Could a person in Afghanistan who has the same name as you be keeping you from landing your next job or getting a bank loan? Yes, he could, according to a report released by civil rights lawyers.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control maintains a terrorist watch list of more than 6,000 names on a Web site that employers, health insurers, car dealerships, credit bureaus and landlords use to check potential employees, tenants or customers.
Because of the possibility of fines and jail time, businesses don’t want to risk providing services to or hiring someone whose name appears on the list, many of which are common names. But an innocent American should not lose an opportunity because of a coincidence.
Posted by Ross Stewart
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5 Comments
Just be glad your name is not John Smith. :D
My son is on an International ‘no fly’ list since his passport and airline tickets were stolen in New Zealand a couple of years ago, amidst a Mossad-stealing ring fiasco.
The American Embassy was able to replace the stolen material within two days, but they warned him he may need to spend a little more time at the airports after that.
He does, he is always singled out to be searched and has been temporarily detained.
Asked if it annoys him – he replies, no – that’s what makes it safe for everyone to fly.
It’s never affected a job for him.
But you are “Ross The Intern” aren’t you? (for those of you that don’t watch Leno, Google it)
I am on the no fly list too. Doesn’t bother me because I never fly anyway.
Every time I fly out of Wichita, I get the full treatment. It takes me 20 minutes to get through security.
Coming home? I sail right through. If I was the paranoid conspiracy theory black helicopter kind of guy, I’d say there’s a local list in addition to the national TSA list.