this piece is too well written for comment.Prepaid gift cards: terrorist tool
Law enforcement officials say thieves, drug rings -- even terrorists – can skirt money-laundering rules to fund their crimes.
By BusinessWeek
It's the holiday season, which means that many shoppers will solve their gift-giving dilemmas by buying prepaid gift cards from retailers such as Neiman Marcus and Starbucks. But there is a darker aspect to the prepaid card boom, which involves a new kind of card that can be used almost anywhere -- including ATMs worldwide.
Law enforcement officials say these newer cards, many of which can be reloaded online or at checkout counters, are an ideal tool for credit-card thieves, drug rings, and even terrorist cells. "It is a great concern to DEA and the FBI because of the terrorist financing angle," says Don Semesky, chief of the office of financial operations at the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Season's greetings! Be vigilant!