Have you ever thought about disappearing? We’re not talking about abandoning your family and other responsibilities. That would be irresponsible. But starting over might be a welcome thought.
The U.S. Department of Justice has 22,740 people listed in its National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. Unfortunately, many of these people are missing because of nefarious events. You can bet, however, that some of these people are voluntarily missing.
But if you want to go someplace where no one knows you, turn over a new leaf, and start over, how would you go about it? Maybe you just ended a long-term relationship, aren’t happy with the job prospects or opportunities where you are, or have some other motivation. You might want a clean slate for a new life. It’s a good option if you have no relationships or responsibilities that anchor you to a specific geography.
Consider these five things if you want to disappear, move elsewhere, and start over legally.
1. Select Your Day of Departure and Plan
If your plan is to disappear and you want to ensure things go as planned, you must choose a day and start planning. If Fido the dog or Pretty Paws the cat will be coming along, ensure your travel arrangements include them.
Consider where you want to go, secure accommodations, figure out how much money you’ll need, and determine what you want to take. Keep your departure date and plans to yourself.
2. Cancel Contracts and Service Agreements
Depending on your situation, you might have to delay disappearing for a while. The reason is that you’ll want to be unencumbered by outstanding loans or other financial obligations. You’ll also want to ensure you end contracts and service agreements. This includes utilities, newspaper or magazine subscriptions, and any other things of this nature. The last thing you need is to have some company hunting you down due to non-payment. So, get all your ducks in a row to move forward without looking back.
3. Legally Change Your Name
If you’re serious about disappearing and starting a new life elsewhere, you might want to change your name legally. That’ll help you start over and build the life you’ve always wanted. Depending on where you are, legally changing your name can be a relatively straightforward and pain-free process. Give careful thought before choosing your new name. Whether you want to disappear or not, you might want to explore a name change if you never really liked the name your parents gave you.
4. Get Off of Social Media
Another critical step is getting off of social media. If you’re used to posting updates and snapshots marking every waking moment of every day, that’ll have to change. Disappearing and starting a new life means leaving your old life behind. If someone wants to find you, one of the first things they’ll do is check Facebook, Instagram, or other social media platforms.
Delete your social media accounts. If you want some form of contact with people from your old life, you could set up a new social media account and set it to private. Don’t use your real name. And ensure you allow access to only people you trust.
5. Scrap Your Credit Cards
Close your bank accounts and cancel your credit cards. After you move, reopen bank accounts in your new name. If you keep your old bank accounts, someone who wants to find you can easily track you down via a private investigator.
Are you serious about disappearing? Take these tips to heart. And give yourself enough time to get things in order before moving to your new location. Once the day to leave arrives, take your things and head out. You’ll want to adjust to your new life and make it better than the one you left behind.
