When you surf the internet your computer is given a public IP address. This address determines accurate information about your computer and its location. Simply put, without proper safeguards, anonymity when using the internet no longer exists in today’s E-world.
Image: Lightspring (Shutterstock)Although you may ask why you should hide your IP address if you are not performing anything illegal, there are times when being invisible on the net is truly essential. It is not only prudent to surf with complete privacy, but disguising your IP address of origin often helps bypass local restrictions.
Securing your identity also extends to the question of which postal address to use. For example, you may need a snail mail address that is different from your real location.
This article describes two totally legal solutions for hiding your true identity on the net and beyond…
Tip # 1: Hide your IP Address
Surfing the internet can sometimes feel like swimming in shark infested waters. Sadly, a certain percentage of the net is populated with shady people, scammers and hackers, who monitor online activities and steal personal information such as credit card PIN and account details.
In the fight against hackers, and for the protection of privacy, VPN (Virtual Private Network) services are mushrooming. Their sole purpose is to effectively disguise or hide IP addresses to make the global network more secure and to protect identities.
However, hiding your own IP is not only good for privacy. You can certainly deliberately use “hide IP” services to disguise your location and gain access to content or services which are otherwise blocked from your own country.
For example, if you want to watch a certain football match not licensed for broadcast where you are, how about utilising an IP address that is acceptable in that country?
If you cherish or rely on a service you cannot access from your own IP address then simply register with a VPN provider who will route you in to your targeted website from whichever country you choose. Absolutely easy!
VPN servers cost money to buy and run; programmers cost more on top. But you will be pleased to know that a professional VPN service with unlimited amount of transfer and encrypted VPN technology costs as little as £3.99 per month, with a choice of different VPN gateways from various countries. It is then up to you to decide if you want to come across as a surfer from the UK, from Spain, or from any other country.
Check this VPN service out – we have used them for three years and highly recommend them for everything described above. Being perpetual travellers, we constantly need to research betting exchanges and other bookmaker accounts, which are sometimes restricted in various territories we visit: HideIPVPN.
Tip # 2: Use the Services of a “Virtual” Office
If you need to have your business address in the ‘right’ area, perhaps even with a local telephone phone number to use from wherever you are, a virtual office service can make a big difference to your trading capabilities.
Perhaps you are constantly travelling but need a permanent base, someone reliable to receive mail and send it out for you; to sign for registered deliveries; to scan and forward documents to you, either by email or to an agreed postal address?
If you want, you can arrange for a “virtual” telephone line, which will be constantly monitored and calls answered in a professional manner in yours or your firm’s name by a competent secretary. If you need a manual fax sent, just email it to them – they will print it out and send it for you.
However, virtual offices are not only interesting for business customers – they work perfectly well for everyone, however large or small the need, and the comforting fact is that they are totally legal!
In the UK, for example, for an annual charge of around £120, you can have a virtual office take charge of whatever affairs you entrust them with.
Having the right location is especially handy if you need proof of address for any service provider, for whom your latest bank statement is often acceptable. Just ask your bank to change the correspondence address on your account to match that of your virtual office (or home).
Tip: Most countries in the world are satisfied for ID purposes with the address appearing on bank statements. Sometimes, companies send a confirmation letter to the address on their books enclosing a verification code, which has to be called in by phone or, is needed to complete an online registration. This is sufficient ID proof in most cases. After all, wherever you receive mail, you can be reached. Whether you really live at this address or not, is not important.
Of course, virtual offices are in business all over the world. They are not limited to your own country. You can live for example in Spain and have a business or personal address in the Netherlands. Why not? Take it from us, it works just fine!
Just google: virtual office uk
Hello, It’s very interesting the article and I live in Portugal where at the moment it’s illegal to bet online and this seems to be a solution. My question is: Is it really legal to have a office address and use it as address? For betfair and smarkets for example they allow this type of “solution”? Keep the good work 😉
It cannot be entirely illegal if Betfair and Smarkets allow this type of “solution”, not?
However, I must refer to our T&C’s:
In a state/country where betting or gambling is forbidden by law, the use of the Soccerwidow Web site should be used purely for informational purposes only and not with a view to betting or gambling via a third party Web site.
It is the individual’s own responsibility to ensure that any activity with a third party which facilitates the placement of bets and/or wagers does not breach the laws relating to betting or gambling in their state/country of origin.
It is the responsibility of the individual to comply with his or her local laws.