Episode Summary
In this episode of The Expat Files, Johnny Mueller dives into several important topics for expats. First, he discusses the importance of two-step verification for email security, explaining how it is a more secure way to access email accounts and how it can deter hackers. He shares his personal experience with two-step verification, noting that he has always recommended it and uses it himself. He highlights the potential risks of not using two-step verification, such as the possibility of hackers accessing and deleting emails. Johnny also talks about the different options for two-step verification, such as phone calls, text messages, and pre-printed codes, and the importance of having backup codes for travel situations. He also mentions his use of a paid email service with end-to-end encryption and the ability to create multiple alias email accounts for different purposes.
Next, Johnny discusses the use of Startmail.com as a tool for managing email privacy and reducing spam. He explains how creating email aliases allows users to sign up for services without revealing their real email address, thus avoiding unwanted junk mail. He highlights the benefits of using Startmail, such as the ability to create temporary aliases, control email accounts, and avoid government surveillance by hosting servers in the Netherlands. Johnny mentions that while Startmail is not free, it offers a valuable service for expats and others seeking privacy, and he personally uses it despite having a Gmail account. He also touches on the importance of using encryption for sensitive information and warns against relying on free email services like Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail due to their data collection practices.
Johnny then transitions to a discussion on the cost and maintenance of air conditioning in Latin America compared to the United States. He highlights that recharging AC systems is significantly cheaper in Latin America, often costing between thirty to forty dollars, versus two to three hundred dollars in the U.S. He also warns about the risks of leaving car windows open in the region, especially in cities, due to the prevalence of theft where thieves steal cell phones from open windows. Johnny shares a personal anecdote about a mechanic who can often fix AC issues quickly without charging for gas, emphasizing the importance of checking the HEPA filter in the glove compartment, which is frequently overlooked. He criticizes the overcharging by some AC specialists and advises listeners to be cautious when dealing with car mechanics, especially in Latin America, where they may be more prone to overcharging but at a lower cost than in the U.S.
Finally, Johnny discusses the importance of finding a reliable car mechanic, emphasizing the value of local neighborhood mechanics over big chain shops. He highlights the cost differences and potential for better service. He then transitions to a discussion on healthcare in Latin America, particularly for expats over 50, warning about potential changes to Medicare in the U.S. and suggesting expats get health insurance through local banks for affordable coverage.
Topics
Email security, Two-step verification, Hackers, Email encryption, Alias email accounts, Email privacy, Spam and junk mail, Startmail.com, Expatriate life, Digital security, Cost of AC maintenance in Latin America vs. the U.S., Risks of leaving car windows open in Latin American cities
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening 00:00:06 Johnny's Personal Experience with Two-Step Verification 00:00:14 The Importance of Two-Step Verification 00:00:20 The Risks of Not Using Two-Step Verification 00:00:26 Options for Two-Step Verification 00:00:32 Backup Codes for Travel Situations 00:00:39 Johnny's Use of a Paid Email Service with End-to-End Encryption 00:00:44 The Ability to Create Multiple Alias Email Accounts 00:05:57 The Problem with Real Email Addresses and Spam 00:06:17 How Startmail's Alias Feature Helps Avoid Spam 00:06:51 The Benefits of Using Disappearing Email Aliases 00:07:53 Managing Multiple Email Accounts with Startmail 00:09:30 Why Startmail's Server Location Matters for Privacy 00:10:08 The Risks of Using Free Email Services 00:11:46 Cost of AC Maintenance in Latin America vs. the U.S. 00:12:15 Risks of Leaving Car Windows Open in Latin American Cities 00:14:32 Overcharging by AC Specialists in Latin America 00:16:01 Importance of Checking the HEPA Filter in the Glove Compartment 00:16:39 Tips for Finding a Good Car Mechanic in Latin America 00:17:15 Finding a Good Car Mechanic 00:18:41 Healthcare for Expats Over 50 00:23:29 Affordable Health Insurance in Latin America 00:24:04 Private Health Insurance Options and Costs 00:25:36 Emergency Medical Services for Expats 00:27:02 Attending the Expat Insider Seminar
Transcript
Automatically transcribed from the original recording; names and wording may contain errors.
[00:00] South of the border down Mexico way That's where I fell in love when the stars above came up to play and now I wonder Hello there all you expat wannabes. I'm Johnny Mueller and you're listening to the expat files living in Latin America The show that tells you just what it's like to live work play and or retire down here in Latin America It's a mix of the good the bad the ugly and the great and it's all right here. So let's get started Okay, just a little weird heads up here. You probably know that most all email services now have second step Verification if you want it, you know, you go into the settings and you click on second step verification And it's supposed to be a more secure way for you to access your emails to discourage hackers and no good nicks
[00:52] And people that might wanna get into your email and steal or data mine, whatever So how likely is it for someone to steal or somehow get a hold of your password? Well, you could go right to one of those pirate sites and download a program that generates passwords for free Yep, there are hacker programs out there just for that purpose I suppose for mischievous dickheads with lots of time on their hands So email services like Google hotmail gmail have come up with something called two-step password Verification and you can elect to do it or not And you know since email companies have been doing that I've always recommended it. I use it myself That is after I heard a few stories of hackers getting into people's emails and deleting everything So you have to think of what your life would be like if suddenly all your emails went away permanently
[01:40] Maybe that would be a good thing, huh? And thus we have two-step verification, but is it really secure? Yeah Well, it really does trip up the vast majority of hackers I'll tell you that because you see even if they were to get your main password and many people have stupid easy to guess Passwords once they see there's a second verification step They just give up and go on to the next idiot and it stands to reason because you have the following options You could get a recorded phone message that'll give you a five or six digit number And that's the second step and you plug that in come on How's a hacker gonna intercept that unless he's also somehow cloned your phone chip and unless you're some kind of major player That's highly improbable so you can elect to get a phone call for that second verification or you can elect to have a
[02:25] Text message sent to the phone of your choice and you'll get that five or six digit code And I suppose that might be a little easier for a hacker to intercept after all it is stored as a text message Permanently in your phone unless you erase it, but remember every time you log into your computer They'll send you a different code and that's the beauty of it. I've been using two-step Authentication on my email services ever since they came out a couple years now the tough part though is if you travel a lot and you're using the phone verification method where you get a voicemail if You don't have roaming or are in an area with poor cell coverage You'll never get the call or the text message Which is why you should always select the option that allows you to pre-print hard copies of 10 codes you print those carry them
[03:12] In your zipper belt or a secret pouch, whatever then you could travel the world even to outer Mongolia And still have those codes for that second step Then after you've used up nine of those codes you can go into your settings and print up another 10 by the way They only let you print 10 at a time. So yes, it's a good system. I always thought it was a great system until recently Now most of you who listen to this program for any length of time know I have a gmail account I receive thousands of emails every year So anyway, just lately as I've been using that two-step verification process That's when I'm supposed to get a call from a synthetic female who gives me a five-letter password code I just happened to notice the caller ID where that phone call originates is well, you'll never guess
[03:58] All right. Maybe you will how about Washington DC now? Why would gmail have a password? Authentication office or whatever in Washington DC now that set me thinking a bit of all the millions of places in the world They could have set up that system It had to be that tiny 10 square miles of alphabet agencies and big brother You'd think they'd have set it up in India or Latin America or Indonesia Whatever where 99% of all the call centers originate from where workers make 10 to 20 bucks a day Well, the good news is I only use my gmail account for a very mundane types of correspondence Nope, nothing earth-shattering secret or confidential for that stuff I use my start mail account which by the way I have to pay for 60 bucks a year or something like that
[04:48] And there's many reasons I selected that particular service for one It's got PGP end-to-end encryption if you elect to use it Which I almost always do depending of course on the information going back and forth And one of the very cool things about it, it allows you to create up to 10 different alias email accounts So what's that all about? Well, suppose there's a site or a download or a PDF you're interested in Let's say from the World Bank to get a lot of that stuff these days or even sign up on blog sites and stuff Pop-up window will come up and you'll have to put your email address in right? Otherwise you won't get the article the download or the mp3 whatever and you know a few years back You could put a fake one in and that was enough But nowadays you have to put a real one in because you get a verification link sent to that email
[05:36] That you'll have to click to get that free download or whatever You've all been through that before but you also know every time you give up your email You're gonna get on some mailing list and of course They always say we will never sell your email or share it with unaffiliated third parties Which is all BS because internet business is all about selling your email to third parties Anyway, if you put a false one in you'll never get the link and if you put your true one in They've got your email and they'll be forever sending you all kinds of junk mail And even though you're supposed to be able to opt out of that stuff somewhat easily doesn't always work Sometimes you can't opt out unless you send a personal email and try to do so well That's where that alias option on start mail comes in very very handy What you do is you create an alias and use that one when you're signing up to get a free report PDF
[06:27] Whatever you get an email with a verification link in your start mail box and it comes in with a new alias name that you just created Okay So you open up that email click on the link get your download and then you can choose to wipe out that email alias You just created and no one that has it will ever be able to send an email back to you because it doesn't exist anymore Isn't that nice not to mention? Disappearing email aliases are great for sending hate mail and complaints to jerks and Lired-ass pus-brain thieving politicians the ones that can actually read anyway Like I said, you can create an alias that lasts only one day a week two weeks a month Whatever you select or perhaps forever For example a new expat who came down to one of my expat insiders seminars recently now lives down here
[07:16] His social security just kicked in and he wants to have his social security checks direct upon us at it to his Latin country So he signed up on the social security website using a start mail email Alias and now all of the correspondence that goes back and forth between him and the social security administration Come through that email address only sure it comes through his regular start mail But it's tagged with his email alias So he knows when it lands in that box It's always gonna be government crap that way it never gets mixed in with any of his regular start mail accounts or other aliases So with start mail you can have up to 10 alias accounts And if you eliminate one you just add another if you like or you don't have to use any alias accounts at all
[08:03] But the option is there so basically it's a way to have complete control of your email accounts and eliminate or nearly Completely eliminate this spam and junk mail component now in the interest of full disclosure I have a start mail account yes, and I get nothing for telling you about start mail I'm not affiliated with them don't get a kickback just think it's the best email service going out there But you have to pay for it 60 bucks a year another cool thing is that once you buy in they have this offer going It's been going ever since they started a couple years ago that if you buy the full service They give you two extra start mail accounts to give away as gifts to your friends or whoever They get to have those as gifts for an entire year in fact That's how I first got started with it about three years ago a new expat friend of mine Dave who came to one of my expat
[08:53] Inside seminars gift did one of his start mail subscriptions to me And then after I started using it a while and saw the anonymous beauty of it well since then I've been hooked course I still have a gmail account just because I've had it for a long while and people are used to sending me stuff there Otherwise surely I dump it But the problem is that over the years I must have accumulated 20,000 old emails and I can't just dump that service because sometimes you know you want to look something up I'm gonna have to do a search and if I dump gmail that stuff's all history So anyway we're all looking to lower our profiles and have a smaller footprint and this is a great way to do it That's startmail.com and better yet their servers are guess where in the Netherlands So the US government as much as they like to snoop and have a back door and to everybody's personal life
[09:40] Having your server in a neutral foreign country makes that all the more difficult Bottom line do use the encryption option with anything sensitive or financial now I know there are other so-called anonymous email services out there. Maybe they're great Maybe they're even better than startmail and some if not most are even free Hmm, but do look out for that because nothing's for nothing. You know, that's why gmail Yahoo and hotmail Have such huge data files on everyone. Yep. They pretty much own all your personal information, but you knew that already, right? Now I'm not saying you shouldn't use them, but don't use them for anything critical secure personal Controversial or delicate with them everything you've written is there
[10:26] Permanently with the possibility it can be used against you in the future. You can never take it back That said, you know, I like to talk once in a while about cars and motorcycles and traffic and getting around in Latin America That's always very important for gringos and expat Especially since roads are so chaotic and haphazard and all the signs are in Spanish So there are certain ground rules you should know before getting behind the wheel or the handlebars whatever the case may be Which brings me to a little story I heard about two or three days ago It happened to a gringa lady who chose to live down here in my favorite place the altiplano perfect spring weather all year round about 4000 to 7,000 feet above sea level generally a place where you need no heating or air conditioning for your home huge advantage
[11:14] Anyway, she came to one of my early expat insider seminars and now she's down here for good I was in her car the other day and her air conditioning was on the blink now I just said you don't need air conditioning for your home But you always need air conditioning for your vehicles no matter where you are in Latin America More about that in a minute. So she asked me if I knew any good car mechanic slash air conditioning guys Now anyone who uses their car air conditioner frequently knows that after a while Some years usually it peters out Generally, it just needs to be recharged with Freon or a Freon substitute. That's kind to the ozone layer Anyway, you just go to the local AC shop and you get to charged up again And with any luck in the last another couple of years the cost for doing that up in the states is around two to three hundred
[12:03] Bucks just looked it up and down here in Latin America around thirty to forty bucks Which is more proof of the ultra low cost of living down here in Latin America especially off the gringo tourist trail Now don't be confused even if you're in the perfect spring weather of the Alti Plano You'll use your air conditioner in your car practically every day the higher up you are the more the Sun penetrates So as you're driving along The Sun is beating down with extra intensity on your windshield and dashboard your seats etc And believe me you'll be miserable if you don't have air conditioning And you might think that in such nice weather you just roll your windows down and drive around like that Well, that's perfectly fine out in the boonies and in the suburbs But never recommended while driving in a city of any size
[12:49] And that's a very good rule of thumb whether you live in the first or third world However, if you're down here, you'll note that Latin Americans don't seem to heed that advice Even people who have nice late model new cars They'll be talking on the cell phone with the window open and their elbow hanging out the same people who often later will complain They had their cell phones plucked right out of their hands or worse Because you see there is a kind of an epidemic in big Latin cities Especially in the crummy neighborhoods where drivers and cars will be sitting at a stoplight window down cell phone in hand and a motorcycle will pull up a driver and his passenger both with helmets on The guy in the back will reach in rip the phone out of your hand and they'll head right off through the red light
[13:35] Yep, you hear stories like that all the time But you don't hear them from people who keep their windows up And if you keep your windows up, you will need air conditioning and souvenir later It'll poop out on you and though getting it recharged your face is not nearly as expensive down here as it is up in the states Why get stuck with the bill and now of course you're thinking is Johnny nuts Of course, you'll have to pay the bill if you're gonna get it fixed Well, if you think I'm nuts There's a point to be made here that could save you a ton of money because the other day I was sitting around with my car mechanic I stopped there because I hit a pothole rather hard and pretty much destroyed the rim Or at least I thought I did on one of my front tires He took the tire off grabbed a big sledgehammer beat on it for a while until it was almost perfectly round again
[14:20] But the tire back on good as new saved me a good 50 to 75 bucks for a new rim Anyway, we got to talking about air conditioning, which he claimed for the repair guy. Anyway, it's the biggest racket in all of Latin America And I said what now this guy doesn't do air conditioning But when someone comes in with an AC problem and they come in all the time He says he can usually fix it in about three minutes without sending them to the AC specialist The system won't have to be charged with gas. They'll save 40 or 50 bucks And like he said they won't get sucked in by AC guys who will often oversell you Saying that you not only need to have the AC system recharged But you'll need some seals and gaskets and such which could run another 50 or 100 bucks on top of the first 40 or 50
[15:07] And in the States 500 bucks or more then I said wait a minute You don't do AC but you can fix half of them in about two minutes By the way, I knew that trick he was talking about maybe you do too Well, let me explain if your AC is just blowing warm air or kind of weak half the time It's got nothing to do with the charge of the gas or even the seals Probably 80 or 90 percent of all drivers don't know that there's a filter That's right behind your glove compartment that periodically needs to be cleaned or changed Often kind of difficult to get to you have to actually take the glove compartment out and right in back of it You got a HEPA filter. So what that little mechanic will do He'll pull out the HEPA filter smack it around a bit and blow it with some compressed air and more than half the time
[15:56] Problem solved and the look on people's faces says it all who knew there was a filter back there Well, it says so in your manual, but who reads manuals? However, like the mechanic says when you take it to a regular AC guy What they'll do is they'll automatically charge it up with some gas 40 or 50 bucks there pull the filter to show you just how disgusting and dirty they are and they always are they won't clean it They'll tell you you need a new one for 25 bucks Then if they're having a slow day, they just might tell you you need a couple of seals replaced for another 25 to 50 bucks So it's not surprising. You'll find just as many crooked car mechanics down here as you will up north However down here they're crooked to a quarter or a fifth the price said she'll get stuck for up in the States So again, it's buyer beware, especially with ladies and car mechanics
[16:43] So for you guys and gals up there who don't know about that stuff now at least you know about the filter So if your AC is all screwed up You pull into any kind of garage mechanic and tell him to clean your AC air filter before you drop any big dough Oh and funny enough my little garage mechanic said that more than half the people driving around with their windows down Are doing so because their AC doesn't work and they don't want to take it to the AC man because it's too expensive to fix Yet there's a 50-50 chance. It's just the filter but latin's don't know about that filter either So how do you find a good car mechanic? Well, I never go to those big car dealerships or even those good year or Pirelli Walmart or Costco mechanic shops either Unless it's for a sale on batteries or tires You'll always pay twice as much at those places compared to the little neighborhood guy who will probably do the job just as well
[17:34] Maybe better But of course there are some scumbags too So just ask around and try to keep away from a guy whose shop looks a little too slick or he looks a little too slick And do look out if he's working on high-end late model cars like Range Rovers and Mercedes and such Then you're likely looking at much higher prices, too bottom line give your business to the little local neighborhood mechanic if at all possible and if you're thinking you have to bring your car in to The dealership because they've got all the right electronic equipment to check your computers in your car Well these days every cell phone has apps that can check out any car's computer system So even the corner grease monkey in a lean-to garage with a gravel floor can figure out what's happening with most car Oh, and by the way, you know what it cost me to have my rim bumped out after I hit that gigantic pothole try
[18:24] $2.50 versus 50 to 75 bucks to buy a new rim which believe me after looking at the thing I was ready to do but my little corner mechanic said let me take a whack at it and whack He did and it looks fine even spray painted it so you can't see the hammer marks Okay, now I'd like to switch gears and hit on a subject. That's near and dear to anyone over 50 health care here In Latin America, so we'll talk now about some of the health care options You'll have once you get down things I recommend for gringles and expats So they're covered if anything happens now if you're at 20 or 30 something you're invincible, so this won't apply to you But first let me prime the conversation with this news article according to a recent New York Post article it says
[19:09] Obama it is in the process of gutting the Medicare system for senior adults It says under the guise of reform Obama it is Dismantling Medicare the articles by Betsy Makai It says the stakes are high and the access it gives seniors to medical Innovations that have continuously increased lifespans for people in the US will soon be a thing of the past it says before Medicare Older people languished in nursing homes lived their final years out in beds and wheelchairs and had crippling diseases But with Medicare many of them dodged that fate with cat racks harder operations pacemakers joint replacements, etc Mostly paid for and made possible by Medicare the American Journal of Public Health
[19:55] Reports that an adult turning 65 today can expect to live more than five years longer than he would have in 1970 and with a better quality of life again, thanks to Medicare It's a gift the article says that Obama it is snatching away Then it says the president's Medicare reform legislation makes it harder and harder for seniors to get those aforementioned medical treatments his new payment rules short changes doctors Discouraging them from taking Medicare patients in the first place that along with stringent new emergency room rules Have hospitals getting bonuses for spending less per patient Despite having increasingly higher infection rates as more and more seniors are admitted now get this the latest assault is a
[20:45] 962 page list of regulations dictating how doctors must treat their patients as a result Precious minutes with your doctor are wasted completing mandatory forms reports and checklists for the federal government Physicians now find themselves glued to their computer screens during patient visits following prompts and checking lists Very rarely making eye contact with their patients a renowned New York cardiologist Jeffrey Borer Says doctors are fed up doctors who want to interact with their patients will simply have to opt out of Medicare or not Says dr. Richard, Emily past president of the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons He says Obama's rules are far too burdensome and complex to be workable for most physicians
[21:35] Dr. John Halanka warns a Harvard Medical School professor He says the new rules also make seeing Medicare patients a money loser for nearly all physicians annual increases for physicians are capped this year at less than 1% He says no wonder nine out of ten practicing physicians admits. They'll avoid Medicare patients in the future That's right. When 10,000 new baby boomers are joining Medicare each day Worse yet. Oh vomit's rules for Medicare spelt disaster for seniors with cancer Oncologists are getting a pay cut being prodded to choose cheaper treatments and cheaper drugs Regardless of which medication is best for the patient. This will definitely limit patient access to newer drugs and therapies
[22:25] Now if you remember in Obama's run for presidency in 2012 He accused republicans of plotting to undermine Medicare for seniors In fact a pro-oh vomit ad of that time showed a republican pushing granny in a wheelchair off a cliff Now I'm not saying I agree at all with the u.s. Medical big pharma complex But if regular first world media types are starting to call out huge defects in the system Well, there's really big trouble, which is again Why you're listening to this show right because you're putting together a plan B So then what about medical and health care when you get down here? Well, here are my suggestions based on time and experiences and actual cases of gringos and expats who've had medical problems While down here in latin america number one get on an insurance plan down here right away
[23:12] And the cheapest and easiest way to do that and get very good coverage is to hook up with one of these bank plans Remember I mentioned in the past show that many big latin banks are now offering health care insurance to those people who've got an account Even a simple passbook account and there's no physical either You can get on right away. Just start paying the premiums and for what you get it's exceptionally inexpensive In fact even for a family plan you'll pay no more than 75 a month However, as you know, it's very difficult to get a bank account in latin america unless you're a resident permanent or temporary Which is why that should be in your plan B as well That said if you come down to latin america and apply for residency It still will take the better part of a year before you're granted it So what do you do in the meantime?
[23:58] You hook up with an insurance broker and get some quotes on some private health care insurance In fact in front of me right now I have five separate quotes from five separate private insurance companies full coverage family plans based on a 44 year old adult head of household And none of these plans go over around 120 bucks a month and some of them Much less than 100 and you could select plans that cover only your latin country or all of central america All of central and south america or worldwide with all the bells and whistles helicopter airlift flight to life coverage for aids Transplants dialysis the works just like some of the top plans in the us at about a tenth the price Of course, there's a six months to a year waiting period for pre-existing conditions But coverage for that stuff will kick in later So again when you come down here get a hold of an insurance broker in by the way
[24:46] If you come down to my expat insider seminar, we'll fill you in on all that In fact our expat concierge ladies can hook that all up for you Even get your quotes and all that when you're down here So bottom line throughout latin america now you can get top notch health care plans Equal to even better than some of the best health care plans up in the states for a six to a tenth of the cost And of course your premiums will be based on age by the way, you'll find plans down here that have 20 deductible to no deductible and most of them you could sign on to Up till age 65 and they'll cover you to age 99 or forever Of course, we all think we're going to live forever, right? So when you come down if you can't get your residency right away Just sign up for one of those plans and believe it or not Some of these insurance plans don't even ask you to take a physical. How about that?
[25:36] And when you finally get down here, I urge you to sign up for a service called alert to medica It's an emergency ambulance service. That's in 19 different latin countries and get this for only around Two to three hundred bucks a year your whole family's covered and anyone who might be in your house If there's let's say an accident for example If your neighbor's in the house and he chokes on a driveway chicken bone you call alert to medica They'll show up at your house and treat that person take him to the nearest first world hospital by the way, they'll have paramedics on board and Most of the times they'll even be a doctor on board that ambulance making that house call That two to three hundred bucks a year covers get this up to 12 emergency visits a year to your house office
[26:22] Whatever. So if there's an emergency of any kind with your family whether you're at home or anywhere You speed dial alert to medica They come by in 10 minutes or so fully equipped with paramedics even a doctor and they take you to the hospital your choice No other extra charge is involved Now we go into all of this in much greater detail at the expat insider seminar We'll visit a first world hospital talk to some doctors Go over various insurance plans and answer all your health care questions And speaking of the expat insider seminar There are still a few spots left we're more than three quarters full now If you still want to get in on the early bird discount, which ends on november 1st Go to www.thenewexpat.com click on johnny's january 2017 seminar link at the top of the page
[27:09] And while you're there, don't forget to check out john gault's famous pre and post seminar trips when you come down You want to get as much boots on the ground time as possible, which is what john gault's trips are all about And finally, don't forget to check out my youtube channel. That's youtube slash the expat files all one word You'll get a kick out of them. Do subscribe. It's free This is the expat files living in latin america If you want me to help you out with your own plan b just schedule a one-on-one consult Send me an email the expat files at gmail.com And if you want to learn how to move forward with your own plan b from right up there in the states Go to www.expatplanb.com and check out my three videos. See you. Noes vemos