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What the DHS Knows About You
Sherri Davidoff writes "Here's a real copy of an American citizen's DHS Travel Record, retrieved from the US Customs and Border Patrol's Automated Targeting System and obtained through a FOIA/Privacy Act request. The document reveals that the DHS is storing: the traveler's credit card number and expiration; IP addresses used to make Web travel reservations; hotel information and itinerary; full airline itinerary including flight numbers and seat numbers; phone numbers including business, home, and cell; and every frequent flyer and hotel number associated with the traveler, even ones not used for the specific reservation."
This reminds me of the current idea to charge a 10$ entrance fee for foreign visitors. The money is supposed to go into a marketing fund. It's not only borderline schizophrenic to raise a new barrier in order to promote it, it might be even more sinister: that fee can apparently only be paid by credit card. Since 10$ doesn't seem to be enough money to be worth collecting, I'm wondering if getting all the credit card data isn't the real goal.
Or maybe the US wants to finally catch up with the third world in unfriendliness.
Fleur de Sel
Look at the record detail. You can even see on what CRS it was reserved : 1A. If you reserve everything with the CRS (for example at a travel agency) then ultimately everything is linked and saved there. Then most airline do not bother filtering they just send the whole kludge to the DHS. I commented the same, and yes indeed he blacked the name out, but left the RECORD LOCATOR, which is identifying the person too, if you have access to the CRS system.
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Since they have your CC number, what would stop them from using it to buy something incriminating? Hey DHS, can't find the missing link? Provide it yourself then!
In theory, practice and theory are the same. In practice, they're not.
If you book with a one-use virtual credit card number, is that what appears on the record? Does it produce all previously used cc numbers too? This looks like just the airline passing on their booking/customer db record, but if it was the actual CC that would be real tin foil hat time.
Any business which is retaining credit card numbers and other personal information has to be PCI compliant. What about DHS?
The DHS knows a shitload more about than just my travel records. And I had to pay a shitload of money for the privilege.
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Id be a bit concerned about using a service like Tor when booking your flights. After all, is letting them know your IP when they know so much else really a big deal? They already know a lot about who you are, yet it looks quite dodgy if you tried to mask yourself. Also, what if the pc you tor out to the internet from is flagged no-fly? Sure, you could probably eventually prove it was nothing to do with you, but it wouldnt be a fun day in the airport!
Paul
Looks like he went Tampa to London via Houston (used to be Intercontinental) and then mysteriously flew from Charles DeGaulle in Paris back to Tampa via Newark. (Hmmmmmm.. what of the missing segment? Hmm? Hmm?!!!)
Seat numbers are clearly visible at the end of each flight segment as well.
The history of every PNR (personal name record) has ALWAYS been tracked by CRS systems.
Looks like the flights he was scheduled for had some schedule changes and his seat had to be changed also.
Certainly does a lot of international travel huh?
Customs and Immigration has always been interested in suspicious behavior though.
1. Fly to South America and pay cash for your ticket? Expect to be stopped at re-entry
2. Didn't eat your meal on the way back from Central or South America? Expect to be stopped at re-entry
3. Fly international more than twice a month? Expect to be stopped at re-entry
It's good ole profiling at it's best and there's nothing you can do about it. It's a "national security" issue. I speak from experience. I have been stopped 30 consecutive times on international flights. Every flight I ever took until that passport was renewed.
I don't think we have to worry any time soon...
How does the Govt. having this information help the govt. stop terrorism? Anyone?
In Atlanta, Ga I was pulled out of the line for an airport security, threatened and subjected to scrutiny which can only be characterized as "harassment"... for making this exact comment.
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
What happens if somebody else buys your airline ticket for you with their own credit card? Surely there's no right to hold the information of an individual not even entering the US? Oh this is a test case waiting to happen :D
Do they flag:
kosher = maybe friend
halal = terrorist
vegan = hippie scum
I could see Ben Franklin spending about 5 minutes being amazed by a laptop before taking it apart to see how it worked. If he lived today, he would be a pony-tailed uberhacker.
I prefer rogues to imbeciles because they sometimes take a rest.
Too bad most of the sheeple will just yawn and pick their noses when they're told about this. People with enough sense to be nervous about this level of government intrusion into the lives of law-abiding citizens will be laughed at.
And if I hear one more idiot say, "If you aren't doing anything wrong, what are you worried about", I'm going to invite the cowardly moron to move to Communist China, where he'll feel right at home.
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
The TSA's reason for why you have to take off your shoes is so they can x-ray for all kinds of stuff. (I know for a fact the archway metal detectors don't reliably pick up metal near the floor, and I've noticed the personnel don't wand all the way down.)
Last time I was in India (Oct of 2001), they were using a standard metal detector with a two stair step in the center that raised you up enough to check your feet without requiring you to remove your shoes. Its probably too simple a solution for the U.S. though.
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