ICE Now Tracking Wire Transfers to Mexico

So far they've gotten data from Western Union and Maxi, but wonder if they will expand to other service companies used more frequently by expats.

https://tucson.com/news/state-and-regional/why-is-ice-tracking-millions-of-wire-transfers-to-mexico-critics-raise-questions/article_6a6f05c8-a0d8-11ec-86b4-97febf71fd64.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest

Money laundering has been going for decades. I just heard that bit coin was another way of transferring being used. Expats will just have to keep up with working around ICE’s roadblocks.

As always, the honest people will be put through the wringer while the crooks will easily find ways around it.

I opened a bank account in Texas last year and had to lie through my teeth about addresses, phones, etc. and had to pretend I’m rich and travel a lot. It’s a joke.

Under the Patriot Act, a US citizen without a US residence cannot open a US bank account.  

However a Russian Oligarch (or any non-US citizen), CAN open a US bank account with proof of a US residence.

BisbeeGal wrote:Under the Patriot Act, a US citizen without a US residence cannot open a US bank account.  

However a Russian Oligarch (or any non-US citizen), CAN open a US bank account with proof of a US residence.

How ridiculous is that?

I have a bank account in the U.S. that sends correspondence to my Mexican address. Never had a problem there.

gringal wrote:I have a bank account in the U.S. that sends correspondence to my Mexican address.  Never had a problem there.

Bank or Credit Union? All the CU's I belong to are ok with MX address but none of my banks are.

I even had to email the bank (Wells Fargo) and had to answer some security question with a password so then called them and the man who set up the account had NO access to any info on my account. It was like trying to break into Fort Knox.

BisbeeGal wrote:Under the Patriot Act, a US citizen without a US residence cannot open a US bank account.  

Yet the IRS considers anyone whose parent was a US citizen when they were born, even if they were born outside the US, have never set foot in the US, or held a US passport, to be a US citizen and taxed on their worldwide income.

Am I ever glad I left the US when I was 17, became a Canadian citizen and relinquished my US citizenship.