[dirtboy]

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Allow me. I conduct a credit card transaction, and buy my wife a fur coat worth $11,000. That information is private, and has many FEDERAL protections about how a credit-card company can use or sell that data. However, under the Patriot Act, the credit card company will be required to report that transaction to the feds because it was in excess of $10,000, even though there is NO PROBABLE CAUSE that the transaction was in any way linked to either crime or terrorism.

Now, if the FBI has reason to believe that I am or may be a terrorist, and I am using a credit card, then, by all means, there should be an expidited process where they can obtain a warrant and get my purchase information. PROBABLE CAUSE EXISTS.

That is the issue here.

[A. Pole]

I conduct a credit card transaction, and buy my wife a fur coat worth $11,000.

Buy cheaper coat and give the difference to the poor.

[FormerLurker]

Allow me. I conduct a credit card transaction, and buy my wife a fur coat worth $11,000...

Now, if the FBI has reason to believe that I am or may be a terrorist, and I am using a credit card, then, by all means, there should be an expidited process where they can obtain a warrant and get my purchase information.

The thing is, you COULD sell the coat for a fairly high amount of money, so you MIGHT be able to launder money in that fashion.

The thing is though, something tells me that once TIA is in place, they'll look at ALL transactions, not just the $10,000 ones..