Silk Road forums

Discussion => Newbie discussion => Topic started by: astralsurf on April 21, 2013, 04:29 pm

Title: PO Box of any value?
Post by: astralsurf on April 21, 2013, 04:29 pm
I don't see how using a PO Box would be worth the trouble.  In some guides here, i see recommendations to use one to minimize risk, then qualifications that seem to take all of the value out of the effort.

The main thing is, somebody has to be associated with the PO Box.  If I don't want to expose myself to the risk of that association, I surely don't want to ask a friend or associate and make them a potential fall-guy.  I'd be ok with enemies taking that risk, but I just don't think they would cooperate.  Look what Tom, a PO Box biz owner, says at http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101117201356AAQ1B72 (clearnet):

Quote
if law enforcement or a governing body requests the information on the boxholder with a subpoena then we are required by law to hand over that info.

I think that illicit packages are less likely to be snooped when they are in a mail box on (or within a few feet of) my property rather than in a post office or a Mailbox Plus (perhaps staffed by bored teenagers).

Third party services like https://www.privatebox.co.nz/ just increase exposure for physical packages.  Besides raising suspicion due to extra forwarding, you are increasing the amount of time in the transportation system and maybe doubling the number of hands that will touch it... never mind adding days to your delivery time.

Maybe I'm missing something.  Can anybody support the benefit of getting a PO box for SR usage?
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: Blksheep on April 21, 2013, 04:40 pm
I think using a fake ID that is actually linked to someone that actually exists, with your picture on it will keep you in the clear. Maybe use a tormail address to check on your UPS delivery and someone not in the know-how picking up said package. Maybe put box in a business name too. Think about it and weigh the facts. NEVER SIGN FOR ANYTHING! And I mean NOTHING!!!!!!
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: astralsurf on April 22, 2013, 07:57 pm
I think using a fake ID that is actually linked to someone that actually exists, with your picture on it will keep you in the clear. Maybe use a tormail address to check on your UPS delivery and someone not in the know-how picking up said package...

Playing Devil's Advocate on purpose, I can't think of any advantage to having "someone not in the know-how picking up said package".  In the case that the authorities grab whoever picks up the package, surely someone "not in the know-how" would just say they are picking the package up for you-- what else would they say?  I wouldn't want them to take the fall for me.

And without somebody else picking up the package for you, the best defense is to claim ignorance.  If they grab you up and know you got the mailbox with another name, the ignorance defense goes out the window.  If they can get evidence that you used a false ID to assist with interstate or international mail crimes, you will be sitting in a cell while they build their main case.
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: ethic on April 22, 2013, 08:37 pm
I use a PO box. I only use it because I still live with my parents and I don't want them snooping around my letters and getting mixed up in this SR business. I've followed the rules of not signing for anything and don't open any packages until you're somewhere safe, and it's been going well.
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: astralsurf on April 22, 2013, 08:48 pm
I use a PO box. I only use it because I still live with my parents and I don't want them snooping around my letters and getting mixed up in this SR business. I've followed the rules of not signing for anything and don't open any packages until you're somewhere safe, and it's been going well.

Makes sense.  That's a use that I didn't think of... 'cause I'm an old bastard.  You probably got that mailbox in your real name, right?
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: kingghb on April 22, 2013, 10:29 pm
It's dangerous no matter how you look at it. By setting up a box you can add a level of security if you do it right, don't use your real ID, don't park in front or near surveillance,  know the area, where all cameras are at, there are so many factors.
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: Lanius on April 22, 2013, 11:11 pm
ANybody have any opinion on mail forwarding services such as earthclassmail.com?
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: astralsurf on April 22, 2013, 11:28 pm
ANybody have any opinion on mail forwarding services such as earthclassmail.com?

I've opined about that in the first post of this topic, beginning with the phrase "Third Party services".
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: Lanius on April 22, 2013, 11:37 pm
Sorry, SR has been so disturbingly slow that I have a hard time focusing   :D
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: astralsurf on April 23, 2013, 12:33 am
Sorry, SR has been so disturbingly slow that I have a hard time focusing   :D

Understood.  Helps me get up to my 50 posts.  :)
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: hmonz420 on April 23, 2013, 01:02 am
I myself am considering setting up an PO box and have many of the same concerns. I don't know how it works where you live but here (Ireland) you have to show two photo id's and a utility bill or bank statement with your name and address on it to set one up, so fake id's not really an option.. Kinda sketching me out of the idea
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: astralsurf on April 23, 2013, 01:11 am
I myself am considering setting up an PO box and have many of the same concerns. I don't know how it works where you live but here (Ireland) you have to show two photo id's and a utility bill or bank statement with your name and address on it to set one up, so fake id's not really an option.. Kinda sketching me out of the idea

Govt. photo ID is the difficult part.  They're very distinctive with anti-fraud features.  Utility bills and bank statements aren't even signed.  Get a computer buddy to help you doctor an online PDF or scanned bill/statement.  They can be modified to say whatever you want with a tool like Gimp or iText, then print out the results on a color printer.
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: PsychoactiveAdventureTime on April 23, 2013, 03:24 am
I don't recommend a PO box. Like others said, it's just more hands to go through, and it's weird to get mail in a PO box when you have a permanent address. A PO box is probably better for someone running a home business who doesn't want to give out their address to customers. That's just my opinion.

One thing to BE WARNED about: Using a fake ID to get a PO box is a federal crime.
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: magicalmiddleman on April 23, 2013, 03:34 am
I agree that a PO box is not a good idea...but one option I have used in the past is "virtual offices"...just find one in your area....the one I used did not require an ID (fake name) and it had 24 hour access so I could pick up my mail anytime......there are virtual offices located all over the world....thank me later
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: kingghb on April 27, 2013, 05:42 am
Ordering drugs through the postal system/international drug trafficking is a crime too unfortunately. I still think PO boxes are much safer with fake docs is the best way to go for me as I receive a large amount of orders on a weekly basis. In my case, I'm fortunate enough to have some guys I pay to open the boxes for me using false docs.

I doubt more scrutiny is placed on PMB's than residential addresses, they are looking for suspicious packages not addresses. If you are afraid of using false documentation, just open it in your name, and start receiving mail there in your name such as catalogs, and other junk. That's my opinion. I used to order packages to my house, or friends/family but I started becoming a lot more careful.
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: LSDLucidity on April 27, 2013, 07:11 am
I think PO box's are a waste of money. There are better ways to get drops.
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: underbelly on April 27, 2013, 07:38 am
What about this:

Many of us get letters posted for the previous tenants who lived at the address.
Why not take their real name, and your current address where they were living and where you now live and when buying on SR, just put their name and your current address?

If the vendor posts a letter/package that needs no signing, the postman drops it off into your mail box, you pick it up, do the RTS, leave for a few days and that is all.

If LE has any problems, "fuck thats not even for me officer".

If it goes go to the post office then this becomes complicated as you have to physically sign for that package "on behalf of them" because you share the same address according to your driver's licence etc.

Thoughts?
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: astralsurf on April 27, 2013, 12:49 pm
What about this:

Many of us get letters posted for the previous tenants who lived at the address.
Why not take their real name, and your current address where they were living and where you now live and when buying on SR, just put their name and your current address? ...

Thoughts?

Over many years living at many houses, I have seen total inconsistency with how post offices handle mail for previous occupants.  Whether one receives imperfectly addressed mail often depends on who is sorting or delivering mail when that piece happens to be received.

USPS probably doesn't want the bother and expense of filtering out mis-addressed junk mail.  For regular service, regular envelope mail they may be lax.  But I suspect that they will be more careful to return-to-sender "packages" (or international or higher-cost service items) that are addressed to previous occupants.  Though not known for their concern, some post office employees don't like customers complaining to their superiors.  Some of the mail services come with default insurance (for example USPS Express Mail, offered by some SR vendors, comes with $100 insurance) and they surely don't want to deliver those packages so as to encourage insurance claims.  Many other delivery services offer optional insurance (for example USPS Priority Mail), and I very much doubt that they have a reliable be-careful-only-with-optional-insurance policy for those services.
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: CallmeBruce on April 27, 2013, 01:00 pm
What about this:

Many of us get letters posted for the previous tenants who lived at the address.
Why not take their real name, and your current address where they were living and where you now live and when buying on SR, just put their name and your current address?

If the vendor posts a letter/package that needs no signing, the postman drops it off into your mail box, you pick it up, do the RTS, leave for a few days and that is all.

If LE has any problems, "fuck thats not even for me officer".

If it goes go to the post office then this becomes complicated as you have to physically sign for that package "on behalf of them" because you share the same address according to your driver's licence etc.

Thoughts?

What about when the previous tenant has a mail redirect in place that is not being effective. I.e. They have redirected their mail but some is still getting through to you. (This has happened to me once).  Just a thought.
Title: Re: PO Box of any value?
Post by: kingghb on April 28, 2013, 10:40 pm
The idea of using the previous tenants name is a good one, only I'd be worried about the post office forwarding the mail. There is a certain time frame which they are supposed to forwad mail for I believe it's 3 months or something, and then they are supposed to stop. Well, I've found that's not always the case. It depends on the mail carrier, every post office has different staff. I've had packages that were legitimately sent to me forwarded to the previous tenant because the mail carrier was a retard.