoming fooled by fake IDs.

 

Your book shares a common interest with quixer, we are both fan's of GHETTO (aka "underground") fake id techniques.  Your recently published book contains several methods including making a "poor man's laminator" from a clothes iron and an upside-down saucepan as well as using Super Clear cellophane tape as an overlamina.  Do you have any other "ol' school" tips or tricks my readers might find interesting?

 

I'm pretty fond of my old school techniques and I think I've already published all that are worth publishing. If anything comes to mind, I'll email you and you can add it to your site.

 

With the explosive growth of "anonymous banking" and debit cards over the internet, how best can the modern identity changer take advantage of these online offers?

 

The *best* way to take advantage is to get in with the new companies before they put too many security devices in place. An organizing enterprise has looser security. For example, while PayPal was organizing, it was much easier to open an account in a fake name. Now they have very strict security. Look for other companies trying to compete with PayPal in the near future. Look for holes in their security while they are

young an organizing. The modern identity changer needs to remain dynamic. You

can no longer rely on static approaches that have been in print for any length of time. You must constantly keep your eye open for new "ins".

 

You briefly touched on using trusts and other business filings as a means of masking your identity, any chance of expanding on this topic in a future book?

 

Yes, there's a very good chance I'll expand in those areas if I ever do another ID type book. For now I'll tell you that both avenues are still pretty viable. I'm still a fan of the common law trust because even a completely legal one offers a lot of anonymity.

 

How about taking on the whole "offshore banking" industry, maybe something along the lines of "The Ins & Outs of Offshore Banking" geared towards the little guy who just

wants to keep his banking private.

 

I'm more likely to read such a book that to write it. The subject intriques me but I have a hard time trusting other nations right now. Even before the WTC/Pentagon incidents I was wary of offshore banks.  I still prefer (and use) a good solid safe.

 

I'd like to thank you for your time by answering all these questions I lay before you.  Is there anything else you would like to share?

 

I'd just like to thank you and quixer.com for your interest in my book and for joining the continuing quest for privacy and the annihilation of totalitarianism. I've said it before and I'll say it again . . .

 

Peace,

--Sheldon Charrett