Feds tracking credit cards, store purchases without warrant: report

[redirish28]

You may want to rethink using that perk card at the gas station.


http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/feds-credit-cards-without-warrant/



Federal law enforcement routinely tracks individuals through their credit cards, cell phones, car rentals and even store customer loyalty programs without obtaining a warrant, an online privacy activist has discovered.

According to a document (PDF) obtained from the Department of Justice by online privacy activist Christopher Soghoian, federal agents working on a criminal investigation can draw up their own paperwork requesting that credit companies and retailers give the agents real-time access to purchases made by a particular person.

No court reviews these orders, and the only role courts play in the process is to issue a non-disclosure order to the retailer or credit card company involved, meaning the person being tracked will never be notified of the surveillance.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SNIP


Prepaid cards may not be that safe either. Last Prepaid card my wife got demanded name address and social security number in order for her to use it.

[xchrom]

1. reminds me of the bush years. nt

[ixion]

4. It's EXACTLY like the Bush years

nothing has changed. :grr:

[stray cat]

2. Whats wrong with transparency - is there or should there really be a right to privacy in public

[redirish28]

3. So when you buy rogaine to grow your missing hair you want the world to know?

Why should me buying my wife pads or buying my cat food need to be viewed and spyed on by theAmerican Govenment. Not to mention the company selling my purchase info to other companies so they can drive me insane with more commericals?

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. So what other rights in the Bill of Rights are you willing

to give up?

Just make a list.

[Shandris]

8. I wasn't aware that using my credit card to purchase the latest...

...Warhammer 40k novel from an online retailer was 'in public'.

So if things done from the privacy of my own home are now 'in public'...

...when are you setting up the camera on your television, your kitchen, your bedroom? Whats for dinner tonight? While we're at it...let's profile your likes and dislikes, shall we?

Oh you like to stay at home? Why don't you go out in public more? Something to hide? Or is that just social anxiety that you don't want treated? Sounds like he/she might be afraid of mental health professionals...we should watch more closely. For your own good, of course. You know what happens to those quiet, loner types after all...

[Tesha]

9. Should there be a right to not be forced to confess to your crimes?

Should there be a right to own weapons that might be used
against the government?

Should there be a right to worship at other than a state-
approved church?

Should there be a right to speak out against the government?

How many more rights are you willing to yield before you're
finally willing to say that Obama is continuing Bush's trampling
upon all of our rights?

Tesha

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. omg n/t

[struggle4progress]

7. So Soghoian got a copy of a 10 page powerpoint presentation that outlined crudely

some techniques for realtime tracking and the current mechanisms of law allowing it

I'd be delighted to get rid of the "Administrative Subpoenas" -- but the facts don't obviously match the headline of the OP

Link to pdf of powerpoint here:
DOJ's "hotwatch" real-time surveillance of credit card transactions
http://paranoia.dubfire.net/2010/12/dojs-hotwatch-real-time-surveillance-of.html