Green Energy
Wired:
Feds Warrantlessly Tracking Americans’ Credit Cards in Real Time
By Ryan Singel
Federal law enforcement agencies have been tracking Americans in real-time using credit cards, loyalty cards and travel reservations without getting a court order, a new document released under a government sunshine request shows.
The document, obtained by security researcher Christopher Soghoian, explains how so-called “Hotwatch” orders allow for real-time tracking of individuals in a criminal investigation via credit card companies, rental car agencies, calling cards, and even grocery store loyalty programs. The revelation sheds a little more light on the Justice Department’s increasing power and willingness to surveil Americans with little to no judicial or Congressional oversight.
For credit cards, agents can get real-time information on a person’s purchases by writing their own subpoena, followed up by a order from a judge that the surveillance not be disclosed. Agents can also go the traditional route — going to a judge, proving probable cause and getting a search warrant — which means the target will eventually be notified they were spied on.
The document suggests that the normal practice is to ask for all historical records on an account or individual from a credit card company, since getting stored records is generally legally easy. Then the agent sends a request for “Any and all records and information relating directly or indirectly to any and all ongoing and future transactions or events relating to any and all of the following person(s), entitities, account numbers, addresses and other matters…” That gets them a live feed of transaction data.
- Judicial Watch President: “the Obama Administration’s Warrantless Collection Of The Private Financial Information Of Millions Of Americans Is Mind-blowing. Is There Anything That This Administration Thinks It Can’t Do?”
From Will at THE OTHER NEWS: Judicial Watch Obtains Records Detailing Obama Admin’s Warrantless Collection of Citizens’ Personal Financial Data.HT: JudicialWatch. (Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it has obtained...
- Oops, The Irs Did It Again
IRS ACCUSED OF STEALING 60 MILLION MEDICAL RECORDS THAT COULD INCLUDE EVERY CALIF. STATE JUDGE AND HOLLYWOOD EXECSYesterday, the founder of one of the conservative groups targeted by the IRS brought up hisconcerns regarding if the agency could be trusted to...
- Credit Card Use By Terrorists
Think it can't happen to you? So did I. But late last summer someone used my Credit Card to run up nearly $4,000 of airfare and other items throughout Europe, traveling mainy on 9/11 and 9/12 to add insult. Now before you say shame on me know that...
- Will Barack Obama Win The Election Through Fraudulent Campaign Contributions And Voter Registration?
Just say no to vote fraud!Imagine a campaign website that intentionally turns off all credit-card security, an unprecedented step that allows bogus names and addresses for donations. Imagine a campaign that accepts made-up credit-card numbers, which...
- Credit-card Experts Explain The Extent Of Obama’s Deception
Obama has raised unexpectedly large amounts of money this election season. Obama is practicing extensive credit card deception. Obama's deceptive credit card practices make it impossible to trace where the money is coming from. Where do you think...
Green Energy
Wired:
Feds Warrantlessly Tracking Americans’ Credit Cards in Real Time
By Ryan Singel
Federal law enforcement agencies have been tracking Americans in real-time using credit cards, loyalty cards and travel reservations without getting a court order, a new document released under a government sunshine request shows.
The document, obtained by security researcher Christopher Soghoian, explains how so-called “Hotwatch” orders allow for real-time tracking of individuals in a criminal investigation via credit card companies, rental car agencies, calling cards, and even grocery store loyalty programs. The revelation sheds a little more light on the Justice Department’s increasing power and willingness to surveil Americans with little to no judicial or Congressional oversight.
For credit cards, agents can get real-time information on a person’s purchases by writing their own subpoena, followed up by a order from a judge that the surveillance not be disclosed. Agents can also go the traditional route — going to a judge, proving probable cause and getting a search warrant — which means the target will eventually be notified they were spied on.
The document suggests that the normal practice is to ask for all historical records on an account or individual from a credit card company, since getting stored records is generally legally easy. Then the agent sends a request for “Any and all records and information relating directly or indirectly to any and all ongoing and future transactions or events relating to any and all of the following person(s), entitities, account numbers, addresses and other matters…” That gets them a live feed of transaction data.
- Judicial Watch President: “the Obama Administration’s Warrantless Collection Of The Private Financial Information Of Millions Of Americans Is Mind-blowing. Is There Anything That This Administration Thinks It Can’t Do?”
From Will at THE OTHER NEWS: Judicial Watch Obtains Records Detailing Obama Admin’s Warrantless Collection of Citizens’ Personal Financial Data.HT: JudicialWatch. (Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it has obtained...
- Oops, The Irs Did It Again
IRS ACCUSED OF STEALING 60 MILLION MEDICAL RECORDS THAT COULD INCLUDE EVERY CALIF. STATE JUDGE AND HOLLYWOOD EXECSYesterday, the founder of one of the conservative groups targeted by the IRS brought up hisconcerns regarding if the agency could be trusted to...
- Credit Card Use By Terrorists
Think it can't happen to you? So did I. But late last summer someone used my Credit Card to run up nearly $4,000 of airfare and other items throughout Europe, traveling mainy on 9/11 and 9/12 to add insult. Now before you say shame on me know that...
- Will Barack Obama Win The Election Through Fraudulent Campaign Contributions And Voter Registration?
Just say no to vote fraud!Imagine a campaign website that intentionally turns off all credit-card security, an unprecedented step that allows bogus names and addresses for donations. Imagine a campaign that accepts made-up credit-card numbers, which...
- Credit-card Experts Explain The Extent Of Obama’s Deception
Obama has raised unexpectedly large amounts of money this election season. Obama is practicing extensive credit card deception. Obama's deceptive credit card practices make it impossible to trace where the money is coming from. Where do you think...