You may have noticed that we live in a world where privacy is a valuable asset, and one that’s hard to come by. While personal information should be just that—personal—we see time and time again that an individual’s privacy is fair game for any enterprising offender. From the influx of security software ads invading our mailboxes to the multiple levels of protection that banks use to safeguard our checking accounts, it’s obvious that confidential information is now more vulnerable than ever. It seems, that along with the speed and convenience of our high-tech world, comes the need for continuous vigilance of personal information. Just what does that mean, and what’s the best way to keep both our peace of mind and our personal lives, private? Let’s look at best practices to secure the comfort of privacy.
Because of an ever-increasingly dependence on electronic communication and commerce, we have forged a very attractive lure for cybercrime. According to Jumpstart Magazine, the top five cybercrimes computer networks face is phishing, cyber extortion, data breach, identity theft and harassment.
Why wealthy Americans and Celebrities are More Vulnerable
Both online and in the real world, “Being rich and famous comes with its disadvantages,” the experts at The World Protection Group, Inc., say. “Billionaires attract so much attention from the public, and such interest compromises their privacy. Violation of privacy and confidentiality brings about anxieties and threatens a person’s security. For this reason, billionaires have gone to great lengths to ensure they protect their privacy.”
Protecting Online Privacy
The National Cybersecurity Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the safe use of all technology and provides education on how best to protect yourself, your family and your business from cybercrime, offers tips for how to protect your privacy when you are online, including:
- Be careful about what you share on social media. “For example,” they say, “could an identity thief determine your high school mascot or your mother’s maiden name from digging through your Facebook account? This information is sometimes used as security questions to change passwords on financial accounts.”
- Create strong passwords. At a minimum, the National Cybersecurity Alliance recommends using a mix of at least 12 uppercase and lowercase numbers, special characters and numbers. And be sure to change your passwords frequently.
- Stop and think before you click on a link. Scammers have become quite sophisticated in their attempts to get you to give up your personal information. Phishing is a great example. This scam involves “sending fake emails that appear to be from banks, credit card providers, or other financial institutions. Often, these emails will say that you must click on a link and verify your financial information to keep your account from being frozen or closed.”
- Don’t forget to secure your smartphone. As the National Cybersecurity Alliance says, “Many of us spend more time surfing the web, answering emails and watching videos on our smartphones than we do on our laptops.”
Seeking Real World Anonymity with Multiple Homes
Sadly, the days when expansive lawns and high hedges were enough to protect you from the prying eyes of the world are long past, especially if your property is high end. “Being wealthy attracts people who will do anything to exploit your resources,” the experts at The World Protection Group say in explaining why billionaires must invest in privacy and confidentiality.
Per their web site, The World Protection Group provides gold standard private security protection for high net worth individuals, residences, and corporate property. Owning multiple properties is on the top of their list of seeking privacy in the real world, and many billionaires are doing just that. “Having various estates helps them live a private life as they can settle in whichever place they feel secure and undisturbed. Since billionaires are very famous people, it is easy to trace where they live. A billionaire with one home will hardly enjoy the privacy of his or her home as they will always receive unnecessary visits and scrutiny from the media, the public, stalkers, and even burglars.”
New Home Purchase Invisibility
Unfortunately, in what seems a Catch-22, additional privacy issues arise with the typical purchase of real estate, especially concerning the closing. During that process, public exposure of private financial information as well as a goldmine of sensitive information, ranging from your capital gains taxes to your home address, can defeat the purpose of multiple home ownership. With the State of Florida having some of the wealthiest zip codes in the nation, our local real estate lawyers are especially familiar with privacy concerns when handling luxury home transactions.
While all attorneys are bound to act in their client’s best interests, including navigating the contract language and real estate purchase processes that best protects client confidentiality, the law office of Rabideau Klein has taken it one step further and just introduced a new product designed to help their clients seek total transaction invisibility.
Beyond Private: The Invisible Cloaked Closing®
Cloaked Closing® is a trademarked product from the Florida real estate firm of Rabideau Klein designed to make Florida real estate transactions virtually invisible. The concept is a powerful tool in the battle to protect personal privacy. “The invisibility and enhanced confidentiality of a Cloaked Closing will now enable us to provide an enhanced level of privacy for high-end real estate transactions,” says Florida Bar Board Certified Real Estate Lawyer David E. Klein, who works exclusively with buyers and sellers of luxury residential and commercial real estate.
Florida-Bar-Board-Certified Real Estate Lawyer Guy Rabideau adds, “Our sophisticated, trademarked process was designed to offer distinct advantages for all parties involved in high-end real estate transactions. As we like to say, it’s a win-win situation for both the buyer and the seller.”
If you are seeking ways to protect your privacy and are interested in the potential advantages that a Cloaked Closing® may offer you, please contact the Florida real estate experts at Rabideau Klein.