Starting a "new life"

I think I have a touch of Aspergers. I go through phases where I'm obsessed with something than two weeks than forget about it. Recently, I've been going though a true crime kick, in particular with missing people. On a podcast (I seriously forget which one) it was suggested that the missing person "started a new life". While I'm not saying that doesn't happen, it's much harder than one might think.

While it's true, back in the early 2000s it would have been easier to start over, but still incredibly hard unless you are filthy rich or dirt poor. If you are dirt poor, you have nothing to lose and you could easily walk away-but you'd have to steal someones else's identity and social security number at the very least. If you are hugely rich, you could probably afford fake documents-but they don't sell them at Target. I'm not sure most people know someone who engages in that kind of document fraud. It's also hard to open up a bank account without ID, so be prepared to use cash for everything.

Now, it would be impossible to start over under a new identity. With cameras everywhere and people taking cell phone pictures constantly, you are bound to show up in one of them.