Feds Warrantlessly Tracking Americans’ Credit Cards in Real Time

[IScreamSundays]

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

more:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/12/realtime/

[RandomThoughts]

1. Yea I knew that was a 'program'

All the big chain stores came out with those cards at the same time. I think one came out a bit earlier. Looked like a program, one small test chain, then put in all the stores.

I never used those cards, still don't. The tracking can also be used to find buying habits that can show resilience to marketing techniques. Or even patterns that match what a thinking person will be. Then they can be interrupted in work or school.

Basically if you have that much data, you could find the patterns of people that don't match the norm of what some like in society.


Also how things like the movie Minority Report can be explained, and also explaining another post about 'potential criminal' where it could be that by profile they could dragnet many people. Although instead of criminals it could be used on people with ideas of free thoughts.

Think about if you buy books, what could that say about you? Even what movies you watch can even tell ideas of how much you think, and on what topics. Someone should check movie rental sites, and cable tv to see if they store or hand over any of that data to anyone.

Not sure how much of that is done, but that is the concept in the movie Minority Report, and a real danger dependent on who has that information.


Not sure how sophisticated it is.




Also test groups could be assembled from different templates and then wrong Internet or TV could be selectively sent to them to see how they react, might make a good story.

[Ratty]

2. I use cash mostly nowdays

Withdraw $300 at a time and mostly use that. It's really a way to keep track of my spending. It's so much easier - too easy - to just swipe a card than to dole out actual, honest-to-god twenty dollar bills.

But I do it also because I don't want corporations and the government to keep track of everything I spend. If I buy a pack of cigarettes I don't want my insurance company getting a hold of that information (I know, I know - quitting is my 2011 resolution). We only found out about the government installing secret rooms in the telcos' basements to track our phone calls and internet usage by accident. I have no doubt there are already secret rooms in the basements of the credit card companies and have been for a while.