Feds Warrantlessly Tracking Americans’ Credit Cards in Real Time

wired

Federal law enforcement agencies have been tracking Americans in real-time using credit cards, loyalty cards and travel reservations without getting a court order, a new document released under a government sunshine request shows.

The document, obtained by security researcher Christopher Soghoian, explains how so-called “Hotwatch” orders allow for real-time tracking of individuals in a criminal investigation via credit card companies, rental car agencies, calling cards, and even grocery store loyalty programs. The revelation sheds a little more light on the Justice Department’s increasing power and willingness to surveil Americans with little to no judicial or Congressional oversight.

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Government reports violations of limits on spying aimed at U.S. citizens

washingtonpost.com

The federal government has repeatedly violated legal limits governing the surveillance of U.S. citizens, according to previously secret internal documents obtained through a court battle by the American Civil Liberties Union.

In releasing 900 pages of documents, U.S. government agencies refused to say how many Americans' telephone, e-mail or other communications have been intercepted under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act - or FISA - Amendments Act of 2008, or to discuss any specific abuses, the ACLU said. Most of the documents were heavily redacted.

However, semiannual internal oversight reports by the offices of the attorney general and director of national intelligence identify ongoing breaches of legal requirements that limit when Americans are targeted and minimize the amount of data collected.

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Tracking Baby Jesus: Tucson Company Deploys a New Kind of Star to Help Lead Police

prweb.com
SpyGadgets LLC, an industry leader in covert GPS Tracking technology is known in law enforcement circles as the place to go when difficult situations require extraordinary electronic equipment. From tracking the man who floated across three states in a lawn chair powered by helium balloons to the FBI’s most wanted, SpyGadgets has tracked virtually everything. This Christmas season they are deploying the BlackStar GPS Tracker to Churches with nativity scenes across the Southern Arizona region and beyond.

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