Shadowrun
Shadowrun Play => Rules and such => Topic started by: Mollari on <01-23-18/2003:00>
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Hi All.
I'm writing a game that's heavy on identity, and it's important for me to get some idea of how money is handled around fake SINs.
1) Where do runners keep their money?
I know this is largely hand waved. If you had to track exactly how much money you had in each SIN and each account then it would take half the game gathering enough money together to buy gear without raising suspicious transfers (and if your fake sins happen to be always moving money between eachother then that's dumb). My group is currently assuming they have accounts with Zurich Orbital and that it is extraterritorial and outside of SINs, but upon researching this I realise this is not true on two counts.
a) It is unlikely anyone has a bank account with Zurich (please correct me if I'm wrong). Zurich Orbital replaced the world bank as the primary financier. It is owned by the Corporate Court which in turn is owned by the Big10. This sounds like a Central Bank meets Investment Bank. This doesn't sound like a retail bank for citizens.
b) Zurich stores the SIN database. This makes it sound more like a regulatory body (I know that the bank is seperate from the court and the SIN stuff, but it's all under one umbrella). Does this make it all the more important to nail down which SIN and where the money is held?
2) How is the money laundered?
My runners have level 6 SINs, and their fake identities are not of poor people. When assuming these identities they come with a whole life's worth of transaction histories, subscriptions to entertainment, and a job/source of income. So unless you've got a SIN of a homeless person this means that the SIN would need to have continued income stream to justify keeping the SIN. A SIN isn't a service, and it doesn't maintain itself. All money going in is a transaction, so you'd have to have a trust, or fake corp etc... dammit this is getting complicated.
So in summation. Relevant to the game I'm trying to run, there's the potential of their SINs being burned... so what is actually the consequence of this? Money, property? Could you use a burned SIN and claim it was a case of identity theft?
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This is covered in a number of books, but in small parts so it is easy to miss.
The first and most likely is a "shadow bank", these are often run by the larger criminal organizations that control the black market in general. For a small fee, they handle all the "legal paperwork" (IE they hide your money!) for the Runners and provide them with an account. I believe it is talked about in Run Faster.
With SINs, the rating reflects just how closely the SIN fits the character, so at a Rating 1, a SIN might be for a Japanese Ork Woman, but the player is a Human male... (So it doesn't Fit at ALL and would only get them past the most automated check. If the SIN valid? Yes. You can get on the bus)
At rating 6, the SIN has literally been crafted for the Character and matches many of the key checks, so only a deep and through check will show that it is a fake (such as when being booked by law enforcement for a serious crime).
Money Laundering happens in the SR the same way it is done now, just with more electronic work put into it.... Remember there are billions of transactions happening every minute all across the planet, even the best accountants with the best gear in the world would have a hard time tracking down a single fake transaction, or even a few thousand a minute just because of how many transactions are happening.
Heck, even today, it is incredibly hard to track down money laundering and when it does happen, it usually takes hundreds of thousands of man hours to find and trace. (Remember the HSBC scandal a few years ago?)
For the most part, don't try to wrap your head around it, as it will drive you crazy simply because we don't have enough general information on the things that would matter to give a detailed answer on exactly how such things would happen in SR. Such as international banking laws, extra-territoriality and finance laws, reporting procedures for large scale transactions, etc. - all things we would have to know about!
For example, in Canada any cash purchase of over $10,000 for property, insurance, GICs, DPSAs, MFs, and SFs must be reported to the RCMP for investigation by the selling agent. (Found this out the hard way...)
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Thanks man for the answer, it clears some stuff up.
So let's say that our my runners are holding their money in a shadow bank, and the shadow organisation is basically operating the Fake Sins making sure that transactions 'look' like they're happening, when really the money isn't there at all.
So what do you do in your games when a SIN is burned? Vehicles can be spoofed to a new user. Would they basically only loose property if they own?
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On a smaller scale, for players especially, transferring money from one certified credstick to another, to another, however many times they might want, can make the data trail incredibly difficult to pin down. Credstick to credstick transactions come up as "Anonymous" because anyone can be holding said credstick for any given transaction. In my own writing the main characters use credsticks to hold their money and cover their data trails, moving funds from a stick through their commlink for payments (and the receiving party gets their money from [insert fake SIN name here]).
As far as a burned SIN goes, I haven't quite gotten that far just yet in my story writing. I write as if the data for a SIN is stored on a chip, like the sim card of modern cell phones (idea taken from an old Denver mission module). Swap chips to change your identity info on hand (or move the chip to a new commlink, when that new Fairlight Caliban model comes out next Thanksgiving). If a SIN is flagged as fake then burn the data from the chip (or literally burn it so it's destroyed) and move on to another. Longer lasting runners will likely have a handful of different fake SINs available so they're not S.O.L. if just one happens to get flagged (my main two story characters have six fake SINs each, only one of which is actively being watched for by... undesirables).
As far as part of your number 2 question, figure that the cost of maintenance of SINs is subsumed by taxes collected by the national government in question. And don't forget that shadowrunners are effectively paid "under the table."
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Switching between certified cred chips is smart. Thanks for that. I hadn't thought of that one.
Yes Comlinks broadcast a SIN, though it can be changed at any time to broadcast another, so they indeed must have a storage of SINs they can switch between. It would likely be set up like a computer with multiple logins.
Your comment on tax and the like is what I'm getting at. If they are paid under the table and largely keep their money bouncing between cred chips then they would have to launder it into their fake SINs for tax to be paid on.
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But also don't forget the number of unemployed and unemployable SINners out there, like everyone under the age of 15. A system as massive as one that'll handle a SIN registry and monitoring is going to have mountains of megapulses of data to contend with, and won't easily be able to tell if a SIN belongs to a shadowrunner or someone who just happens to be financially independent.
As I read someone else say about monitoring, "Big Brother has ADHD and is on sensory overload."
Of course, this is also considering competency in those trying to blend in. People invariably underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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I think there are some game simplification assumptions baked into the rules. Putting the cost of a fake sin in the purchase price only rather than a mix of purchase and maintenance. Not having SIN fade in quality with neglect. Not have tests to avoid linking your multiple SINm. Etc. Because that isn't what most people are playing for, you know? It is like we don't worry about vehicle maintenance, the odds that your hero has the flu, or if the loyalty of contacts fades if you don't interact with them for a long time.
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Hey there.
Thanks again for things I hadn't thought about. It is likely that Shadowrunners operate SINs that are financially independent. Trust distributions or dividends on investments would explain a level of inflow into the identity, and would be used to pay the lifestyle and any other nifty lifestyle things you have.
Currently my take aways are these: (this is only for high quality SINs)
1) the bulk of their money will be managed by a shadow bank
2) the rest of the money is likely held in credit chips and shuttled between them where needed (thus outside the system)
3) a fake SIN would be of somebody who's financially independent. This would have the shadowbank operate a bare minimum sort or income stream to pay lifestyle expenses
Hey there Beta. I'm trying to make the game more mirror shades and trench coat. Were already pretty good with certain elements and do role-play the and transportation of vehicles, or the runners developing phobias and having to recover from them.
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sure, just saying that you are then straying out of how the rules were designed, and they may not support you well. Personally if you want to get more into it I'd consider re-writing a bunch of the sin rules, putting more maintenance requirements into good ones, etc. Basically putting some crunch behind your decisions.
(I'd considered this in my game but ultimately decided that it was not something important enough at my table -- I'm not disagreeing with other groups focusing on it more, just pointing out that it isn't what the rules were designed to support, so they may need some bolstering)
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Yea,
A lot of the supporting rules are there mostly as back ground setting materials (meaning things like SINs, and Credsticks, etc), while they add spice and flavor to the game, they are not so supported that you can pick them apart for a game of "Economics and Capitalism".. And to be honest, most players don't really care about economics, or capitalism.... unless it involves magic and large amounts of high velocity lead :D
But, if your table IS interested in these things, it doesn't hurt to make them a more important part of your game. Just don't lose the forest of the trees..... Meaning, if your players have no interest, trying to cram something down their throats isn't going to serve your table well.
Sometimes, simple GM fiat will do, especially if you have a background in economics or finances, just apply what you know, and go from there. If you don't have such a background, then getting some basic knowledge in those things can help you out to see what is going on.
My background is in construction (electrical), so I have a good understanding of exactly what someone would find in most buildings, be that commercial, industrial, or residential, and I use that knowledge, both as a player and a GM when planning runs, and missions.
To give you an idea, on a high rise building, the average height of the ceiling to floor is 12 feet, with a false ceiling at the 8 to 10 foot mark. Most interior walls are only aluminum studs, supported by tin strapping and drywall. Which means, getting into a locked room in an office building is as simple as a boot to the wall. (Or a running troll!). But most players see a wall and think its impassible. I also know that the floor is on average 18 to 24 inches of re-enforced concrete... so it will reflect a blast, while the walls won't... and you are NOT tunnelling through a floor :P
And when I want to get REALLY dirty with a GM and his master piece of top notch automated security.. I know exactly how and where to disable the entire system, AND the back up... (Or course, now its a question of if my character knows this.. which some do while other do not.)
So feel free to whatever you think will enhance the enjoyment of your players, SR gives you a framework with which to work with, after that, its up to you and your table. If you are worried about Canon... well, as the old saying goes: "No plan survives first contact with the enemy", and your players are no different!
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Thanks guys for all the great feedback. We actually have people with backgrounds in electrical engineering, computer sciences, economics, social sciences and financial services industries. We as a group tend to incorporate our understandings of the world and make it a lot more real for us all.
Thanks guys for the info and help!
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I always assumed it was in a numbered account, or bitcoins or something. Not even linked to a SiN.
If you do have a real SiN, the 15% tax might represent your money-laundering expenses, at least in part.
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I always assumed it was in a numbered account, or bitcoins or something. Not even linked to a SiN.
If you do have a real SiN, the 15% tax might represent your money-laundering expenses, at least in part.
You're not wrong. SR is essentially a 'paperless' society so no one will ever hand you a $20 bill (for the most part). But they may hand you a Certified Credstick for $20.
Certified Credsticks are money that is not linked to an account or ID directly. They are the bills of SR.
Numbered accounts still have a papertrail, but are much harder to track. Your bank account right now is a numbered account... and that number traces back to you. A numbered account that is tied to a numbered business liecense requires more hoops to jump through, but eventually they do go back to name on a document in some lawyer's office and some registry somewhere. (But considering how many times this could be done before you actually get to a name, it can get to be almost impossible for anything other then a dedicated law enforcement team to suss out, with 1000s of manhours of going through records)
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The 6th world isn't entirely paperless. There's still corp script and other paper currencies that the dirty SINless use.
So I've found two quotes to contribute to the post:
"Credit account: A credit account is an online banking account that can be accessed at any time via your commlink. Transactions require passcode or biometric verification to be authorized... digital transactions leave a “paper trail” that, while it can be hidden or concealed, is entirely too traceable for serious criminal activities. Each account must be registered to a particular (usually fake) SIN, unless the account is handled by an anonymous underworld banking service (with its own risks and complications)..." CRB 442
and
"While easy to buy, standard goods are eminently traceable. Records of legal purchases are almost always kept, shared, and cross-indexed; whether this datatrail gets stuck to your fake SIN or, worse, a real one, it’s a potential liability." CRB p416
So I guess you're either managing your finances through credit accounts attached to SINs (Real/Fake), using a Shadowbank as mentioned by Reaver, or paying Fixers with Certified Credit Chips.
So from this and the contributions you fine shadowrunners:
1) Where do runners keep their money?
It is kept on SINs, ShadowBank managed accounts, or in Credit Chips
2) How is the money laundered
Assuming that Johnsons' pay us in Credit Chips and not a bank transfer (cause why not?), I guess it would be processed through the ShadowBank, of whom would cover the complications of transferring money into your credit accounts legally/ish
So this is my current understanding. Anyone disagree?
I guess my problem was never how people keep money out of the system or pay illegal agents (Fixers, Arms Dealers etc.) but how it's managed for people who have lifestyles. Especially those that buy lifestyles.
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I think you're losing the forest for the trees.
It's safe to assume in society where AR is central feature of your day to day activity, that pretty much everything you do is recorded, databased, cross sectioned, and generally analyzed by a host of program on a variety of levels, start with massive meta data tables and working your way down to next suggest purchase at amazon.com.
But the base assumption is flawed, fake sins work, sure the average fake sin 1 sucks, but it still works. As soon as it's established as your life style your now good to cruise through life as whoever that fake sin says you are. Average runners aren't sitting on giant fat stacks of cash, sure they may save up for their next big purchase, but in general they aren't going to be stunningly active in money market accounts. Shadowrunner wealth is kept in gear, vehicles, training, cybernetic implants, foci, magic lodges.
Hands on Capability is more important then high finance. Experienced active runners teams generally shack up in one decent life style, and are ready to burn it and move on in hurry if serious authorities come looking for them for real. Most runners collect cred stick and never ask any questions beyond what's the take and when's the next run. The issue of how that money is hidden fall into the realm of Fixers and Johnsons, both of whom, will be well prepared to handle those issues if they are going continue as fixers and Johnson's for long.
Both Fixer's and Johnson's need the runners to be able to access those funds, and need them to be able to do so in easy no nonsense way. Doing anything else results in runners knocking at your door and that's bad business for everyone involved.
Runners aren't going to be money laundering, not b/c they couldn't but b/c it's not fun. Yes many character with runners skills could certainly make more cash if they settled down and did some kind white collar or corporate crime, but my friend that's not Shadowrun. There was a supplement I think in 2nd that talked about starting your own mega corp and working your way up, and that perfectly cool concept for a game if you wanna go that way. But it has very little in common with your typical shadowrun.
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I think you'll find that even the Corp Script is a digital currency. After all, printing, and maintaining a physical supply in the correct amounts is an extra cost that Corps that are authorized to have Script can avoid by just keeping it digital. Of course there is still paper money in some parts of the world - but its not likely you will being visiting those parts often.
And Marcus is correct. These things do happen and they are done by those with the skills to do so. Maintained by those that have a vested interest in keeping them running (Namely the shadow organizations that control the black and grey markets).
I make a really good living with the work I do, But my knowledge is limited on how to grow my investments - So I have hired an investment firm to handle that part of my life. The same holds true for Runners.
IF a Runner is looking to grow his money out from just squatting in an empty flat, his is probably going to be dealing with some known Grey or Black market investor.
Shadowrun doesn't cover a lot of things. It doesn't cover if you are suffering from Sleep deprivation because of loud moaners next door doing the Horizontal Tango all night. It doesn't cover if you are suffering malnutrition cause you only eat Soy-Chili-Dogs for every meal. It doesn't cover is you are suffering from the common cold on a run... Heck it doesn't track when you have to "do your business" every day either :P
Mostly because these minor details take away from the game. No one wants to be rolling dice to see if their visit to the bank teller takes 10 minutes or 30 minutes. Mostly because those are rather boring details...even if they may be part of a Characters daily life.
But like I said above, if your group does find these types of things interesting, the roll with them! It's your game, your table, do whatever your table finds is fun!
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Hi all
Thanks for clarifying corp script. I had that wrong.
Thanks for all of you're comments. You've helped bring to light shadow banks and helped me researching a bunch into the different authentication levels of SINs and what transactions are put on then/when.
My runners are currently in a very specific situation centered around identity. They add being hunted and al these details are important for this time and they will drop off the normal games once their set up is back, but it'll be fun for a few runs to have them really consider how to operate under these conditions.
So trees being lost for the forest and all is great, but I'm asking these questions not because they aren't relevant but because they are.
If there's any examples in your games of how you've handled shadowrunners getting introductions to a shadowbank, or being ripped off by one, or what their experiences of having their SIN burned, please let me know.
Or better, if you have any great ideas of how you'd get yourself out of a country (dealing with high level SIN requirements for commercial travel) when you haven't a SIN to stand on and you're hunted by the largest gang in towns and everything you own is now illegal... They do have a bunch of information on blackmail targets.
Sometimes shadowrun is just about surviving untill the drek has stopped hitting the fans. And there are indeed fatigue rules, and sleep regulators to moderate things like exhaustion... But I'm not that mean.
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Yeah, as most folks have commented, identity and cash tends to get glossed over in most games, and that's great so long as the plot doesn't care. Sounds like yours does...
Not sure about their cash, but if they're on the run, then credsticks all the way - they don't need a SIN at all, they're like bitcoins you can carry around with you. Not many shadowrunners would bother with accounts, as that just makes your transactions traceable. Maybe for rent?
If they're being hunted and trying to leave the country, being tracked by their SIN is the least of their problems (probably by police? I don't think gangs would have much access to the various databases).
Tracking people down in the 6th world is a doozy. Just summon a spirit and get it to use the Search power. If the hunters know their astral signature, they can be tracked that way, which is just as quick. If they have a physical sample (eg. hair), then they can be tracked magically also.
Matrix is another way - if any of their comm numbers are known, then a half-decent decker can track them in 3-6 seconds anywhere in the world.
To get out of the country, they need to find a smuggler who has a container truck, which is protected magically and has corporate extra-territoriality, so that it can't be searched at a check point. Then they just need to switch everything to wireless off (which should have been done ages ago), and he can drive them through to the Salishe-Shide.
Good luck!
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Yeah I agree. There are a ton of stuff we gloss over or ignore in the game for simplicity sake (ie. Background counts unless you're going somewhere really evil). The gang we're talking about is actually an international, and politically connected entity so they are def a threat.
Luckily we play with relatively low levels of magical activity. Thankfully no biological samples are available for ritual magic (though on that note I'm of the opinion that if someone changes their personality sufficiently enough since the time of the biological sample being taken then your aura will have changed).
What this group does have is deckers in spades! They're all over burner coms, virtual machines, hacking cameras and covering any matrix trails.
Love your idea of mailing yourself home in a shipping container though :) ill make it an option to the group. Boy will they hate each other after a month in a container :)
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Ok, then you have a few things to consider.
Who is tracking them?
This is important to know as it defines the limitations of their ability to search and apprehend someone. If it is an official source such as a government, or AA+ Corporation, then the limits of the search end at the boarders of that Organization. Ares can't go into Seattle after someone who has stolen something, because Ares boarders end at the side walk. (At least officially). The UCAS can't chase the runners into the CAS, as that is an other country; And so are Mega-corps! So no chasing runners into the Aztech Pyramid Shopping Complex.
If it is a criminal organization, well then their boarders end where their influence ends. The Vory are not chasing the Runners deep into Yakuza zones, and so on.
It's because of these boarders and boundaries that Runners exist. They are the deniable assets that are used in these situations, simply because they are not tied to a organization or government - thus no political fallout. (Or, declarations of war!). But that is also their weakness. If something goes South, they are left twisting in the wind.. or at the end of a rope (literally and metaphorically).
Why are they being tracked?
Most Corporations are not going to spend a butt load of money tracking down a runner team for a stolen piece of tech beyond, say, 72 to 96 hours. Simply because the Runners probably have handed it off to their employers by that time, which means they are wasting money AND possible legal retributions just to recover nothing. Of course, if the Runners do something stupid - say kill 300 people during a run, then it may be a point of pride that causes them to be hunted...
Leaving a city or country really isn't that hard... The hard part is when you do get in! Honestly, to end out of the city, you put one foot in front of the other until the city is at your back. Done. There is no huge wall that surrounds the cites (generally).. Nor are there a Wall that separates countries (Unless Trump figures out a way to pay for his wall and build it... Then there will be one). The trick is what happens when you arrive in the new country. As an illegal alien, you basically have NO rights in Shadowrun. For all intents and purposes, you are a non-entity, which means you are (again) a member of the SINless masses scratching a living out of nothing.
Leaving a country and/or a City for a Runner is a big deal! Generally speaking, the Runners contacts are all situated where they work and live, and not outside that zone of influence. Which means they need to reach out to others in that city to help them get situated and make introductions. This is part of the job of a Fixer. Fixers are people with a wide range of contacts, it's their job to "know someone, who knows someone, who knows someone who has that thing for sale where you are going" and to get you in touch with them (For a fee, of course).
From there, a Runner basically has to start all over again. They have to build up their contacts, and acquire a Rep as a good operative. (which means working your way up of the local list of talent, starting with the low paying, high risk shit jobs the locals don't want!)
Of course, there is always the Boarder patrols to make the attempts harder.. and they are not a friendly as they are now. Its not a catch and release on the "correct" side as say it is between Mexico and Texas.. Its more of a "shoot it up and deposit the bloody remains on the other side" thing... So hiring a Coyote (someone who specializes in moving people) is a good option.
As for a "Burned" SIN... Well this can happen many ways. The chief way is that it fails a background check, once it gets flagged at a possible fake, its done for. How this happens and when, is basically down to luck, quality and timing. For the most daily stuff a person does, a low level SIN will work. The Buses just want to know you have a SIN, same with the Soykafe Shoppe.. they don't really care who they are selling to, only that you can pay. Going into areas that only "Real, Important" people should be in (like the Business sector, or the Luxury Home Sector) may scan your SIN a little more carefully to make sure you are the "right" kind of person to come in. And finally, there is are times that it is really important to make sure you are who you say you are... like when getting arrested for a serious crime. Or entering a Country, or that Secure Corp Facility...
This is where your quality of SIN matters... the higher the quality of the SIN, the better the details match you.... But that doesn't mean you will always gain entry "just because". After all, even if my very REAL SIN says I am a Citizen of the UCAS, it doesn't mean I have the right to enter an Ares restricted complex. (But if my FAKE SIN says I am a Ares Employee... I just might get in - IF it passes the check!). (The CRB has the rules of SINs and checks)
Having a SIN burned, means you throw it away, and every thing that is attached to it, as it has effectively been "frozen" anyway. For this reason alone, many Runners "run" with several SINS. For example look at my main character:
He has a rating 6 SIN that he "lives" under. This contains his home address, his permit for his heavy pistol, his permit to operate a vehicle, and his permit for magic, and that's about it. After all, a Professor of Mystical Theory doesn't need much more then that. Now, since he has used that SIN for a while it has a whole bunch of background data on it (like where he shops, what he eats, and so on) and that's fine, it just adds to the SIN. And it basically allows him to "live" the life of a wageslave... and never gets used for or around anything that even smells illegal. (lets call this one "Bob")
Then he has a Rating 5 SIN that is used for when he has to move about in the City. This one is linked to more equipment that gets used in more "passive-aggressive" situations, and is tied to a cover identity for that purpose (in this case a mystical private investigator) so it allows me to use more specialized tools of the trade without drawing too much attention (this one is called "Fred")
Then I have a Rating 3 SIN. (we shall call "Doug") This gets used when I have to purchase something that I don't want linked to either "Bob" or "Fred", and includes things like weapons, ammo, extra drones, and toys, specialized clothing, ETC....
Since all these SINs are different, and do not connect to each other, they can be burned individually, but not as a group. Meaning that if "Doug" gets burned because the Rating 3 SIN fails in a check VS a rating 4 checker, then ONLY "Doug" is burned.... And the "real" Doug (if there IS a deal Doug!) is getting a visit from the police! (If I am not arrested on the spot!)
Since I only accept Certified Cred for payments from Runs, I can keep my money separate from all 3 identities, and transfer what each SIN needs from Certified Cred as needed, when needed. (Remember Certified Cred is NOT linked to SIN, but stands separate from them all. It is the $20 bill in your pocket.... If you drop it on the ground and someone picks it up, they too can spend it... unlike say your Bank card while is protected by a PIN)
If I have to accept a SIN transfer of funds. (Say "Bob" did something and got a reward and the money was given to "Bob") I just transfer the cash into Certified Cred at a banking institution.
It should be noted that, sometimes Runners buy or get things that can NEVER be explained away. These are items that have an Availability rating of (F). Sure I can get a permit for my heavy pistol, but I can never EVER get a permit for my APDS ammo I have loaded into the pistol! Nor for that piece of (F) rated Cyberware! Those are items that are strictly, legally speaking, for the Government's use and ownership. (Government being a loose term here, as Ares is the Government for Ares property). So chances are, they never had permits for half their shit anyways ;)
Does that help you out some?
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Yeah man. That helps a heap and I see you've really thought about this. I was avoiding giving details, but here we go (if you're in my group don't read).
Where: They are in Vladivostok
Who's chasing them:
1) A single A corp that has lost one of the runners as a black budget asset. She worked on a bunch of things for them, so depending on how careful they were in keeping details and context of her work from her, then they may desperately want her back.
2) The Vory (Russian Mafia). After being framed for a bunch of murders, not participating in clearing their names, kidnapping the Vory leader's son, and two of his secretaries... and beating up a bunch of his men... and punching through walls in his main compound after being invited in as guests... yeah they want the group
Why the SINs are burned:
1) A AAA corp has gained a list of a bunch of their SINs and gave them an ultimatum. They didn't play ball so the corp burned the SINs for reasons I'll not go into for brevity's sake. The AAA corp isn't really after them anymore as they got what they wanted in the end.
Their current challenges:
1) They have a ton of assets that are now registered to burned SINs. They need a Fixer to give them new registration numbers to use (if they want to re-register them) but that get's into point 2
2) They 1 Evo low level contact with low loyalty, and they burned their Vory contact. They're hunted, all the Vory owned/protected operations have a watch on them
3) Some have been left with no SIN and no way to get back to Hong Kong (our home, Vladivostok was just a holiday of sorts)
To your point of:
"Since I only accept Certified Cred for payments from Runs...... I just transfer the cash into Certified Cred at a banking institution."
If your SINs only direct income source is constantly through certified credit chips, then that's like being paid in cash in today's economy. Doesn't your Professor of Mystical Theory have a day job, or does the university pay him in cash?
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If your SINs only direct income source is constantly through certified credit chips, then that's like being paid in cash in today's economy. Doesn't your Professor of Mystical Theory have a day job, or does the university pay him in cash?
While we like to think that the government is "all knowing", it really isn't ;D
What I mean by this is, at the end of the day, to the government, you are, sadly, just a number in a computer. And not even a very smart computer at that. The governments of SR are so over stretched, and under funded, that they have a very hard time doing anything with any skill. Think about it, they have lost over half of their revenue by hook or by crook. Corporations of AA and bigger are now considered legal countries in and of themselves. And as countries of their own, they do not pay taxes to the government. The citizens that work at these companies, and are lucky enough to become Corp Citizens (because not every Corp employee is a citizen) also do not pay taxes to the country Government.
So, Governments lose out on the big revenue tax streams that usually come from business, and have to rely on smaller business and "Mom & Pop" shops for their tax revenue. Personal income tax is still a thing, but all the "big tax payers" are also Corporate Citizens (Generally speaking) , so they are gone from the tax pool. This leaves a smaller pool of money for everything from infrastructure to law enforcement, to social programs. Basically take everything you get today from your government and toss it out the window. Goodbye healthcare, education, welfare, employment insurance, old age pension, and everything else. If you want a modern comparison, look to Greece, and their financial troubles of the last 10 years or so...
The Government really isn't coming looking for me, because they really don't know that I exist.... Remember, all the info about me contained in the SIN is still FAKE... a really good fake, but still fake. Now there may be a host of records that say where I have lived, where I have worked, what I made in capital, and what I paid in taxes, but all those entries are also fake... And because they are fake there is always a chance that the fake ID will be discovered during a search. (admittedly at a Rating 6 SIN, this is very unlikely, but still possible)... And even today Governments make mistakes all the time!
Heck, in my very own home town, a man has been pronounced "dead" by the government twice in the same year! In fact, within weeks of each other! The government mixed up his Social Security number with that of his mother (who did pass away). And then sent his wife a letter of condolences and a reminder she was eligible for a Spouse Survival tax credit. They just got that mess cleared up by going through our MP, when a month later they sent his wife a letter saying how sorry they were to hear that her husband had passed on and wanted to remind her of the Widow's Fund in case the funeral costs were too high ::)
On the off chance that I do come to the government's attention, well then that SIN is burned as well and I am boned... but that is the nature of being a criminal isn't it :P The system isn't set up to make my life easy, its set up to make the lives of honest people VERY frustrated. :D
There is some hope however, as I can always have my belongings transferred to a new SIN through a transfer of ownership hack. (again see the CRB for details)... and while it is not really worth it for your average stolen piece of tech, it is helpful for those really nice items that you don't want to lose to a burned SIN.
****
On the other side of the coin, it could also be handwaved that included in the cost of such an expensive Fake SIN, that the shadow organization I got it from also keeps my data updated with all the needed little bits of data - like income tax payments, payroll deposits, and what not... Or that could be a function of the Shadow banks I use to house any currencies that I need laundered (hard to spend that Aztech Script when you are wanted by the Aztlan government.... but if I deposit it in my showdown account, and take it out as UCAS credits, then deposit the UCAS Credits and take it out again as Nuyen.....)
And this doesn't even touch on the extra territoriality laws and information requests! Meaning, If my SIN says I am a UCAS citizen, but I bank with Renraku World Financial (a MegaCorp subsidiary), then my records are beyond the reach of the UCAS government without a LOT of legal hoop jumping by the UCAS government! In effect, they have no idea if I have paid taxes or not, and can not check my account to see if I have.... And Renraku doesn't care one way of the other. They have my capital to use to fund their schemes and make them richer (which is what happens when you bank with any financial institution. Your money isn't sitting in a vault somewhere, they take it, and reinvest it in something they think will make them money, like small business loans, or a house mortgage for your neighbour, all of which makes them more in interest then they give to me in interest... and if the business folds or the neighbour doesn't pay, they take the business or the house and sell it off themselves. Win-win-win.)
Remember nothing is cut and dry. Everything in shadowrun is buried deep, obfuscated by laws and territories, hidden by shadows and kept running by greed, duct-tape and sheer survival. Its all just 0s and 1s in a computer... and computers are infallible, right?
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AAAAHHHH!!!! There's something that's really spun this around.
Larger corps are their own countries, and their monitoring and efficacy in tax regulation and enforcement isn't answerable to any individual government but the Corporate Court... which they own... so the watchers policing themselves!
Gotcha! This clears up a bunch of issues I've been having.
1) Tax to a government isn't an issue for the Government because you're either working for a Corp and out of their jurisdiction, working for the government directly, or are one of the many unwashed masses they don't give a rat's ass about
- this doesn't stop an audit on you're accounts from bringing up the same information. I agree with you that you are extremely unlikely to be caught through normal means, but these guys are being watched under a microscope
- Dam, Corps probably are all too happy for you to have a fake SIN as their employee. They'll reduce their taxable income if they're paying more employees. LOL this is likely where their black budgets come from, payroll discrepancies.
2) I don't mind the finances being handwaved as a function of the SIN (as the provider has an invested interest in the identity not being discovered (and that is actually the crux of what happened to these runners)), but by that logic, a high level SIN of a high net worth individual will then need that money being shuttled through the SIN by the Shadow Bank at any one time, likely as another of their own laundering activities. What do you think is a reasonable Nuyen loss for having a high roller identity be burned?
3) On your point (and I'm thankful you're helping me work this out) of changing ownership. Could you point me to the relevant references? I believe it's a simple enough edit file and hardware test to change the registrations on a drone/asset etc. My issue comes from "What are you changing the registration to?" Just because I may know how to print a believable looking car numberplate (I don't), desn't mean I know what to change it to that will also correlate with a believable registration etc.
My position is that you need a fixer to provide this information. If you want to put a new serial number on your fav weapon's barrel a fixer will give you the numbers on a bunch of the same weapon they planned to scrub off and leave blank. Re-registring a vehicle, perhaps a fixer knows of the same make of car that's been destroyed but not reported as such/processed through a scrapper.
Is there anything in the books that details how a runner would know what to change the broadcasted and physical identifiers of items to?
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1) Tax to a government isn't an issue for the Government because you're either working for a Corp and out of their jurisdiction, working for the government directly, or are one of the many unwashed masses they don't give a rat's ass about ...
Only AA and AAA megacorporations have extraterritoriality. There are plenty of local, national, and multinational businesses without extraterritorial status left over to pay taxes to governments, and even megacorporate employees get hit with sales taxes and property taxes when they stray outside megacorp gates.
2) I don't mind the finances being handwaved as a function of the SIN (as the provider has an invested interest in the identity not being discovered (and that is actually the crux of what happened to these runners)), but by that logic, a high level SIN of a high net worth individual will then need that money being shuttled through the SIN by the Shadow Bank at any one time, likely as another of their own laundering activities. What do you think is a reasonable Nuyen loss for having a high roller identity be burned?
If you want to add a nuyen penalty for burning a SIN, consider double the monthly cost (e.g., landlords often ask for a deposit equal to "first and last months' rent"). Alternately, make it equal one month for every consecutive year they've had the SIN, to represent the little comforts and luxuries that accumulate over time. Note, there shouldn't be any penalty for shutting down a SIN and starting a new one on their own timetable (plenty of time to liquidate, launder, and move assets), only when they have to burn an identity in a hurry.
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My favorite example for explaining the use of fake SINs is the movie GATTACA. The lifestyle the protagonist leads is the sort of lifestyle a SINless person leads when trying to fit in to legal life in Shadowrun.
And remember even when your high rating fake SIN includes biometric data like DNA for verification against high-end systems, it's not necessarily YOUR DNA/Fingerprints/Retinal Pattern. You're still responsible for performing the tricks you see in GATTACA to get the fake SIN's biometrics in place of your own into the system for verification. If your high rating fake SIN got burned, among your many other problems is a fridge full of someone else's hair and body fluids that you probably no longer have use of :D
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And remember even when your high rating fake SIN includes biometric data like DNA for verification against high-end systems, it's not necessarily YOUR DNA/Fingerprints/Retinal Pattern. You're still responsible for performing the tricks you see in GATTACA to get the fake SIN's biometrics in place of your own into the system for verification. If your high rating fake SIN got burned, among your many other problems is a fridge full of someone else's hair and body fluids that you probably no longer have use of :D
And that's why having a real SIN is surprisingly convenient at times. Use it to buy your groceries, cross borders, and everything else that lets the authorities know your habits and whereabouts, then use your fake SIN to....uh, what do we use fake SINs for again? I do my best to buy illegal stuff with credsticks and I don't run cons, so it's not entirely clear to me what I want to use my fake SIN for.
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And remember even when your high rating fake SIN includes biometric data like DNA for verification against high-end systems, it's not necessarily YOUR DNA/Fingerprints/Retinal Pattern. You're still responsible for performing the tricks you see in GATTACA to get the fake SIN's biometrics in place of your own into the system for verification. If your high rating fake SIN got burned, among your many other problems is a fridge full of someone else's hair and body fluids that you probably no longer have use of :D
And that's why having a real SIN is surprisingly convenient at times. Use it to buy your groceries, cross borders, and everything else that lets the authorities know your habits and whereabouts, then use your fake SIN to....uh, what do we use fake SINs for again? I do my best to buy illegal stuff with credsticks and I don't run cons, so it's not entirely clear to me what I want to use my fake SIN for.
Lifestyle.
Use fake SINs for your Lifestyle. Especially for your secondary/tertiary lifestyles you maintain as safe houses.
If you've got a real SIN you absolutely don't want to use a real SIN on your lease or rental agreement... that's how Lone Star knows where to pick you up after you leave an inevitable skin flake or fingerpint behind at a crime scene. Real SINs are drawbacks for a reason, even tho as you point out sometimes they are indeed useful :D
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Are groceries not part of one's lifestyle? And are there not dwellings so rubbish that you don't need to use a SIN check to rent them?
Ah, but that's a digression. So, the Fake SIN is there to put a barrier between you and any forscenic evidence you leave behind? I thought it had more to do with the "you must always broadcast a SIN" aspect of the setting.
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Are groceries not part of one's lifestyle? And are there not dwellings so rubbish that you don't need to use a SIN check to rent them?
Ah, but that's a digression. So, the Fake SIN is there to put a barrier between you and any forscenic evidence you leave behind? I thought it had more to do with the "you must always broadcast a SIN" aspect of the setting.
Yeah "what's in a lifestyle" is kind of a tangent... and it's also arguable as to whether or not you even NEED a SIN, fake or otherwise, to have a lifestyle. Obviously in the street and squatter level, there's no leases or bank loans tied to an identity. Even all the way up to luxury, arguably you could say bribes are covering banks/landlords' needs to cover their butts with official paperwork. As a player you'll need to know from the GM how his stance is. Of course when I'm GMing I feel a drawback has to actually negatively impact you to offset the free karma you got for taking it, so I require lifestyles to be linked to a SIN (fake or otherwise) in order to add some real threat of pain should the SIN get burned or if a run goes sideways and Lone Star literally knows where you live...
Going back specifically to SINs... yeah a primary use is to not look suspicious by not broadcasting a SIN. Criminal SINs are something you want to avoid broadcasting in any kind of upstanding company, and Corp SINs are something you want to avoid broadcasting in any kind of Shadow company. That's before not wanting to make it easy to link your actual identity to any Shadowruns you're perpetrating by broadcasting a legit SIN while trading gunfire with security/the cops...
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That comes down to a catch-22, doesn't it? If you rent your place with your real SIN, then Knight Errant or Lone Star or whoever law enforcement is contracted to in the area is going to know where you live if they get any forensic evidence. If you rent it using a fake SIN, then they'll know where you live when they catching you broadcasting it during a firefight, or are we supposed to turn it off shortly before a firefight? It's been a while since I played and I forgot how the rhythm of a run goes.
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That comes down to a catch-22, doesn't it? If you rent your place with your real SIN, then Knight Errant or Lone Star or whoever law enforcement is contracted to in the area is going to know where you live if they get any forensic evidence. If you rent it using a fake SIN, then they'll know where you live when they catching you broadcasting it during a firefight, or are we supposed to turn it off shortly before a firefight? It's been a while since I played and I forgot how the rhythm of a run goes.
That's why it's conventional wisdom that you not only run silent (when you're on Shadowruns), you also have LOTS of fake SINs :) You know, a "Mr Totally not a Shadowrunner, just a real quiet guy" for your rent. You never, ever broadcast that SIN except for making lifestyle payments so that you minimize chances of it getting burned. You have another sin for being "on the Job", like "Punchy McCopshooter" for "broadcasting" while you're doing obviously illegal shadowrunner drek anyway, and being busted for no SIN is the least of your concerns at the moment. All it has to be is Rating 1 to be broadcasting, and you can go through those as fast as you go through pairs of socks if necessary. Yet another SIN you broadcast for while you're out and about on downtime. Maybe another SIN you use while negotiating with Mr Johnson and/or doing legwork (stuff you do while on a Shadowrun but isn't inherently blatantly illegal). Certainly extra SINs for your bolt hole lifestyles in case something DOES go wrong and Lone Star is surveiling your primary lifestyle.
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I see, and if one has a real SIN it's best used out and about and on downtime. Still, paying in credstick wherever is a more important security practice, no?
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I see, and if one has a real SIN it's best used out and about and on downtime. Still, paying in credstick wherever is a more important security practice, no?
I would say it depends on how your GM is running the game. On one hand never ever using your real SIN really limits the odds that its existence will bite you, on the other a SIN that just exists out there without any income or expenses could flag some government agency to look closer.
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Those would be easy enough to fake. Put some money onto the SIN from a credstick, take some money from the SIN and put it on another credstick and bam! Now the SIN has income and expenses, unless your GM insists that Big Brother has algorithms too smart to be fooled by that, in which case the Shadowbank probably offers a service that can fool those algorithms.
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We have a similar ruling regarding lifestyles that anyone can have any kind of lifestyle, it's just about where. You can have a pimped out warehouse in a lawless territory and pay gang protection money.I'm loving all your ideas about the consequences of burned SINs, and you were right about groceries etc. being a cost incorporated into the lifestyle. I guess my point along that was that your SIN has to be maintained in a way that emulates life. Your SIN goes out for dinner, travels etc. So if your runner didn't broadcast that SIN for a number of months that'd be a problem right?
1) I always thought the biometric information on fake SINs were yours, and you had your fixer and manufacturer have it match to you, though I guess it could be the other way around if you just buy an identity and have a bunch of bio material... Which is scary.
2) What sort of biometric testing would you do for someone with cyber eyes and arms?
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We have a similar ruling regarding lifestyles that anyone can have any kind of lifestyle, it's just about where. You can have a pimped out warehouse in a lawless territory and pay gang protection money.I'm loving all your ideas about the consequences of burned SINs, and you were right about groceries etc. being a cost incorporated into the lifestyle. I guess my point along that was that your SIN has to be maintained in a way that emulates life. Your SIN goes out for dinner, travels etc. So if your runner didn't broadcast that SIN for a number of months that'd be a problem right?
Like I said, the Shadowbank could probably emulate life on your SIN for you. It's all part of the money-laundering scheme....
1) I always thought the biometric information on fake SINs were yours, and you had your fixer and manufacturer have it match to you, though I guess it could be the other way around if you just buy an identity and have a bunch of bio material... Which is scary.
I don't know if this is exaggeration or an old piece of lore, but I've heard people say that an R1 fake SIN might have the biometrics of a chicken. So, no, it's not your biometric information on the fake SIN.
2) What sort of biometric testing would you do for someone with cyber eyes and arms?
On the most basic level, you check height, metatype, ethnic group, sex and other such basics. At the high end, you check genetic material, and somewhere in between you do facial scans.
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....
1) I always thought the biometric information on fake SINs were yours, and you had your fixer and manufacturer have it match to you, though I guess it could be the other way around if you just buy an identity and have a bunch of bio material... Which is scary.
2) What sort of biometric testing would you do for someone with cyber eyes and arms?
1: If you're fortunate (or paying enough money) you can get a fake SIN that happens to have biometrics that are close/semi close to your character's. The gender, height, weight, age and so on happen to match. But that's because they happen to match, not because they were set that way to match yours. As described on pages 363-364, when fake SINs are created (as opposed to just being legit SINs being sold/used illegally) they're maintained for some long period of time to give them that weight of believability that can't be faked by being created immediately. There's even the given example of a low-rating SIN simply using the DNA of a chicken for its biometrics. And then there's Biometric data associated with
a high-Rating SIN will be from a real person with the
same sex and nationality as the purchaser with (if the
extra fee is paid) matching organic samples available
(blood, skin cells, hair—just don’t ask where they came
from).
2: With retinal and fingerprint data not available due to cyber replacements, there are a host of other biometrics available. Facial recognition, voice pattern analysis, DNA sampling, etc based on the rating of the SIN checker are all possibilities. For devious ideas about possible biometrics, check this link (https://gizmodo.com/these-are-the-most-awkward-forms-of-biometric-identific-1708243593) out.
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The chicken thing was in SR5? I could've sworn that it was either an older edition or just someone using hyperbole on the internet.
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The chicken thing was in SR5? I could've sworn that it was either an older edition or just someone using hyperbole on the internet.
The amount of time and care taken in creating a
fake SIN is represented by its Rating. A low Rating SIN
consists of only the most basic information—such as
the SIN number itself. Related information such as biometric
data will likely be missing or obviously false if
checked (“Hey, this is the DNA of a chicken ...”). Other
issues may be the consistency, or fit, of the identity to
the individual. If a runner just needs an identity—any
identity—right now, they may end up purchasing a SIN
for a ten-year-old Nigerian girl.
I can't say it wasn't first in earlier editions, but it's certainly in the current one :D
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Wow, and between the two I was leaning towards "someone using hyperbole on the internet".
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Wow, and between the two I was leaning towards "someone using hyperbole on the internet".
I've made it tradition that all my rating 1 fake SIN identities are "Some Nigerian 10 year old girl".
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So, what happens when you try to buy a R1 fake for a ten year old Nigerian girl? Or is it the case that a R1 fake SIN can be sold as an R3 fake SIN to the right person?
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Probably a bit more of the latter. Another 10 year old girl of similar physical appearance could probably get away with it being higher than a R1 fake SIN than a 30 year old 200kg troll sammie could.
In actual game play, there's a slight disconnect between the fluff and the rules themselves. You don't have to keep track of whether or not a given fake SIN has chicken DNA or no DNA at all or 10 year old Nigerian Girl DNA. Those details are all abstracted into the "Rating". The chart on page 364 gives players and GMs an idea of how invasive a SIN check is based on the rating of the system doing the checking (lending relevance to the necessity of carrying around DNA samples for high rating fake SINs, for example). But the rules text on the same page also tells you the check is abstracted. Technically at the game table (as opposed to in-universe) all that matters are the raw numbers: Device rating vs Fake SIN rating.
But if you add in some roleplaying or theorycrafting based on the superfluous info based on the chart saying what details the checker checks, you might reasonably suppose a forged SIN created with chicken DNA would pass a check based on whether or not there's DNA on file, but obviously the PC could not provide a sample that matches the fake SIN.. unless he's got samples of that specific chicken used to forge the SIN that is...
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It's interesting to think, though, that all fake SINs below R4 cost the same to make and how much they sell for depends on how much they coincidentally match their buyer. It has certain....implications, I think, about the market for low-end fake SINs and the sales tactics used there.
But if you add in some roleplaying or theorycrafting based on the superfluous info based on the chart saying what details the checker checks, you might reasonably suppose a forged SIN created with chicken DNA would pass a check based on whether or not there's DNA on file, but obviously the PC could not provide a sample that matches the fake SIN.. unless he's got samples of that specific chicken used to forge the SIN that is...
The flavor quote makes me think that a SIN with chicken DNA would be rejected before you would even be asked to provide a biometric sample, or even when it was a matter of whether or not there was DNA on file at all. After all, it's easier to keep a chicken around for biometric samples than it is another metahuman, so I suspect at this point in the arms race someone's already got caught pulling that trick and in response everyone now checks to make sure the DNA on record is metahuman.
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Well according to the examples/fluff based on the SIN verification systems, you're not even testing the PC's DNA against the SIN until you hit a Rating 5 system. if you've got a crappy low rating SIN (such as one that uses Chicken DNA), a Rating 5 system is gonna suss it out as fake even if you can provide a matching DNA sample, the dice will almost guarantee it :D
The mathematics of the rules to me say there's no reason to buy a rating 2 or 3 fake SIN. Either save money and buy a 1, or get a 4 and be fairly safe from anything that doesn't go to the extreme of taking biometric samples for verification. And get at least one fake sin of a really high value when your connections and resources permit :)
"Hey this is Chicken DNA!" is probably what someone says who's using a rating 4 SIN checker (as rating 4 is when they start even bothering to check if there IS any DNA on file) but the system got enough hits to detect the SIN as being fake (out of 8 dice, it got your fake SIN Rating in hits).
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Interesting. I guess the biometrics would only be an issue when tested. So perhaps when you're buying a sports car or a property, but you wouldn't give a saliva sample just to walk into a high class restaurant... right?
So what do you think happens to your SIN when you do something that drastically breaks the biometric links or financial profile?
eg. buy a supercar, get a ton of cyberware, get an expensive doc wagon contract (granted they don't ask questions, but buying a platinum on an identity that has a low lifestyle is still a financial record. As a GM I wouldn't let you buy a Doc Wagon with cred sticks lol))
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Interesting. I guess the biometrics would only be an issue when tested. So perhaps when you're buying a sports car or a property, but you wouldn't give a saliva sample just to walk into a high class restaurant... right?
Well if you're trying to claim your reservation at a fancy restaurant, whether or not your behavior and attire match for the environment is the first thing to worry about. A fancy restaurant isn't going to insult their clientele by insisting on fingerprinting their guests before seating them at a table. However if you come across as a Ferris Bueller insisting that you're really Abe Froman the Sausage King of the Chicago Sprawl, well that's another story...
As for something like purchasing a supercar or yacht or mansion... yeah absolutely prepare for some very intimate tests. Depending on the amount of detail/roleplaying a GM wants to do for expensive but completely legal purchases, a shadowrunner might want/need to include some bribes as if it were illegal just to keep everything off "the books".
So what do you think happens to your SIN when you do something that drastically breaks the biometric links or financial profile?
eg. buy a supercar, get a ton of cyberware, get an expensive doc wagon contract (granted they don't ask questions, but buying a platinum on an identity that has a low lifestyle is still a financial record. As a GM I wouldn't let you buy a Doc Wagon with cred sticks lol))
See Burned SINs, page 364 :D
As for Doc Wagon, otoh, they absolutely are happy to take cash and pretend you're not a Shadowrunner. There's a bit in Chromed Flesh that explains they even issue members a sort of ID for internal use only if you don't have a proper SIN (that you care to share with them).
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Well this went about 2 page further then I ever imagined it would. Some interesting points. Poor team burning all their vory contacts while in Vladivostok, poor kids.
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Well punching walls in and kidnapping members of the family will do that.
But yes, I am very thankful for all your pages of feedback. Great community here :D
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I know I might be late to this thread and I'm not sure if it was posted here but there was a fan-made PDF book called Unoriginal S.I.N. by Logan Z. Hill. it's a homebrew thing about S.I.N.'s.
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Something I dont think the OP is considering is most fake SINs are stolen data. That means that your rating 2 Fake SIN for Mr. John Smith actually has a real Mr. John Smith the Ork wageslave Janitor at some corp facility who is pulling a paycheck, Paying Taxes and has a nice consistent and very real purchase history to go with it. This means that if you are running around with a fake SIN as Mr John smith with your photo pasted over it and paying by certified credstick for everything no one is asking to many questions because all those flags in the system your worried about don't exist. Most fake SINs are stolen identities or sold Identities, cause if you dont think the Local Yaks and other crime families wont cut some deals with Mr. Smith where when he gets in a little over his head after betting on the wrong urban brawl team they will forgive the debt and you know not smash his knees in with a hammer ect, if he just gives them his SIN and all his other personal info. My understanding is only the high end R5 and R6 fake SINs are actually created false identities. Where shadow organizations the specialize in fake SINs use system back doors and officials on the take to Enter in a fully False SIN. I also am pretty sure I remember reading back in some older edition books where they talked about how to create fake SINs that these organizations get the SIN entered into the system and then let it sit in the system and Marinate for a while and also have some netbot agents that run the SIN and have it log into matrix sites and make small purchases and such to build up a "Real transaction history" and such. When they get the call for a High quality fake SIN that needs to exactly match the Male Native American Elf etc. then they use their backdoors and compromised officials to upload YOUR biometric data and such into the system as well as changing the gender and metatype and such to match the particulars of the individual paying the 15k+ nuyen for the ID and its Avail 18 so it takes a little time to get everything in place.
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I decided to go way more minority report with the SIN issue in my setting. Sins broadcast information constantly that can be picked up by the systems all around you and anyone in AR mode around you. Runners with actual SINs use devices to mask their actual data and broadcast fakes. Depending on your location not having a broadcasting SIN is a one way ticket to harassment by legitimate folks and law enforcement alike. For us, low level SiNS get burned on pretty much every run and the players maintain a few higher level SINS for their "real" lives. I grant them a bonus to avoid detection if they have a lifestyle and bank account attached to the SIN but the trade off is that if that SIN is compromised they risk losing the cash and property. It isn't too much book keeping on our parts, we just agree that they have some source to launder the money into their different accounts, a part of the lifestyle cost, and when they get paid they tell me where it goes. They maintain a couple of SINS with small sums for purchases while working and credsticks for when they are in areas where SINS and accounts would be uncommon. Hasn't been much of an issue yet but we will see as my team is fast approaching the first large scale burn of an identity as they were sloppy enough to allow the gun runners they were fighting with to hack one of their good com links.
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My understanding is only the high end R5 and R6 fake SINs are actually created false identities.
I'm actually pretty sure, nearly no fake SIN is created from scratch. They are mostly sold or stolen from living people or belong to dead people who "accidently" weren't marked as such. The rating is the difference in "fine tuning" this ID, ranging from something fresh and unedited, only very roughly matching your description (R1), to masterfully crafted ones that were maintained for years for a "real" digital footprint and got edited to exactly match your biometrics (R6).
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My understanding is only the high end R5 and R6 fake SINs are actually created false identities.
I'm actually pretty sure, nearly no fake SIN is created from scratch. They are mostly sold or stolen from living people or belong to dead people who "accidently" weren't marked as such. The rating is the difference in "fine tuning" this ID, ranging from something fresh and unedited, only very roughly matching your description (R1), to masterfully crafted ones that were maintained for years for a "real" digital footprint and got edited to exactly match your biometrics (R6).
Pages 363-364 discuss the nature and rules for Fake SINs.
It's pretty clear that while sometimes a low rating fake SIN is simply a stolen identity, a lot of the time fake SINs are deliberate creations. Like the famous SIN that has chicken DNA just to have something there in case the verification system only wants to be sure there is some DNA at all on file.
The way it reads is that actually the higher end SINs are indeed invented with real biometrics, it's just not your character's.
Biometric data associated with
a high-Rating SIN will be from a real person with the
same sex and nationality as the purchaser with (if the
extra fee is paid) matching organic samples available
(blood, skin cells, hair—just don’t ask where they came
from).
As I said upthread: Think of using a high rating Fake SIN as being like the movie GATTACA.
Creating Fake SINs is something that takes a long time (page 364 says it takes years to create a high rating Fake SIN) and unless you're REALLY patient, when you buy a fake SIN you're not commissioning something to match your data. You're buying the work and artistry put in over a very long time by someone who's skills command very high prices. Odds are pretty slim that years ago when the SIN forger began work on the fake SIN you ultimately bought that your DNA/biometrics is what was used :)
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There is . . . something like a shadow investment house mentioned in various places in the SR lore. Most recently in the SR4 book Vice, though it got previous mentions starting in SR3. It's not unique either.
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I would think that Fake sins are the result of the corporations allowing exploits in the system to exist. Every corp and government uses runners from time to time for their own nefarious purposes so it makes sense that, while they publicly front about security and the protection of the SINS, in the shadows they allow the system to be worked in order to enable the shadow community to exist.
You never know how deep the rabbit hole goes. Runners live under the illusion that they are the ones who are free but in reality they are just enslaved with different chains. Is anyone really free?
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I would think that Fake sins are the result of the corporations allowing exploits in the system to exist. Every corp and government uses runners from time to time for their own nefarious purposes so it makes sense that, while they publicly front about security and the protection of the SINS, in the shadows they allow the system to be worked in order to enable the shadow community to exist.
You never know how deep the rabbit hole goes. Runners live under the illusion that they are the ones who are free but in reality they are just enslaved with different chains. Is anyone really free?
The Corps do, do that. they are called "company men" in the shadows.
Runners, that only work for a single Corp - but get extra special perks, like Corp "Fake" SINs, access to new/special/Corp weapons and gear, and even Corp funded housing.
The downside is usually that if you fail once, you're left twisting in the wind...