Demand Progress

Federal, state, and local law enforcement might have access to the data on when you made your latest money transfer, to who, and how much you sent.

A store of data on 150 million money transfers between people in the United States and 20 countries was recently uncovered. And hundreds of law enforcement agencies have access to all of the info.¹ Senator Ron Wyden, who investigated this phenomenon, said that it allows the government to “serve itself an all-you-can-eat buffet of Americans’ personal financial data while bypassing the normal protections for Americans’ privacy.”² It’s a clear invasion of privacy — we need to stop this practice in its tracks immediately.

Sign the petition: Urge Congress to protect our privacy rights and end this data collection and storage around money transfers.

There’s no court oversight of this data collection — at all. Each instance of wanton data collection by corporations, the U.S. government, and law enforcement is erosive to our democracy and the American constitution.

The American Civil Liberties Union said, “Ordinary people’s private financial records are being siphoned indiscriminately into a massive database, with access given to virtually any cop who wants it.”³ Warrantless collection of our data violates our Fourth Amendment right against search and seizure without a warrant. What this entity, known as the Transaction Record Analysis Center, set up by the Arizona Attorney General’s office in 2014,⁴ is doing is in direct conflict with our most basic constitutional rights.

We must take a stand for our privacy and demand Congress take action.

Sign the petition asking Congress to intervene and end warrantless spying on money transfers.

Sources: 

1. Wall Street Journal, “Little-Known Surveillance Program Captures Money Transfers Between U.S. and More Than 20 Countries,” January 18, 2023.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.