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October 03, 2005
FYI on FBI Files
Did you know? From FBI File:
If you are an adult citizen of the United States, or if, after 1996, you have ever applied for credit, you have an FBI File. At that time the FBI spent millions with ChoicePoint Inc. to buy information on virtually all adults living in the United States with any credit or public record history. ChoicePoint, formerly a part of credit-reporting company Equifax, is a database compiler selling personal information for a profit. Using your Social Security number as the key identifier, ChoicePoint compiles dossiers on citizens from credit reports, and from public records such as court files, property tax documents, business incorporation filings, and professional license applications. ChoicePoint aggregates this up-to-date information and sells it to the FBI. Following below is a list of the other most common areas of collection:* All those ever arrested and booked into custody - a police record
* Suspected organized crime members
* Government employees
* Immigrants who have become U. S. citizens
* All those with Green Cards
* Foreign nationals in the United States
* Every person involved in counter-intelligence
* Members of recognized 'hate groups'
* Politicians
* Professionals fingerprinted for their profession, example: stock brokers; realtors
* Close associates of the above listed categories of people.FBI files contain a wide variety of information. A standard FBI file includes former and current employers, personal references, social acquaintances, and neighbors, as well as reviews of school, credit, arrest, medical and military records. They include memos between FBI agents and offices, which are often only short, casual notes of one or two pages, and longer reports and summaries of the status of an investigation, often prepared at the request of the head of a particular FBI office. In addition to or as a part of these documents, other kinds of information may appear. These include such documents as letters from private citizens to the FBI, newspaper clippings, financial statements, job related inquiries, and correspondence between the FBI and other government agencies such as the State Department.
How Long Does It Take for My FBI File to be Turned Over to Me?You are dealing with the Government. You are asking for something that the FBI has been forced to give up by the congress..... Get the picture? Once an appropriate request is received, the FBI will assign your request a case number within six weeks. At the present rate for return of requested FBI files, you will receive a reply in about four years and eight months if there is an FBI file on you. You will be notified in less than eighteen months if there are no records on file at the FBI office to which you have made your request. You must patient. Start now, or you may never get the records. Having said that, the time to get your FBI file will be getting much shorter due to recent improvements in the system, public and congressional pressure and automation of the process.
Use this form to request your FBI file!
I propose that we all request our files and see who gets them first. A special prize to the person with the biggest (in page tally) file.
Comments
I remember we were going to do this, and then didn't. I'm glad we're back on it!
However, I remember being stymed last time but websites that suggested that a broad request, like the one you shared, would come backy empty. Instead, there are some templates for very specific requests, that list locations for the FBI to search, with the correct language for each, etc. But I couldn't figure out what was the best to go with.
Any thoughts on this?
Posted by: Mr. Bad Apologies at October 3, 2005 05:16 PM
