When SHTF, you might have to do something more drastic than bug out. If you need to protect yourself or your family, you might even need to disappear completely. (h/t to PreparingWithDave.com)
On paper, disappearing sounds like an easy task. But in this day and age, it's more difficult to erase all traces of your presence because of technology and social media.
How exactly do you disappear when disaster strikes?
Start erasing your digital footprint
To prevent people from getting suspicious when you finally stop posting online, tell them you're doing a social media detox before your make your escape. Next, delete all of your accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and your email accounts.
You're probably online most of the day for work and for personal reasons, but your computer and smartphone will tell anyone what they need to know about you from your pictures, contacts, messages, call records, internet browsing history and more.
Whether you realize it or not, anyone who knows what to look for will find what they need by checking your posts online and your gadgets. Data stored on your devices can even reveal your plans if your enemy gets a hold of them.
Before you leave, press the factory reset button on all your devices to delete all your data. Better yet, destroy your devices after you've deleted your user data.
Decide if you're ready to disappear
When SHTF, it's time to make up your mind. If your whole family is at risk, the best thing to do might be to disappear.
But once you leave, there's a chance that you might never be able to reunite with your loved ones. After you've made up your mind to go, take the necessary precautions immediately. If you're lucky, you might have several days to prepare.
If time isn't on your side when SHTF, you probably only have a couple of hours to get your things ready. This highlights the importance of packing an "I'm never coming home" (INCH) bag before it's too late.
An INCH bag contains gear and supplies that you might need to survive for 72 hours as you head to a safe location.
Here are some items that you will need to pack in your INCH bag:
- Shelf-stable food, snacks and drinking water.
- Weather-appropriate extra change of clothing. You'll need underwear, socks, one pair of pants, a hat for summer and one for winter, and gloves.
- A basic first-aid kit and another kit for serious injuries. When you're on the run, you should be able to treat burns, cuts, wounds, breaks, sprains and tooth injuries.
- A toiletry kit with personal hygiene items like soap, razor, tampons or feminine pads, comb, toilet paper, toothbrush and toothpaste, and other items you'll need to take care of yourself.
- To keep your INCH bag light, invest in a multitool that you can use for emergencies. You'll also need something to set up an emergency shelter like an ax, duct tape, shovel, saw and a machete.
Once you have your INCH bag ready, devise a plan for your escape. (Related: Bug out survival planning: Prepping a bug-out bag in less than an hour.)
If your family is worried, explain that it's safer for them if you pack and leave quickly. Don't tell them where you're going once you've decided on a place so they don't accidentally give away your location.
Have cash on hand
Before you leave, get as much cash together as you can so you don't have to worry about not being able to access money in your account.
You can withdraw as much money as you can from an ATM after you destroy your phones, then head to your bank to close your account. To avoid being followed to your bank, go to a location you rarely use.
Don't use your debit or credit cards since all digital transactions can be traced. Switch completely to cash and consider bartering if there's someone you can barter with to save some of your cash.
Avoid outside contact
You can be easily tracked using your smartphone, so remove the SIM card from your phone and get rid of both the phone and the SIM card. The same goes for other devices with Bluetooth or WIFI capability.
If you want to disappear, you won't be able to use your tablet, laptop, a fitness watch and any other connected devices. Keep a pen and paper list of the phone numbers of people you speak to rarely but you trust to help you when SHTF.
Don't contact immediate family, close friends, or current coworkers because whoever's after you might be waiting for you to contact them. If you really need to talk to someone, use an off-the-grid way to communicate like a two-way radio with sufficient range or notes hidden at a designated location.
Alternatively, you can use burner phones to communicate. Burner phones are prepaid cell phones and there's no account like a normal cell phone so the number can't be traced back to you.
But if you call someone who's being monitored, your pursuers can still track your burner phone. Use a burner phone as a last resort.
Heading to a safe location
Modern vehicles usually have tracking devices built-in, making them easy to track. And even if you have an old vehicle without this function, you can still be tracked via license plate scanners on most major roads in the country. If you drive by one, it will scan your plates and report the time and location.
When the coast is clear, replace your personal vehicle for another that isn't registered to your name. If you have cash on hand, try to make a deal for an old car for a good price. Look for vehicles built before 1994.
There are other ways to travel if you don't think it's safe to drive to your location. Don't get on a plane or train because you will need to show your ID.
- Buses are fine for off-the-grid travel, but buses are slow and require several stops and layovers, which might give your pursuers plenty of time to catch up.
- You can also get out of town on boats.
- Another option is to travel on foot, which is often the safest way to stay under the radar.
- You can also hitchhike, which will help you cover lots of distance quickly. Remember to stay on your guard while traveling with a stranger.
Find lodging
There are three options for lodging once you get out of town.
- Stay at a hotel that takes cash. Avoid hotels on the main routes out of town, which may be monitored by your pursuers. If you stay at hotels, change locations often and avoid security cameras. Alternatively, you can use vacation rentals which are more likely to take cash and less likely to get unwanted visitors.
- Stay with friends, but not anyone who's close to you or someone you talk to regularly. Arrange this without being tracked.
- Stay outdoors. This option is better if you're in the countryside where you can easily set up a tent and camp. If you're in a big city, stop at a homeless shelter.
Going on the run and disappearing is a tough choice to make but it may be necessary for your survival if SHTF. If you think you need to disappear, think hard about where you're going and if you have what it takes to survive on your own.
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