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DEA Paid Amtrak Employee To Pilfer Passenger Lists

Posted by Unknown on from the have-to-break-the-law-to-protect-the-law dept.

Via Ars Technica comes news that an Amtrak employee was paid nearly $900,000 over the last ten years to give the DEA passenger lists outside of normal channels. Strangely enough, the DEA already had access to such information through official channels. From the article: The employee, described as a "secretary to a train and engine crew" in a summary obtained by the AP, was selling the customer data without Amtrak's approval. Amtrak and other transportation companies collect information from their customers including credit card numbers, travel itineraries, emergency contact info, passport numbers, and dates of birth. When booking tickets online in recent years, Amtrak has also collected phone numbers and e-mail addresses. ... Amtrak has long worked closely with the DEA to track drug trafficking activity on its train lines. The Albuquerque Journal reported in 2001 that "a computer with access to Amtrak's ticketing information sits on a desk in the [DEA]'s local office," wrote the ACLU.

3 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Let's play the who goes to jail game.... by wbr1 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    This sounds like a case of the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing. While neither collection method sounds constitutional to me I am not surprised.

    Let's guess who gets in trouble...
    The employee selling the data..check (low level scape goat)
    Maybe an IT guy that allowed excessive permission.. maybe he just gets fired...
    Any DEA agents or upper level management who authorized illegal and warrant-less data collection? NO
    Any Amtrak executives for allowing it to be provided (through the employee or the terminal in the DEA office?) NO
    If we are lucky we will hear some strong words at a congressional hearing, and that will be the end of it.

    --
    Silence is a state of mime.
  2. the important question is.... by Lumpy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Has the DEA been sending him a yearly 1099 for taxes? if not, then the IRS needs to audit the DEA.

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  3. Perfectly normal business by MadKeithV · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sounds like perfectly normal business to me. Getting paid $900.000 to tell you something you already know? That's called Consulting.