Best truly anonymous VPN...

Anyone know for certain and understand VPN's WELL as to what the best one on the market is for privacy in the US. Many thought HMA (Hide My Ass) was the best, but over the last 6 months I have watched them change their tune from one story to another about how the log files were kept, and where they were exactly located out of has been kept a hidden secret. Then people come to find out they are actually in the UK, which they mislead their customers about, and turned over the information on LulzSec member "recursion" for Sony Pictures hack to the FBI. They claimed they only keep log files for 7 days, then it turned into 30 days, and then after finding out they are actually in the UK, they keep them for life. They won't address the issue in their own forums or publicly, and still misleading consumers by keeping inaccurate, dated, information up on their sites. HMA is not the first to mislead their customers and seems to be an ongoing trend with VPN's which all of them will swear over their mother on information that isn't correct. Many of them are just support people who actually probably don't know any better and being lied to by the company or their own PtB.

I have spent countless hours researching, emailing, etc...different companies and have not found a solid provider that I trust what they are saying. An example is AllVPN...they claim that they absolutely do not keep log files, and they do not tie user information to any IP or log. Yet they offer different price plans that can be capped at the amount of data you pull down. If they aren't keeping log files, how do they know when a specific user has hit his mark for the amount of gigs he can download?? When I confronted them about the subject, they gave me a complete run around story, and promised me what they already stated, "they don't keep log files." This is a complete BS story because there is no way you can tell when someone is at their cap, without keeping log files, and more specifically, track that person to a specific IP and username, in order to contact you to tell you you are at your max. They try to convince you that the billing is done completely separate, by a separate company from theirs, so they have no way of tying the user to the IP. I called them on their bluff and asked them then how do you know what user to cut off or contact when they hit the max then? They never returned my email.

I have seen many VPN companies make the same claim, yet some of them want you to scan and fax your ID to them if you sign up for their service online, and already connected through a VPN at time of sign up. Many of them won't take prepaid cards for the purpose of not having specific user info or an ID tied to the account. If you read the TOC's on many of these sites, they actually contradict the information they advertise.

So after days and days, and many hours put into this, I haven't found one company that is truly anonymous when it comes to using their service. VPN's are good for hiding what your looking at by your ISP, but if the VPN's are handing over information to the feds without warrants anyway, what is the point?

Before anyone says, "well if you are not doing anything illegal, you have nothing to worry about..." statement. I am not worried about doing anything illegal, but I don't want someone knowing how many pieces of toilet paper I am using to wipe my azz (so to speak).

Anyone have any solid solution(s)? I am not looking for an answer from the average Joe who will say, "well I use this one and I like it..." I am looking for very direct answer from someone who knows and/or has done the research themselves, and can state why they feel confident about a specific product.


Thanks!

This kind of question is a catch-22 because3 if somebody here gives you an answer, you will then immediately have to wonder, "now, can I trust that answer? What if he just directed me there for ulterior purposes?"

Sometimes people set up anon proxies just to watch who uses it for what. Sometimes they use them to data-mine for potential blackmail purposes or something else. Sometimes individuals do this, sometimes crime syndicates.

Be careful. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

No worries, valid points

I was just hoping someone might be aware of one that is one of the bigger companies, more established, that I have not looked into yet. The problem with researching them is there isn't really a "good" reliable site that does comparisons or ratings on them. Most of the sites that do, are obviously financed through the companies they rate highly. The rest of the sites that I did look at for comparison still has HMA as #1 which blows my mind after this major breech they just had. I would tend to think they are all generating revenue by deferring their traffic over to them.

I wouldn't dare touch a start up or someone with no major company info history to use. Was just hoping for a couple of names to look at if I haven't already.

Originally posted by Awoken4Ever
No worries, valid points

I was just hoping someone might be aware of one that is one of the bigger companies, more established, that I have not looked into yet. The problem with researching them is there isn't really a "good" reliable site that does comparisons or ratings on them. Most of the sites that do, are obviously financed through the companies they rate highly. The rest of the sites that I did look at for comparison still has HMA as #1 which blows my mind after this major breech they just had. I would tend to think they are all generating revenue by deferring their traffic over to them.

I wouldn't dare touch a start up or someone with no major company info history to use. Was just hoping for a couple of names to look at if I haven't already.

edit on 18-11-2011 by Awoken4Ever because: (no reason given)

Please send me a message. I can point you in the right direction.

I typed up a nice, detailed private message to you and when I hit send I was greeted with a message saying I may not send private messages to anyone but ATS Staff. Must be because I'm a noob. It doesn't need to be private anyways. I can still give you the information and it won't change anything.

Okay, here is the external link to the website of the one that I recommend:

www.torproject.org...

Please do not be overwhelmed when you get started. Take your time and read everything. Once you get it going your internet speeds will be slightly slower, but that's how you know it's working. I always go with ".org' sites when I can because I know they aren't out to prey on innocents. If you need assistance, I will gladly help you. The organization that provides the service is excellent. I have used them in the past and I have nothing bad to say.

I wish you the best

Originally posted by Awoken4Ever
The problem with researching them is there isn't really a "good" reliable site that does comparisons or ratings on them.

You will find this article helpful:

torrentfreak.com...

reply to post by HybridEB


Hi Eb. Actually, I started on this site you mentioned. After researching most of the companies on this list, they are not all that cracked up to be what they say. They either don't have good accessible servers in the US, they won't let you sign up without user information (like personal credit card, no signup through a vpn, etc...), they keep IP logs, they don't have OpenVPN, their encryption sucks, they don't have their own software for connectivity, you can't Utorrent on them,or there is just bad reviews about them. BTGaurd is one of the ones I was looking at, and if I remember correctly, if you sign up through a current VPN connection, they want you to fax them Drivers license, Passport, Utility bill (if I remember correctly). I know there was something wrong with each one of them, that I eventually ruled them all out. I did check this site out first though, and started my research from there.

Still haven't found what I am looking for, but oh well. Might be asking for too much, but I am looking for someone that has an application you connect with (not just proxy information in the web browser), at least 128k encryption, OpenVPN and IPSec 6, Utorrent and web based (and not a utorrent I have to go through North Korea for servers), good speeds, plenty of servers to connect to in US, and is truly anonymous (sign up can be done with prepaid gift cards so no user information is stored). I have found companies that offer some of these functions, not all. If I remember correctly now it could of been BTGaurd doesn't have OpenVPN and just PPP. I forget to be honest.

There was one company located in Canada, but you have to tunnel to Canada servers to connect, and their Utorrent servers were in the middle east. I would imagine download speeds are going to be awful if that is the case. They are more laxed on laws than the US so log files aren't such an issue, but I have read in places that is going to drastically change in Canada as well.

Maybe I am just asking for too much and have to settle for the least of all evils. Also, everything I have said here is just opinions based off the limited information I have on the subject. I don't claim to be any type of expert on the matter, or even pretend to know what the hell I am talking about It's just base it off the little bit I have taught myself.

Thanks for taking the time out to respond though

reply to post by Awoken4Ever


If there is a company that meets each of your needs, and I'm not aware of any, I imagine it would cost a ridiculous amount of money.

I've been using Strong VPN for about five months now. They do just about everything you stated as unacceptable but I have nothing but praise for their service.

Good luck finding a compatible VPN solution.

Yea, I know I am kind of pushing the envelope. I am human, I want everything NOW though

HMA would be an awesome fit, because they have everything, except they obviously hand over their logs to the feds without search warrants or the like at will Oh yea, they are lying dogs too

Originally posted by RelentlessRage
www.torproject.org...

Tor is not a VPN, however it does deal with anonymity not privacy. The OP searches for a thing that does not exist.

Originally posted by Awoken4Ever
Maybe I am just asking for too much and have to settle for the least of all evils.

There is your answer.

You might want to search/enroll at Wilders Security to find out that same thing above.

reply to post by RelentlessRage

I have no idea how I missed your post, but I just found it. I will check this out, thanks!

reply to post by LiveToSpendIt

Wasn't aware of those forums, thanks for pointing it out. I will check it out for sure

I am using Purevpn and Ipvanish as but both are paid tools with limited free trial periods. I have found the list of best vpn for us online:

How can i setup with windows? or Mac? any easy setup guide?