Pay too much (debt) and you could raise the alarm-Homeland Sec

[PetraPooh]

http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=RAISEALARM-02-28-06

By BOB KERR
The Providence Journal
28-FEB-06

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Walter Soehnge is a retired Texas schoolteacher who traveled north with his wife, Deana, saw summer change to fall in Rhode Island and decided this was a place to stay for a while. <snip>

They just paid a hefty chunk of their credit card balance. And they learned how frighteningly wide the net of suspicion has been cast.

After sending in the check, they checked online to see if their account had been duly credited. They learned that the check had arrived, but the amount available for credit on their account hadn't changed.

So Deana Soehnge called the credit-card company. Then Walter called.

"When you mess with my money, I want to know why," he said.

They both learned the same astounding piece of information about the little things that can set the threat sensors to beeping and blinking.

They were told, as they moved up the managerial ladder at the call center, that the amount they had sent in was much larger than their normal monthly payment. And if the increase hits a certain percentage higher than that normal payment, Homeland Security has to be notified. And the money doesn't move until the threat alert is lifted. <snip>

More at link . . . this is freaky and scary. What happened to ENCOURAGING getting out of debt??

http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=RAISEALARM-02-28-06