More stuff
A great alternative to all this cloak and dagger stuff is to use an online storage site. There are some issues here though too that you need to be aware of.
First, when you sign up for the likes of an x-drive account (http://www.xdrive.com/) it needs an email address. This links the account back to you.
For best effect, get a mate to set up the account in the first place. I have a gmail account which has no ties back to me. I would use that to set up a new gmail account and use that account to set up the x-drive system. I then pass those details on to whoever needs the account. They can then change the passwords so I have no access.
In this way there is no track back to me or whoever is using the storage. If the authorities confiscate your computer and you have followed the hard drive clean up suggestions outlined above then they would know nothing of your alternative storage.
Save your password protected files to your x-drive and you are as safe as possible.
This is a great way to keep information - hide it out of sight. As was mentioned earlier, if the authorities know you have an encrypted drive they can force you to decrypt it. If they don’t even know you are storing information elsewhere they canit ask to see it.
If you really want to reduce the chances of someone digging deeper, create an encrypted drive and put a load of porn in there. The authorities would find the secure storage and go all out to see what’s in there. When they force you to disclose the contents all they find is porn. You simply say that you store it there so others who may access your computer don’t see your perverted images.
Unless they have big suspicions that you are up to something else (which they won’t have because you’ve cleaned up your drive right?) they’ll more than likely stop looking. Remember they only have a certain amount of time, funds and inclination to go digging.
PM’s on T-Nation are likely not encrypted person to person and remain on your account until they are deleted. Whether they can be retrieved after deletion I don’t know. Maybe Lowfatmatt could confirm? Your T-Nation account will be linked back to you by your email address so this is not a secure way of communicating if you do not religiously delete your PM’s.
That’s about it. There are lots of other things that can be done and methods used which I won’t go in to at this point but using the above methods should keep you reasonable safe from prying eyes.
Feel free to add information or ask questions. I’m happy to help out via PM too if you need assistance.