Faking Your Own Death To Escape Debt?

[TylerDurden]

I'm wondering how easy this is. I follow stories like the chap who faked a kayak accident only to end up in prison years later. They pop up every now and then, but only the ones that get caught. Maybe for every 1 that gets caught there are 10 who vanish?

Just how possible do you think this is. Anyone know someone who has tried? I don't really want to get into the whole moral side to this if possible. But there could be many many advantages. Debt, Relationship troubles, Regrets in life, Fresh start, Excitement, Beating the system.

Also, how would you do it. For me it would be very simple. I surf very often at stupid hours with nobody around. The bigger the waves the more chance im out there. Snap my board, let it wash up. Leave the car in the carpark. I mean, nobody would think any different. What happens next though. How do you make it fool proof?

Dont worry. I'm not in sufficient debt to make it worthwhile, nor do I hate my wife. Im just interested in the fact that its surely possible and People must do it prehaps more than we believe?

And yes. i have recently watched The Passenger, The early Jack Nicholson film. And brilliant it was to.

[Frank Hovis]

It doesn't need to be that dramatic.

This bloke just got on a train. Now had he not stolen some client money, and had he not been unlucky enough to be caught up in an unrelated police sweep he would still be happily living stress-free.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1322544/Lawyer-who-ran-away-to-start-a-new-life-is-jailed-for-a-year.html

I can't see any pictures but I remember it from the time. There was a fat unhappy-looking middle aged man in a suit and a totally unrecognisable tanned thin smiling flower picker. I always thought they should use it in promotional pictures for train travel:

"Stressed, tired, unhappy, life passing you by? Get on a train!"

[JustYield]

Sounds more like faking your own death to avoid your life.

If you have cash, are resourceful, can keep your mouth shut and don't have a drink problem, I imagine it would be very easy to slip away. Frighteningly easy, really.

[TylerDurden]

Sounds more like faking your own death to avoid your life.

Absolutely. If it has ever crossed your mind, I envy you.

[anonguest]

I'm wondering how easy this is. I follow stories like the chap who faked a kayak accident only to end up in prison years later. They pop up every now and then, but only the ones that get caught. Maybe for every 1 that gets caught there are 10 who vanish?

Just how possible do you think this is. Anyone know someone who has tried? I don't really want to get into the whole moral side to this if possible. But there could be many many advantages. Debt, Relationship troubles, Regrets in life, Fresh start, Excitement, Beating the system.

Also, how would you do it. For me it would be very simple. I surf very often at stupid hours with nobody around. The bigger the waves the more chance im out there. Snap my board, let it wash up. Leave the car in the carpark. I mean, nobody would think any different. What happens next though. How do you make it fool proof?

Dont worry. I'm not in sufficient debt to make it worthwhile, nor do I hate my wife. Im just interested in the fact that its surely possible and People must do it prehaps more than we believe?

And yes. i have recently watched The Passenger, The early Jack Nicholson film. And brilliant it was to.

You dont even need to go as far as faking death - JUST LEAVE THE COUNTRY. PERIOD.

I now PERSONALLY know two such recent cases where people have racked up personal (non-criminal) debts to level that, based on their current and flikely future earnings potential, will effectively consign them to a life of wage slavery for the majority of the remainder of their working lives (i.e they will effectively have no net disposable income after paying down their monthly debts repayments).

In both cases each made the deliberate, conscious, planned move abroad and cut all 'official' ties with this country. At least one of them, I am sure, will return one day - but only after at least 6 years have elapsed so his debts die. I would be surprised if these two have left 'behind' anything that could get them in trouble with officialdom upon their returns (e.g unpaid traffic fines, etc).

In both cases, as far as i know, each is still working and earning in their new home overseas - and have learnt the lessons of debt. I suspect both will be very debt averse for the remainder of their lives.

Yes, lots will write here and say they are the lowest of the low, not honouring their debts, etc etc. BUT, in both cases, these two were natural victims of the cheap, easy money that (like a drug) was made increasingly available to people like them through the past decade till very recently.

The banks consciously decided to lend money to anyone with a pulse without taking the slightest look at peoples already existing debt levels, and hence their ultimate ability to repay - a situation akin to drug dealers dispensing drugs without even chacking if their customers can actually pay for their high!

My view has always been, in such cases of non-criminal debt, that human weakness is not a crime and that the supposedly smarter and better informed lenders should suffer for the their stupidity and greed - not the great 'unwashed masses'.

Good luck to these two for trying to salvage a meaningful life free of debt.

[The Masked Tulip]

I'm wondering how easy this is. I follow stories like the chap who faked a kayak accident only to end up in prison years later. They pop up every now and then, but only the ones that get caught. Maybe for every 1 that gets caught there are 10 who vanish?

Just how possible do you think this is. Anyone know someone who has tried? I don't really want to get into the whole moral side to this if possible. But there could be many many advantages. Debt, Relationship troubles, Regrets in life, Fresh start, Excitement, Beating the system.

Also, how would you do it. For me it would be very simple. I surf very often at stupid hours with nobody around. The bigger the waves the more chance im out there. Snap my board, let it wash up. Leave the car in the carpark. I mean, nobody would think any different. What happens next though. How do you make it fool proof?

Dont worry. I'm not in sufficient debt to make it worthwhile, nor do I hate my wife. Im just interested in the fact that its surely possible and People must do it prehaps more than we believe?

And yes. i have recently watched The Passenger, The early Jack Nicholson film. And brilliant it was to.

So basically, your cunning plan is to use a surfboard instead of a kayak... but you have not even got as far as working out the plane tickets to Central America.

Hope that works out for you. Send us a postcard

[The Masked Tulip]

You dont even need to go as far as faking death - JUST LEAVE THE COUNTRY. PERIOD.

I have posted several times of late that I think for many people in the UK now their debt is so great the only option they truly have is to leave the UK never to return.

Big thing though, you don't realise what you have here until you go elsewhere. Luckilly, many Brits can disappear into the EU now.

[R K]

Your passport would flash up on the grid as soon as you enter Tangiers.

Hope that helps.

[anonguest]

Your passport would flash up on the grid as soon as you enter Tangiers.

Hope that helps.

I think you have been watching too much BBC Spooks, Bourne trilogy stuff, etc. The real world aint anything like that - at least so far, thankfully.

[ccc]

I'm wondering how easy this is. I follow stories like the chap who faked a kayak accident only to end up in prison years later. They pop up every now and then, but only the ones that get caught. Maybe for every 1 that gets caught there are 10 who vanish?

Just how possible do you think this is. Anyone know someone who has tried? I don't really want to get into the whole moral side to this if possible. But there could be many many advantages. Debt, Relationship troubles, Regrets in life, Fresh start, Excitement, Beating the system.

Also, how would you do it. For me it would be very simple. I surf very often at stupid hours with nobody around. The bigger the waves the more chance im out there. Snap my board, let it wash up. Leave the car in the carpark. I mean, nobody would think any different. What happens next though. How do you make it fool proof?

Dont worry. I'm not in sufficient debt to make it worthwhile, nor do I hate my wife. Im just interested in the fact that its surely possible and People must do it prehaps more than we believe?

And yes. i have recently watched The Passenger, The early Jack Nicholson film. And brilliant it was to.

Is your wife fit ? If so, then if you go down the faking death route, can I have her for a day or two please ?

You won't be needing her.

Thanks.

[Georgia O'Keeffe]

You dont even need to go as far as faking death - JUST LEAVE THE COUNTRY. PERIOD.

I now PERSONALLY know two such recent cases where people have racked up personal (non-criminal) debts to level that, based on their current and flikely future earnings potential, will effectively consign them to a life of wage slavery for the majority of the remainder of their working lives (i.e they will effectively have no net disposable income after paying down their monthly debts repayments).

In both cases each made the deliberate, conscious, planned move abroad and cut all 'official' ties with this country. At least one of them, I am sure, will return one day - but only after at least 6 years have elapsed so his debts die. I would be surprised if these two have left 'behind' anything that could get them in trouble with officialdom upon their returns (e.g unpaid traffic fines, etc).

In both cases, as far as i know, each is still working and earning in their new home overseas - and have learnt the lessons of debt. I suspect both will be very debt averse for the remainder of their lives.

Yes, lots will write here and say they are the lowest of the low, not honouring their debts, etc etc. BUT, in both cases, these two were natural victims of the cheap, easy money that (like a drug) was made increasingly available to people like them through the past decade till very recently.

The banks consciously decided to lend money to anyone with a pulse without taking the slightest look at peoples already existing debt levels, and hence their ultimate ability to repay - a situation akin to drug dealers dispensing drugs without even chacking if their customers can actually pay for their high!

My view has always been, in such cases of non-criminal debt, that human weakness is not a crime and that the supposedly smarter and better informed lenders should suffer for the their stupidity and greed - not the great 'unwashed masses'.

Good luck to these two for trying to salvage a meaningful life free of debt.

i think this is smart, id probably do the same, if i had no assets, had no family responsibility, a good credit rating and no real opportunity id definately rack up the credit cards and vacate the country with it, when there is no value left in morality due to mass fraud and corruption it becomes entirely logical. there is clearly an historical level of decadence in society that has naturally developed over the last few decades going from the very top to the bottom of food chain, its just another box to tick off adding to the warning light that we are quite likely in the process of a relatively substantial economic collapse, there are so many things being discussed and considered as viable/normal that simply wouldnt happen in a healthy society, its very interesting to watch in real life compared to just reading about it in history books

the only thing holding the fabric together is the idea that everyone with asset based debt is wealthy, which is why its so important to those running it that reality doesnt happen at the expense of everything else, if that dissapears which is inevitable, if not now at some point then socially it all falls apart

[Johnny Storm]

I think you have been watching too much BBC Spooks, Bourne trilogy stuff, etc. The real world aint anything like that - at least so far, thankfully.

I also remember that program about a woman who wanted to get a passport from every country in the EU, wasnt difficult at all. And these were real passports, just in someone else's name but with her picture.

I must admit the life lived as shown on the Sarah Connor chronicles was very appealing. Living off the grid, always ready to leave at a minutes notice if the terminators found you. Brilliant.

[bajista]

I imagine the effect is a bit like witness protection.

If you have a sad life with no friends, hate your family, have had no career path and don't belong to any groups clubs etc, it's a great idea. What have you got to lose?

But if you have any 'life' at all it is a major sacrifice to give it up.

Frankly, I'd hate to leave the cat ;-)

[hirop]

...At least one of them, I am sure, will return one day - but only after at least 6 years have elapsed so his debts die....

You sure debts die after 6 years? I was always under the impression that defaults were removed from your credit file six years after settlement (which may or may not include such outcomes as being written off, partial settlement in lieu of the full amount, full repayment). There are ways to obfuscate your credit history, by closing down all your accounts and then move about a bit you could theoretically break the linked addresses part of your credit report. I'd say this is the section that really uncovers a persons financial history.

[scottbeard]

Yes, lots will write here and say they are the lowest of the low, not honouring their debts, etc etc. BUT, in both cases, these two were natural victims of the cheap, easy money that (like a drug) was made increasingly available to people like them through the past decade till very recently.

...

My view has always been, in such cases of non-criminal debt, that human weakness is not a crime and that the supposedly smarter and better informed lenders should suffer for the their stupidity and greed - not the great 'unwashed masses'.

Very few people would condone someone walking into a bike shop and riding off on an expensive bike without paying.

But if you buy the bike on a credit card, then ride off into the sunset and default, that seems to be regarded as a 1-0 victory over the nasty banks.

My view is somewhat in the middle: there needs to be a punishment for defaulting on debt, but there should be a much bigger one for reckless lending than simply a small dent in profits.

Oh and if "human weakness is not a crime", does that mean cheating on your other half due to natural human urges is fine?

[The Masked Tulip]

There was the ex hubby of singer Olivia Newton John who was discovered a few months ago in Central America.

He has supposedly died, I think, in a boating accident but there were lots of people looking for him. They hired an investigation firm who started to post stories about him and his disappearance online - then they sat back and watched from where in the World visitors to those sites containing the articles were coming from.

Over time they tracked him down to the village where he was living.

His mistake appears to have been to have googled himself.

[Eddie_George]

Why run when you can go bankrupt? I thought it was easy in this country, just a few years without any credit, then you're back on easy street.

[Authoritarian]

The EU are going to nip this sort of thing in the bud with their new powers, including an EU wide information system that makes it easier to track criminals down in other member states:

And campaign group Fair Trials International has also warned that EIOs could be used to compel British police to gather information including DNA samples and bank records.

link

There's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

[Georgia O'Keeffe]

Very few people would condone someone walking into a bike shop and riding off on an expensive bike without paying.

But if you buy the bike on a credit card, then ride off into the sunset and default, that seems to be regarded as a 1-0 victory over the nasty banks.

My view is somewhat in the middle: there needs to be a punishment for defaulting on debt, but there should be a much bigger one for reckless lending than simply a small dent in profits.

Oh and if "human weakness is not a crime", does that mean cheating on your other half due to natural human urges is fine?

its so bad that its not even a dent in profits anymore, the underwriter has written the business, taken the commission and reserved nothing, x years later the govt has decided the taxpayer can cover that whilst the underwriter is long gone, and who is affected most by this... Pension funds, mainly Joe taxpayer for a spot of double entry, not even lloyds was this blatant in the 80s, hit the underwriters and CEOs, not the entity

You best check with your other half over the next bit, some are weak and will accept it, effectively encouraging it to happen again, others will tell you to fck right off, others will bobbit you. It takes all types to make the world work

[ChumpusRex]

You sure debts die after 6 years? I was always under the impression that defaults were removed from your credit file six years after settlement (which may or may not include such outcomes as being written off, partial settlement in lieu of the full amount, full repayment). There are ways to obfuscate your credit history, by closing down all your accounts and then move about a bit you could theoretically break the linked addresses part of your credit report. I'd say this is the section that really uncovers a persons financial history.

Debts die 6 years after you past acknowledge that you owe the debt - e.g. Make a payment or agree to repay the debt.

The exception is secured debt (e.g. Mortgages, including the debt that remains after a repo in negative equity) which die 12 years after last acknowledgement.

In reality, the debts don't actually die but a) they are removed from your credit record and a court cannot order on the debt (they cannot issue a warrant for bailiffs, or other form of collection). So, although the debt exists, there is no legal way to force you to repay it.

[GinAndPlatonic]

Oh and if "human weakness is not a crime", does that mean cheating on your other half due to natural human urges is fine?

No....but that`s not a crime either. Just part of being human. We try to rationalise human behaviour and it sends us bonkers. It`s only when we get older we often put 2+2 together and realise we chould have acted better. But should and would are two different words when all those hormones are raging....

In regard to loans, It`s the banks that make it feel alright to borrow huge sums and people are only human, and hence many follow the herd. It`s instinctive. Don`t shoot the flock, just change the shepherd...

edit to make sense

[anonguest]

Oh and if "human weakness is not a crime", does that mean cheating on your other half due to natural human urges is fine?

No its not fine. BUT its not, thankfully, a crime either any longer - as in medeival times or modern medieval like countries such as Saudi Arabia or Iran.

Adultery, just like debt, is something we should strive to avoid but sadly and inevitably given human weaknesses it does happen.

[anonguest]

Why run when you can go bankrupt? I thought it was easy in this country, just a few years without any credit, then you're back on easy street.

The point being that bankruptcy is not an easy way out - with all the consequent effects on your life. Limited bank account facilities available, restrcitions on jobs one can do, etc etc.

Much better to start afresh elsewhere with a modicum of modern normal life.

[ChumpusRex]

The point being that bankruptcy is not an easy way out - with all the consequent effects on your life. Limited bank account facilities available, restrcitions on jobs one can do, etc etc.

Much better to start afresh elsewhere with a modicum of modern normal life.

The restrictions of bankruptcy are not actually that bad - in fact, for the majority of people, would not be a problem at all (and even then, the restrictions disappear when the bankruptcy is discharged in 6-12 months). Having seen my parents go bankrupt due to a failed business, once discharged, the banks had no hesitation in offering full-featured accounts again - and it wasn't long before the credit card offers started coming through and getting accepted.

So for 12 months (or less, as is frequently the case) - you are limited to a basic bank account, unable to work as a company director, or apply for credit without disclosing that you are bankrupt. You also can't work as an MP, pub landlord, estate agent, accountant or solicitor. But these restrictions disappear when your name is erased from the insolvency register after 12 months.

[ken_ichikawa]

The point being that bankruptcy is not an easy way out - with all the consequent effects on your life. Limited bank account facilities available, restrcitions on jobs one can do, etc etc.

Much better to start afresh elsewhere with a modicum of modern normal life.

Is it, bankruptcy wipes the slate clean after 12 months. For most jobs you can go into them after 12 months once your bankruptcy period is over.

But for certain professions it is a tad more serious! Accountants and lawyers for instance bankruptcy automatically gets your thrown out of the accounting body. Which means you have to sit and wait for 12 months for the bankruptcy period to expire... then you have to reapply which takes 2-3 years. Therefore it can be a career killer for members of a professional body. Since ACCAs and ACAs take ages to earn its quite a killer blow!