[FYI] (Fwd) Treasury Department worries about ecash, anonymity

["Axel H Horns" <horns@ipjur.com>]

------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent:      	Fri, 22 Sep 2000 21:07:01 -0400
To:             	cryptography@c2.net
From:           	Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
Subject:        	Treasury Department worries about ecash, anonymity



http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,38955,00.html

    Feds: Digital Cash Can Thwart Us
    by Declan McCullagh (declan@wired.com)

    3:00 a.m. Sep. 22, 2000 PDT
    WASHINGTON -- A Treasury Department report warns that technologies
    such as the Internet and electronic cash could thwart the federal
    government's efforts to conduct surveillance of bank and credit
    card transactions.

    The internal strategic plan predicts that technology may help law
    enforcement by allowing agents to assemble ever-growing databases
    of Americans' financial activities, but it can also provide more
    anonymity than ever before.

    Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) prepared
    the 36-page document, which was obtained by Wired News.

    It says: "The development of new technologies -- such as
    electronic cash, electronic purses, Internet or smartcard based
    electronic payment systems, and Internet banking -- is increasing
    the ability of individuals to rapidly transfer large sums of
    money, and could pose a challenge for FinCEN and other law
    enforcement agencies combating money laundering."

    [...]


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