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Apr 02, 2007 -- Terrorist alert on your credit report?

The federal government has a list of “specially designated nationals” that is used to identify criminals and potential terrorists. It comes from the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), and the Feds began compiling the list after the September 11 attacks. The problem is that innocent, law-abiding citizens are receiving alerts on their credit reports if their names are similar to someone on the terrorist list. The “OFAC” alert that appears on reports tells banks and lenders that you are a potential terrorist. When a car dealership or mortgage company sees this alert, they don’t want to do business with you. It’s not just the stigma that may come along with the alert. Business owners could be arrested for aiding and abetting a terrorist if they sell to someone on the list. So, they are scared, too. In addition, once the OFAC is on the report it’s not very easy to get rid of it. So, just know that this could happen. The person across from you could be completely harmless and you need to be aware of that.

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What others are saying

  • Credit Bureaus falsely listing people as terrorists
    The U.S. government's Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) policy of falsely reporting to credit reorting agencies that American citizens are terrorists simply because their names are similar to someone on a government terrorist list is unconstitutional!!! People whose credit is damaged due to the gestapo tactics of OFAC can sue for libel. OFAC has no right under fedral law to tell people that they should learn to live with a terrorist alert/listing on their credit report and accept being denied: credit, the chance to rent, all types of insurance, and employment. However, litigation is not enough and probably to expensive for most people. Complaining to the credit reporting agencies and the American Civil Liberties Union might help, but it probably won't work. So everyone who is concerned about this issue should contact every member of the House of Representatives and Senate to intoduce legilation to prohibit what OFAC is doing since their is no law that actually says OFAC can falsely report on citizens to credit reporting agencies. OFAC is doing this because there is NO law that says they can't. GET INVOLVED, DON'T BE APATHETIC AND THINK SOMEONE ELSE WILL SOLVE THIS PROBLEM!
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