ISP set up and ID verification

Questions
1

I am in the US and I recently moved. I need to set up a new ISP. My only choices are two well known national providers the types that offer wireless, TV and fiber internet or a small lesser known ISP.

On a side note, the small ISP is partnered with my landlord (a major worldwide RE company). And the small ISPs main reason for existing is to provide all of their customer surfing data to the RE company as part of RE company’s “profit center” revenue. I just learned that this is a thing. And it disgusts me to no end. Either way, I am going to go with one of the national ISPs.

The national ISPs require a social security number for “id verification”. Mind you I’m not buying a car, or a home, or applying for credit or opting to use their stupid wifi routers but they think they need my ss # anyway. In times past I was able to make a deposit and go pre-paid internet with one of these same companies but they recently took that option away. So to set up with them I was told that I could either provide my state ID or “answer some questions.”. So my question is if one of their options is to “answer questions” does this mean they already have my social security number, DOB and everything else? Am I making a big deal over this? Do you think ISPs doing this might be part of the larger drive to age verify everyone on the internet?

After I set up with them I plan to opt out where I can, use my own router, use a VPN, and change to cloud flare DNS.

I am trying to keep my new name , address and general profile private as long as I can. Still I’m wondering if it will circulate in databases everywhere anyway. I’ve already risked it big time with the stupid RE company.

Another option I’m considering is a pre-paid hotspot account with one of these national providers. Just not sure how feasible it will be.

What do you all think?

2

Obviously this isn’t anonymous(the networks can see your house location constantly), but I think it’s a good balance with preventing data breaches and data brokers getting this additional identity data point (which will show up in their private dbs and public people search).

3

I think it’s not a crime to give a fake name to your ISP.

It could break their terms of service, though.

Probably don’t want to use a fake ID that’s probably illegal.

This is a totally separate and much more manageable issue. You can get privacy for your network activity by doing that stuff.

The issue I see you struggling with is preventing the ISP from selling your identity data, which they definitely will and is harder to prevent.

They could perhaps compare your answers other databases.

No, it seems reasonable to me to want to do this to prevent data breaches and giving data brokers another data point. It’s not easy to do, though.

No. I’ve haven’t seen evidence of this. It wouldn’t really be effective because many people can be using one IP address. You can always use an anonymizing network like Tor, even if your ISP knows exactly who you are.

I don’t remember Xfinity needing a SSN but maybe they do.

Ideally you would be able to use a fake name just to prevent identity correlation for data brokers and in data breaches, obviously it wouldn’t be illegal or hold up to targetted attacks (which obviously aren’t in your threat model.)

What I would do, if you seriously want to go through with this and can’t find a way to prevent your information from leaking with a traditional cable to house internet.

Is get a good line from US Mobile and use that as a hotspot. I imagine you’d be okay with using credit cards or whatever to pay for it, but you could fairly easily get someone to pay for it with Monero or cash.

So, I imagine you could actually get one of these data plans either the regular unlimited like for phones that you use for your home wifi or the starlink they offer. Both seem good and likely wouldn’t require identity verification and would most likely allow using a virtual card or someone elses card and a fake name.

Doesn’t seem like a terrible deal, either with the "internet bundle they have going.

4

Thank you for your detailed response. It helps me a lot. And US Mobile is cool. I was not aware of it. And it is a good option for me. Thanks again!

5

Great, I’m glad my advice worked for you ;). Let me know how it goes.

6

Hey you definitely wouldn’t be the first person to sign up with a fake name and fake information if you did go that way. SWIM used to make up SIN card numbers, names and bdays, pay the initial setup costs for all the services (usually get as much as possible it not all fees waved) and all of a sudden, someone is starting to pay their bills, somoen who, didn’t even exist prior to calling to inquire about internet, phone, cable/satellite services. But me, I’m too scared to do that! Oh man, right to the address IM LIVING AT! Like could you imagine if they came by looking for Billy or Willy O’Toole. Right at my door and imagine if i had to say “who? oh yeah, haven’t seen them since they first moved in, weird fuckin guy, anyways what’s up?” That would be too much! Imagine if THEY had the time to look into that kind of thing. Or just imagine if they got their money each month and there was no reason for ANYONE TO GIVE A SHIT who’s name was used, u know, something like that would just be ideal. Or at least that’s what SWIM says.

7

Do you use this mobile line in a router such as the GL-X2000 or on a traditional smart phone hotspot?

8

First time I’m hearing an ISP requiring a SSN. That’s ridiculous. I’ve only had to provide a name and I was able to fake it.

9

I don’t do this, but if I did I would probably use the starlink plan they offer or i guess just get it straight from starlink but for some reason it’s cheaper to get it from US Mobile. I wasn’t intending to recommend starlink but i just saw that was a plan option.

I’ve seen GrapheneOS recommend using a pixel w/ gos as a hotspot over one of those routers because it’s going to be more secure, but i can’t really give an opinion. Perhaps it would be faster with one of those dedicated ones you describe.