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Feds Check Credit Reports Without a Subpoena

Posted by kdawson on from the thanks-Patriot-Act dept.

An anonymous reader points out that, by using National Security Letters, the FBI and other agencies can legally pull your credit report. The letters have been used by the FBI (mostly) but in some cases by the CIA and Defense Department. From the article: "'These statutory tools may provide key leads for counterintelligence and counterterrorism investigations,' Whitman said. 'Because these are requests for information rather than court orders, a DOD request under the NSL statutes cannot be compelled absent court involvement.'" Recipients of the letters, banks and credit bureaus, usually hand over the requested information voluntarily. A posting at tothecenter.com quotes the Vice President on the use of the letters: "It's perfectly legitimate activity. There's nothing wrong or illegal with it. It doesn't violate people's civil rights... The Defense Department gets involved because we've got hundreds of bases inside the United States that are potential terrorist targets."

11 of 290 comments (clear)

  1. Well, Dick Cheney would know... by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 2, Funny

    He would never spy on American citizens unless he had a really really good reason to.

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
    1. Re:Well, Dick Cheney would know... by IcyNeko · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hey guys, why do i suddenly have an account in the Cayman islands in the name of "Bobby Bo's Bread Shop"? And when did i suddenly take a $2 million loan from a Saudi oil company?

      Guys?... Gu-...

    2. Re:Well, Dick Cheney would know... by truthsearch · · Score: 2, Funny
      Guys?... Gu-...%*R!@ NO CARRIER

      Fixed that for ya.
      --
      Developers: We can use your help.
  2. we've got hundreds of bases... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    we've got hundreds of bases inside the United States that are potential terrorist targets

    And we don't want those bases blown up by terrorists with bad credit.

    1. Re:we've got hundreds of bases... by dr_dank · · Score: 4, Funny

      And we don't want those bases blown up by terrorists with bad credit.

      Come on down for our jihad financing special. Bad credit? No credit? You work, you jihad!

      --
      Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
  3. Re:Can an American PLEASE Clear Something Up? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    Jack Bauer, smashing Dick Cheney's head into a wall repeatedly: "You ran a credit check on me? On ME? WFT do you think you're doing? (smash) Why did you need the information? (smash) Who do you think you are? (smash)"

    Cheney snarling: "I'll do what I want to. I'm the real president! The Chimp is just a figurehead!"

    Jack: (smash) (smash) (smash) "Asshole" (rips out Cheney's stents with his teeth)

    Now that we have THAT settled...

  4. Of course. by electrosoccertux · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm completely fine with anybody in the government checking out my purchasing activities. You have nothing to hide, so why should you be concerned with this? It's not like government has a history of abusing power, and if they did abuse it, there's no way it would hurt me or you.

    There, now it's out of the way, and we can mod down anybody else that says it. It's been explained so many times on /. why this is a bad idea that there's no excuse anymore to see it as anything short of troll.

  5. Thanks guys! by jbarr · · Score: 2, Funny

    It really sucks when the people at work post something on your account while you're not looking! There goes my karma.

    --
    My mom always said, "Jim, you're 1 in a million." Given the current population, there are 7000 of me. God help us all!
  6. So really... by eriklou · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sweet! All I have to do is forge a letter from the FBI and I can get my credit report for free, if only that was legal...

  7. NSA offers Totally Free Checking by CranberryKing · · Score: 2, Funny

    or how about a Visa Check-Card with Informant Rewards!

  8. that'll be $200 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    there'll be a surcharge for the amount of paper/toner required to print nearly 8 trillion dollars of debt in full figures.