Just to add a quick heads up to anyone who thinks she can screen via phone w/no problem

Voice recognition can easily be your downfall if you try to talk your way out of things. While most local police won't bother with this system because of the cost, FBI has had this for years and employs it for most calls.

If you screen them over the phone, they have what is essentially your voice DNA on file. With police busts, it usually doesn't matter so much, if that is your first time getting busted, as MalayaTaylor said ...if you're smart you can apparently usually find a way out.

However, if the FBI is involved, they usually have been involved for some time behind the scenes, and will keep a logged database of calls and will then match up the vocal DNA to link instances. It's very hard to dispute that technology (and hard to beat it as well).

Whereas if you just screen via email, while they will have your ISP info and can trace via IP's, unless you provide specific identifying info in the email, you're a lot more protected, as accounts can easily be hacked, friends can get on your computer, etc.

Yes, there are still ways they can pinpoint you w/that defense ...if your ISP or email server has a collection of personal emails to non-clients sent around the same time you sent the screening email, if you purchase items w/a credit card that were then sent to you and can be found used by you or on you, if personal documents have been created or modified around the same time on your computer, etc. (Side note: even if you delete the docs, they will always be retrievable in the system BIOS unless you wipe the entire machine, and if you don't do that correctly, they can still be retrieved.

I'm sure most are thinking this is too "conspiracy theory." I've seen and worked w/some of the technology first hand. Computer forensics are nothing to play around with if you don't know what you're doing...and vocal DNA falls in that category. Why risk it?

For those w/added paranoia, if I were screening via email, for an added layer of protection I would:

1) Clear all internet history and cookies
2) Log off of everything on the machine
3) Wait at least 30 mins
4) Power cycle the modem (and firewall if you have a box vs software version)
5) Log on the machine and ONLY conduct screening and that type of specific business activity
6) When finished w/your business, clear all cookies and net history
7) Log off of everything again
8 ) Wait at least 30 minutes before doing anymore regular (non business) computer work
9) Repeat power cycle of modem and firewall before starting your non-business computer work

Clearing the history and cookies really doesn't permanently delete that. However, that action paired w/the power cycle and the time breaks will give you a small cushion of space to work with. (Of course if you have face pics online and then they see you show up in person, all that effort becomes a moot point.)

You can always take things a step further with multiple levels of proxy servers, but that's probably more expense and effort than most of you will want to put in. (Be careful if you try and use unknown proxy server sites ...new ones pop up daily, however many contain malware, viruses, botnets, etc.)

Odds are good if there is a sting, it will be by police, and not FBI. There's no good way to know that in advance though. If it is FBI, there's going to be a bigger reason for it, other than just local gov't officials trying to curb crime, untaxed money, or health risks or local police trying to fund the budget w/minor arrests. If the FBI is involved, odds are good you're screwed either way, so it's best to try and mitigate the extent of the potential damage in advance.

Screening via email versus phone is just one easy way to add a bit of buffer to the situation.

Other helpful tips:

Pay some sort of taxes. I saw a girl (who generally was very smart), get busted by the IRS for tax evasion because one day she was rolling around in a top of the line Escalade, wearing only designer clothes, bought herself a new house w/a considerable down payment, and was tossing around crazy cash at clubs ...having paid NOTHING in taxes. That's just stupid.

If you're playing smart on every other level, toss a plausible amount of cash to the taxes. As long as the IRS is getting their money and it coincides with your traceable expenses, you will generally be left alone.

Lastly, postal money orders go a long way when dealing w/holding large amounts of cash.

Hope this gives some of you pause for thought. Be smart. Think of IF - THEN scenarios, and have an A plan for the B plan, and a C plan for the B plan. If you plan well for disaster, it can usually be avoided