Another Anti-Terror List Impacting Businesses, Customers

HangingChad writes "MSNBC is running a story about yet another government database designed to thwart terrorists and drug dealers that is having impact on people with similar names. Like a no-fly list for businesses, the Office of Foreign Asset Control's list of 'specially designated nationals' has been used in the past by banks and other financial institutions to block financial transactions of drug dealers and other criminals. Use of the list was expanded after 9-11 and now includes almost any financial transaction. Moreover, there is no minimum amount of money attached to penalties for selling to someone on the list: selling a sandwich to a 'specially designated national' can have a fine for up to '$10 million and 10 to 30 years in prison.' The article goes on: 'Businesses have used it to screen applicants for home and car loans, apartments and even exercise equipment, according to interviews and a report by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay area to be issued today.'"

Good

[solevita]

Businesses have used it to screen applicants for home and car loans, apartments and even exercise equipment

Thank the lord. This should keep the bodies of criminal masterminds weak and undeveloped; the last thing we need is some super-villain of unimaginable upper body strength. Well done law makers, keep up the good work.

Re:Once again, I'm glad to have an English surname

[mpe]

Even an English surname won't save you. There are lots of names on the list, including Congresspeople.

Those might be legitimatly on there though :)

Antidiscrimination laws

[PIPBoy3000]

What will be interesting is when this list comes into contact with established anti-discrimination laws. Looking at the list [treas.gov], they're all rather "foreign sounding". I'm guessing some folks think to themselves "Abdul? Well, there's another Abdul on the list, so I better not loan money to this guy."

On a brighter note, it looks like Slobodan Milosevic won't be getting a car loan here in the states any time soon:

MILOSEVIC, Slobodan; DOB 20 Aug 1941; POB Pozarevac, Serbia and Montenegro; ex-FRY President; ICTY indictee in custody (individual) [BALKANS]

Re:Once again, I'm glad to have an English surname

[dattaway]

I wonder how many Ramirez Rodriguez's alone there are out there.....Hell, I went to college with one.

Expect an interview shortly.

If we save just one life...

[MillionthMonkey]

...by preventing a terrorist from getting any money to repair his car, then of course I'm all for it.

What if we let him fix his car and then he drives it into a skyscraper?

Re:Once again, I'm glad to have an English surname

[LilGuy]

Yeah like I'm going to believe that post you troll.

Girlfriend? Please. Woman insurance exec? Tell me another one.

I'm going to talk with my supermodel slashdot employee girlfriend about getting you chained underneath that bridge. :P

Re:Since I'm a law-abiding citizen...

[djasbestos]

How about I change my name to John Micheal Dave Smith and then publicly donate $1 to al-Qaeda to get into OFAC? Then I will be forever known as the man who destroyed teh economy. Pwned.

These guys are scumbags!

[Experiment 626]

Sure, it would be sad if someone innocent was mixed up in a case of mistaken identity, but something has to be done to stop these guys... some of the entries read like a demon's resume:

NEAL, COWBOY (a.k.a. COWBOYNEAL; a.k.a. PATER, Johnathan); DOB 30 Jul 57; POB Moscow, Soviet Russia; (individual); citizen Iran; alt. citizen Libya; arrested 1 Apr 2003; escaped 2 Apr 2003; Slashdot number 4 (United States); wanted for small arms trafficking, conspiracy to commit nuclear terrorism, attempted presidential assassination, indecency with a goat [SDT] [SDGT]

Re:Once again, I'm glad to have an English surname

[rthille]

I'm going to change my name to:
11001010111111101011101010111110 11011110101011011011111011101111
Pronounced: CAFEBABE DEADBEEF

I hope that's unique enough. At least when signing up for some stupid web-service I shouldn't have to add a random 3-5 digit number to the end...