| #: |
From / Date: |
Question / Answer: |
| 5262. |
Seth
Collbran, co
Age: 50
Jan 18, 2009
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Carrying cash
The Supreme Court did hand the feds a major loss just recently when it ruled that merely concealing a large sum of cash in a vehicle does not constitute probable cause to believe that the cash is contraband.
In the case (and I'll try to get the cite) a man was stopped by police "heading towards" the Mexican border in either Texas or Arizona. The agents searched the car and found more than $80,000 in cash concealed in a door panel. They seized the cash, claiming it was "drug money" because it was hidden in the car, and crossing the border with that much cash hidden without declaring it is illegal.
The court rejected this argument, saying that in the first place, the driver had not attempted to cross the border, but was merely heading in the general direction of the border, and that it is reasonable for an average person carrying large amounts of cash to conceal it. The Justices said that it would be silly for law enforcement to expect large amounts of cash to be left sitting in plain view on the seat.
But, you can still expect to be carefully scrutinized and investigated if you carry large amounts of cash around without being able to prove a "need" to do so. It's not strictly legal for them to harass you, but they will do it anyway, just because they can.
Most cops think that large amounts of cash are indications of drug activity, and they'll treat you that way. Besides, they have an economic incentive to find an excuse to seize your cash: if they are successful, they likely get to keep it and buy new police toys with it.
In Boulder, CO a few years ago, two 8 year old boys walking through a field in the county found a gym bag stuffed with more than 85,000 in cash that had been laying there for at least a year. Their parents dutifully made a police report to the sheriff, thinking that it was the right thing to do, and that they had an obligation under the law to do so. The Sheriff took the money and held it while searching for the owner. After more than six months, no owner was found, and the money could not be traced to any crime, but the Sheriff refused to return it to the kids, saying that they were still trying to link it to a drug transaction. They were trying to do this so that THEY could keep the money under the asset forfeiture laws, and use it to buy new toys. The issue blew up in the local papers, and people began excoriating the Sheriff for being so greedy. Eventually he capitulated and returned the money to the kids, more than a year later, and it went into their college funds. The interesting upshot was that county authorities discovered that the law which used to require people to report found property to the county court clerk so it could be published in the paper in search of the rightful owner, and if none was found after 90 days, the property had to be given to the finder (finder's keepers!), had been repealed by the state legislature some years earlier, and that there was no ordinance requiring someone who found property to either report it or turn it in in the first place. Of course, the Commissioners quickly passed a new law to rectify that oversight, and the law now turns custody of found property over to the public trustee for auction if the true owner cannot be found.
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| 5261. |
Maria
Bemidji, MN
Age: 24
Jan 18, 2009
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tracking -- again
Newer vehicles have had OnStar or other location devices, but here's a different development. In February 2008, ThingMagic announced a partnership with Dewalt and Ford to equip 2009 Ford F-150, F-Series Super Duty pickups and E-Series vans with an embedded RFID asset tracking system enabled by ThingMagic's Mercury5e readers. This is to take effect with the 2009 Model and is apparently optional for purchasers. ?
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| 5260. |
Don
79414
Age: 60
Jan 18, 2009
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Cash issue
Regarding the cash issue, I read somewhere (here? don't remember..) that if you purchase a kitchen appliance which vacuum seals items in plastic, you can do that with small stacks of cash. On an inside label, viewable from the outside, put the amount and what you're saving it for (e.g., "Savings for purchase of furniture in new home") and this will be a safer means of carrying or storing cash in false bottom cans and boxes.
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| 5259. |
Mike
Oklahoma City, OK
Age: 49
Jan 16, 2009
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Re: Airport video
As for the airport video in #5256 and the RFID strip in currency: just trust Snopes.com - it's an urban legend!
Submitted Link #1: http://www.snopes.com/business/money/strip.asp...
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| 5258. |
Dorothy
Topeka, KS
Age: 40
Jan 16, 2009
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airline tickets
At the risk of sounding really naive... Why exactly is buying an airplane ticket with cash "of course a no-no"? With all the identification that is required in order to fly, why would paying cash raise any red flags when one has to prove who is one is anyway? I've bought bus and train tickets with cash with no problems. Ordinarily it seems the advice for remaining 'invisible' is to purchase things with cash. Why exactly is this different? Thanks!
...
If you pay cash for an airline ticket at the airport, it raises suspicions with the Homeland Security people. And if your ticket is one-way, then the red flag really goes up! Yes, I know, it sounds like paranoia but that's how it is. ... If you wish to pay cash, you can buy the ticket for cash at a travel agency, beforehand. However, there is no privacy in air travel anymore because your true name goes into the databases and it stays there for years.
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| 5257. |
Seth
Collbran, co
Age: 50
Jan 16, 2009
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Carrying cash at airports
While it is true that it is not per se illegal to carry large amounts of cash in public, you are taking a grave risk of losing your cash if you do so at an airport. This is because the DEA and DHS agents will question you, after your cash purchase has been reported by the ticket agent. Carrying large amounts of cash is "suspicious" behavior because drug dealers and mules do so.
The classic story was the plant store owner who was flying from his home city, reputed to be a "drug hub" to San Antonio, TX, reputed to be another "drug hub" with in excess of $9000 in cash he intended to use to buy plants for his nursery. He paid cash for a round trip ticket, but before he was able to board the plane, the DEA detained him and began questioning him. They searched him, finding the cash, and despite his clean record, the DEA seized the cash as "drug proceeds" merely because some of the bills tested positive for cocaine during a field test.
Of course, 80% of the cash in the US is tainted with cocaine, and it's nearly impossible to avoid carrying tainted cash, but this was enough for the feds to seize the money and file an asset forfeiture case against the CASH, not the owner. And the owner never got his cash back, because in order to appeal an asset forfeiture case, you have to post a bond equal in value to the assets forfeited before you can file. He didn't have another 9 grand to play with, so he just walked away from his money, without ever being charged.
Carrying large amounts of cash is "reasonable suspicion" these days in almost every jurisdiction, and the asset forfeiture laws allow police to seize the cash and force you to prove you have it lawfully.
Plus, of course, it is illegal to try to take $10,000 or more in cash into or out of the US without making a declaration to the feds first. And any cash bank transaction greater than $5000 is now reported to the Treasury Department by your bank, without your even being aware of it.
...
In paragraph one you mention paying cash for a ticket, which of course is a no-no. In the example in paragraph two, once again it involves paying cash for a ticket.
The video was about a computer automatically targeting a man solely because he was carrying a large amount of cash. I do not believe any such test occurs inside the U.S.
Naturally, I do not advocate carrying $10,000 or more in cash, but I see no problem in having two or three thousand in your wallet or purse. To the best of my knowledge, no Homeland Security employee at any airport will ask you how much money you are carrying, unless you are leaving the country.
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| 5256. |
Willis
Hamtramck, MI
Age: 34
Jan 16, 2009
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Carrying cash at the airport
Hello,
What is your advice about carrying amounts of cash exceeding $2000 at the airport? I came across this video that's giving me pause to reconsider.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TUDLbvYMWk...
...
That video looks suspicious. Also, there is no "allowed amount" one can carry within the U.S. And BTW, I carried more than $2000 on my last flight. No problem.
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| 5255. |
Sebastian
Knoxville, TN
Age: 58
Jan 16, 2009
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Yawara stick alternative
I ran across this alternative to a Yawara stick. With the application of emery paper, it won’t look like a weapon.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.coldsteel.com/pocketshark.html...
...
Interesting, although I prefer a Mont Blanc pen (pictured in the "Dirty Tricks" e-book).
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| 5254. |
Dorothy
Topeka, KS
Age: 40
Jan 16, 2009
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Theresa, DTV coupons
I used my $40 DTV cards at Wal-Mart, and the clerk had a little trouble convincing the computer to accept the serial numbers for the converter boxes, but she did NOT ask me for any identification or personal information in order to ring the sale. I think your Radio Shack clerk was misinformed.
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| 5253. |
Dorothy
Topeka, KS
Age: 40
Jan 16, 2009
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Wendy's phone question
T-Mobile has their FlexPay program that doesn't require a contract for the phone. Regarding privacy, T-Mobile is the only major cell carrier that I'm aware of that doesn't have access to call logs available online for prepaid customers. Which means that your stalker would have one less way to obtain your call records easily. With T-Mobile's FlexPay, you can get a Blackberry and Blackberry data plan too. I'm not sure what kind of information they require for FlexPay (SSN, verifiable name, etc), because I've only used T-Mobile for straight prepaid. I have been VERY satisfied with T-Mobile's customer service and privacy in the prepaid department. I tell them whatever I want to for my name, and they have never asked for any proof. The only caveat regarding T-Mobile is that their coverage footprint isn't quite as big as AT&T or Verizon - but you can use their coverage checker online to see if they cover where you need coverage adequately.
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| 5252. |
Theresa
Franklin, TN
Age: 44
Jan 16, 2009
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Gov't coupons for DTV
I purchased a converter box with the gov't coupon without a problem at WalMart.
My son wanted to get one at Radio Shack (which I despise since they're always trying to get info)because they had some extra features.
The drone cashier rattled off, "Name? STREET Address?"
I stopped him and said we were paying cash.
He insisted that the address had to match the database for the coupon to make sure it went to the "right" house.
So I gave him my unisex first name/common last name and the phone number for the weather service in Montana/address.
He was happy.
Now I'm puzzled...did anyone else experience this or is just the usual Radio Shack trick to data mine?
...
Radio Shack stopped asking for names and addresses a couple of years ago, in reponse to complaints about this from coast to coast. However, since you used a government coupon, I imagine that was the trigger for the address requirement.
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| 5251. |
Jason
Los Altos, CA
Age: 44
Jan 16, 2009
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How to prevent identity theft
Our son, 18, will soon be leaving home to take a job with a friend of ours in northern California. With the current prevalence of identity theft and credit card fraud, I need to give him some advice about how to prevent identity theft. What do you think are the most important precautions to take?
...
The first step is, if he has more than one credit card, to cancel all but the main one. Next, he should never use it if he can pay cash instead. And if he must use it (such as for a car rental), he should pay it off 100 percent when the bill comes due. (Or better yet, pay cash when he turns the car in.) ... Tell him not to give out his new home address to anyone, and especially not to the credit card company or to his bank. ... He will go into the New Hires list but since his employer is a friend of yours, perhaps you can ask him to please enter an alternate "home address" in that database.
... Although there is no guaranteed way to prevent identity theft, by following the suggestions in HTBI he will be reasonably safe. (Califoria readers may have more suggestions because I think CA has some specific laws about protecting your credit information.)
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| 5250. |
Rick Thomason
Burbank, CA
Age: 62
Jan 16, 2009
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NM LLC
I'm starting a company that will operate in multiple states. In your comments, you don't recommend having a NM LLC for operating a business-why not? Perhaps since I live in another state but will have business in many states, this would not hold true.
...
When operating a business with an LLC, I assume you will want the protection of the courts. For instance, you cannot sue anyone in the name of the LLC unless it is registered in your state. For this reason I do not recommend a NM LLC because you would have to register it in California anyway, so you might as well form a CA LLC at the start.
... However, if the legal protection part does not matter, then why use an LLC at all? As I point out in my "Invisible Money" e-book, an option would be to use a personal account with two initials.
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| 5249. |
Wendy
Richardson,TX
Age: 45
Jan 15, 2009
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Blackberry Phones and Security
My businesses are growing to the point where I need to have a cell phone with robust features and service than my prepaid offers so I'm considering getting a Blackberry phone in the name of a business for business use only. Other than the obvious--the cell phone company maintains in its database all the calls I make, text I send, emails sent and received--what are some of the privacy issues of using the phone, particularly its data services? Are there ways to mitigate the privacy issues?
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| 5247. |
Mark
Austin, TX
Age: 25
Jan 14, 2009
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Offshore-Manual / #5239 (Fred)
Hi Jack,
my comments are for Fred and other interested people about Offshore-Manual.com
While this particular company might sometimes deal fairly, they do not always and I generally regard them as fraudsters running a scam. I have read at least three reports of people saying they took their money and gave nothing in return. They have done some less than ethical things (which I could do into detail on, but I won't). Furthermore, they say on that very page you linked to that you can pay with e-gold (which is no longer true because their e-gold account has been "value limited" - just click the pay-with-e-gold link. That means they got enough complaints for e-gold to essentially freeze their funds.), and the title of the page hasn't been changed in years (see the "CHANNEL ISLANDS PACKAGE" part in the title bar)! They advertised that years ago for $3,000 (check the Way-Back-Machine), and that "package" was in fact one of the things I read they got paid for by at least one person and never delivered on. Now, with all that being said, I have never dealt with Carlton Press / Offshore Manual, but I know most of this because I read other online forums.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.blackhat-seo.com/2006/scam-alert-carlto...
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| 5246. |
Mark
Barnesville, GA
Age: 35
Jan 14, 2009
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Passport and SSN
You may want to confirm this. When I was applying for my passport, I read that the IRS can fine you $500 if you don't provide your SSN with the passport application.
...
You refer, of course, to #5243. I should have amplified my answer to say that the "SSN does not have to be given, because you can pay a $500 fine instead." Thanks for calling this incomplete answer to my attention.
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| 5243. |
Bethany
Dallas
Age: 39
Jan 14, 2009
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Passports
Legally, do i have to provide my SS# and list that I have been or am married? All my business information is in madien name.
Would recommend using 'passport services' or just mail in long form. We are not in any hurry.
Okay to use our Ghost address for passport?
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Although the SSN is not legally required, my personal opinion is that you draw more attention to yourself by not giving it, than by giving it. I don't have the form in front of me so I'll not answer the "married" question. But yes, you certainly may use a P O Box, a ghost address, or the address of a friend. That address is merely so they know where to send the passport.
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| 5242. |
Seth
Collbran, co
Age: 50
Jan 13, 2009
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Offshore bank accounts
It's not illegal to have offshore bank accounts, but it is illegal not to report them to the IRS. There's a new form that's required to be filed by any US citizen who has an offshore account, with felony provisions and fines for failing to do so.
It's an anti-money-laundering law.
The age of anonymous off-shore banking is thoroughly over.
However, offshore banking does have advantages if done correctly, and legally, which is a very complex matter best suited to consultation with an attorney. Unless you've got a lot of money you need to protect against court actions, it's probably not worth the expense and effort.
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| 5241. |
Zoran
Kenora, Ontario
Age: 51
Jan 13, 2009
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USPS Money Orders
Occasionally when in US, I buy USPS money orders. Limit is $1000 per money order. In answer to some readers, clerks are required to fill out forms for the US Treasury (who passes them along to any other interested agencies)
if you buy $3000 or more in one day from one location. Avoiding this rule might be considered "structuring". That
is a separate Federal offense. The reader who had a problem with a clerk when buying money orders totalling a bit over $1000 was dumb. NEVER ask a clerk at a PO or bank what the rules are. That is considered "suspicious" and they are told to complete and file a "suspicious activity report" on you!
This report could be filed on you and you would not know it. There is no "limit" for these reports!
Had a problem when buying these money orders recently. It seems that USPS has now put a mylar strip thru the money order (similar to US money).
Have heard that govt folks at airports can tell how much cash you are carrying
by these strips. Is that true? Do the
strips on USPS money orders create any problems as far as privacy when sending thru the mail? Or when going thru an airport with these money orders?
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| 5240. |
Bethany
Dallas
Age: 39
Jan 13, 2009
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Mailing address in Spain?
Can the overseas address listed on the NM LLC documents be used for forwarding my mail?
Submitted Link #1: http://canaryislandspress.com/index.cfm/page/Canar...
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Absolutely not. That address, with a small one-time only fee, is NOT a mail-forwarding service. ... However, another address in the islands is available. Click on the link below.
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