Pay off your credit card, be visited by HomeLand Security

[Bob Hubbard]

Seems that if you suddenly pay too much on your credit cards, the Brown Shirts from the Department Of HomeLand Security have to ok it.

From Slashdot:
"Capital Hill Blue is reporting that recently a retired Texas schoolteacher and his wife had a little run in with the Department of Homeland Security. The crime? Paying down some debt. From the article: 'The balance on their JCPenney Platinum MasterCard had gotten to an unhealthy level. So they sent in a large payment, a check for $6,522. And an alarm went off. A red flag went up. The Soehnges' behavior was found questionable. [...] 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.'"

Full article:
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/blog/2006/03/warning_financial_responsibili.html

Thank god for DHS. They can't stop some anthrax carrying nutjob from swimming ashore, but they can stop a bill payment from going through until they review it. Good thing too. That check might have given someone a papercut or something.

 

[shesulsa]

****in' wow, man.

 

[Simon Curran]

OK, I'm not usually worried about such things, but that's kind of disturbing

 

[Touch Of Death]

Sudden debt paying suggests you are a drug dealer or a lottery winner. Either way a criminal is thwarted or the taxman is notified by the proper authorities.
Sean

 

[Jonathan Randall]

That's crazy!

Hey, I was one of those "brownshirts" of the Dept. of Homeland Security (USCG). I even got a certificate signed by Tom Ridge declaring me "a founding member of the Department of Homeland Security". It's filed somewhere in my closet.

 

[Makalakumu]

This article presents evidence form something far broader and more sinister. How did Homeland Security find out about paying that bill in the first place? Are they really watching people that closely? People are worried about phones being wiretapped, but apparently, all electronic information is being monitored by "Homeland Security". That is the only way they could dig up something like this...

 

[MA-Caver]

Heil Ashcroft... Comrade! Sheesh!

A couple probably had some money stashed away or a rich uncle died and was generous to them... and now they're under scrutiny because they want to be clear of credit damaging debts.

I thought we were fighting terrorist not Americans living life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness ... which clearing your debts would definitely qualify in that catagory.


And another thing... (knock -knock ) Shoot, hang on, gotta answer the door .... if I'm not back in 5 minutes then well write to my new address at Leavenworth or where-ever they're placing anti-patriotic talkers like me.

 

[shesulsa]

I wonder about cash purchases in amounts higher than a certain dollar amount?

I just bought a car and haven't been visited by our dear leadership's mignons yet ....

 

[MA-Caver]

I wonder about cash purchases in amounts higher than a certain dollar amount?

I just bought a car and haven't been visited by our dear leadership's mignons yet ....

Well cash is still virtually untracable unless you fill out a form or something like that. Only other way would be via video surveillance cameras originally installed for security purposes, i.e. robbery, shoplifting, etc.
Then someone at the store would have to be a good patriot and report it.
If you mean really large amounts i.e. in the 10's of thousands of dollars... well... just who in their right mind carries that much cash around anyway?
I can imagine someone like Bill Gates having several thousand in his wallet using hundreds and even the occasional 500.00 bill but... otherwise.

By the way congrats on your new car...

 

[Andrew Green]

that's kinda scary... $6000 = Terrorist. I could see if they suddenly paid off a $200,000 mortgage in one shot someone needing to be notified to see what's up, but $6000 is not a impossibly huge sum of cash for someone to come up with.

 

[Flatlander]

This is going to be an expensive undertaking by your DHS. This is something that I help people do every single day. Reorganizing people's finances is a profession. In circumstances where someone is working with a financial planner it is not uncommon that they might pay off their debts with lump sums. I can't imagine that DHS has the resources to follow up on the daily activities of the 50,000 Certified Financial Planners in the US, along with all the other sinister things that need to be watched.

 

[terryl965]

Well there goes my plans on using the wife retirement fund to gamble with Dammm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Terry

 

[shesulsa]

This is going to be an expensive undertaking by your DHS. This is something that I help people do every single day. Reorganizing people's finances is a profession. In circumstances where someone is working with a financial planner it is not uncommon that they might pay off their debts with lump sums. I can't imagine that DHS has the resources to follow up on the daily activities of the 50,000 Certified Financial Planners in the US, along with all the other sinister things that need to be watched.

What is one to do? It almost seems as though one shouldn't go into large sums of debt without being interfered with - however, it's a matter of time before large dollar cash purchases (regardless of the price tag) are interrupted or have to be pre-approved by homeland security.

So ... ya can't pay down debt and ya can't make a large sum purchase (eventually). What are ya supposed to do?

 

[mrhnau]

It was my understanding that the government was aware of any transaction of over $10k. So, you make a downpayment for a house, save up for a car or make a large deposit to your bank, they know about it... kind of scary. I imagine someone paying cash for a new car is odd, but ideally thats what I'm planning on. Hate big brother eyeballing me for it though.

 

[bushi jon]

People people people The has been a law on the book since 1980 that says finacial institutions must report any lump of money deposited over 5000 dollars this was org established to thwart drug money from becomeing legit.

 

[Cryozombie]

How did Homeland Security find out about paying that bill in the first place?

I believe the idea was that the CC company notified them:

And if the increase hits a certain percentage higher than that normal payment, Homeland Security has to be notified.'"

Im refinancing my house and using equity to pay off my debts. Wont it be fun when they show up at my house:

HS: "Hello, Department of Homeland Security, we have a few questions."
Me: "Homeland security? No thanks, already got some." SLAM!

 

[Flying Crane]

People people people The has been a law on the book since 1980 that says finacial institutions must report any lump of money deposited over 5000 dollars this was org established to thwart drug money from becomeing legit.

The dollar amount is actually $10,000.

If there is suspicious behavior that looks like it is designed to avoid the reporting of this kind of transaction, for example if someone has a string of transactions of $9,000 each, and/or deposits are done with cashier's checks, or money orders, this kind of thing is scrutinized for possible fraudulent or other illegal activity. At least this is what I understand from the guys in the Fraud Investigations Dept. in the Financial Investment firm that I work for.

One single transaction for less than $7,000 doesn't sound to me like it should raise any suspicions.

This is scary. A few days ago my wife made a large payment (over $10k) on her school loans. I'll let ya all know if I get visited by the Brownshirts.

 

[Bigshadow]

People people people The has been a law on the book since 1980 that says finacial institutions must report any lump of money deposited over 5000 dollars this was org established to thwart drug money from becomeing legit.

Yup! I was going to say it, but I saw that you did already! The banks have to report it. They don't want any money laundering going on. Considering it is worthless paper anyway.

 

[bushi jon]

It is kinda like when the atf visited a buddy of mine freaked us both out, but he was legit so nothing more had come out of it.

 

[Bigshadow]

It is kinda like when the atf visited a buddy of mine freaked us both out, but he was legit so nothing more had come out of it.

I would be concerned also. They have an excellent history of enforcing the rules! :rofl: