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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Friday, March 03, 2006

On the DHS list for paying down your credit card?

A retired Texas school teacher named Walter Soehnge got on a DHS watch list because of his credit card payment to JC Penny. I'm not kidding. The check was frozen until DHS okayed it. (slow article so skim the first third.)
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. And the money doesn't move until the threat alert is lifted.

How scary is that?

posted by mikevotes at 11:40 AM

9 Comments:

  • All this yet, for the most part, the sheep continue to quietly graze in their pastures. Well, hey, at least we paid India a visit to balance out friendship with the democracy loving Pakistan.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:32 PM  

  • I think it's the tied in nature of it that freaks me out so much.

    I mean, the government wasn't spying. JC Penny was spying for the government, and where does that line stop?

    Mike

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 3:04 PM  

  • Did you get the day off, Bill?

    Mike

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 3:05 PM  

  • Where did you hear about this, Mike? I want to look into this scenario more.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:07 PM  

  • I don't remember where I got the link, it was sitting in the to be blogged folder, but if you click on the excerpt, the Scripps Howard story will open.

    This story was written by Bob Kerr and is on the Providence Journal website (I assume it made the paper.)

    Bob Kerr is a columnist for the Providence Journal, and his email is at the bottom of the story.

    That should give you search terms and a way to contact the writer.

    Go to it.

    Mike

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 8:22 PM  

  • Silly Hippies! As I'm sure you all know, DHS now has under its' patriotic umbrella all federal agencies...including the IRS.

    And unusually large payment on a department store credit card is almost always a sign of undeclared income, and thus of interest to the folks that make sure we all pay our fair share.

    So, you see, it all makes sense now.

    P.S. Mike...the boys at the IRS are a little concerned about that new "Save the Whales" Visa account you just opened. Just a little "heads up."

    By Blogger Rex Kramer, Danger Seeker, at 8:41 PM  

  • enlisting corporate narks is just amazing.

    By Blogger Yukkione, at 10:04 PM  

  • Yeah, it just kinda flipped me out that JC Penny could put me on the terror watch list.

    Mike

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 10:40 PM  

  • Unbelievable. Just when I think it can't get worse, it always does. I have to stop thinking. It's not good for mental health.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:39 PM  

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