I worked full-time is a freelancer for quite a while. Nobody asked for my papers, and I won't say anything about taxes. I could've easily laid low when (the few

I worked full-time is a freelancer for quite a while. Nobody asked for my papers, and I won't say anything about taxes. I could've easily laid low when (the few) clients called asking for info (SSN, etc.) for my 1099s, as income was distributed well enough that none would think it a big deal to not send me one. There's an underground economy, and it doesn't always involve narcotics/guns/prostitutes/dog fighting/etc. While I deposited checks (one potential obstacle), I don't think anybody would have quaffed if I asked them to pay me via PayPal, where I could transfer the money to a friend's ("accomplice's") bank account.