Government monitoring bank transactions and immigration check point.??

mikeinfwa

mikeinfwa

Que Chimba
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 20, 2002
1,964
15,640
Jacksonville FL
#1
The other day I had some Zelle money transferred to my bank from my friend’s sister living in florida. She asked me to give this money to her sister in Colombia when I fly there.

In Cartagena, I made multiple ATM transactions to collect pesos for my friend.


Upon my return entry into USA , ICE agent asked me if I had any food items to declare. I replied none. Then he saw something on his computer screen and asked me how much money I was carrying.

This caught me totally off guard because in my 30 plus years of international travels for both work and pleasure I have NEVER been asked about money.

I replied with the amount I was carrying (under $10K) and he handed me my passport and I proceeded through customs and into airport for my next flight to DFW.


Strange coincidence indeed
 
  • Like
Reactions: 91Eunozs
#2
mikeinfwa said:
The other day I had some Zelle money transferred to my bank from my friend’s sister living in florida. She asked me to give this money to her sister in Colombia when I fly there.

In Cartagena, I made multiple ATM transactions to collect pesos for my friend.


Upon my return entry into USA , ICE agent asked me if I had any food items to declare. I replied none. Then he saw something on his computer screen and asked me how much money I was carrying.

This caught me totally off guard because in my 30 plus years of international travels for both work and pleasure I have NEVER been asked about money.

I replied with the amount I was carrying (under $10K) and he handed me my passport and I proceeded through customs and into airport for my next flight to DFW.


Strange coincidence indeed
Click to expand...
I've had the $10K question asked of me going into Canada and returning from Europe. Never had any more than a few hundred bucks/Francs/Euros.

Not sure that I wouldn't be inclined to say it's none of their business (which, it isn't), but I've never had that much lettuce in my pocket at any one time, so it's never been a problem.

Their justification is trying to intercept illicit drug money. One look at me and my bio/particulars and it's blatantly obvious I don't fit the mold. Because of that, I'm not real sympathetic. That, plus they're doing such a bang up job on the war on drugs already.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Bender, Dirty D, Yasherka and 1 other person
#3
mikeinfwa said:
The other day I had some Zelle money transferred to my bank from my friend’s sister living in florida. She asked me to give this money to her sister in Colombia when I fly there.

In Cartagena, I made multiple ATM transactions to collect pesos for my friend.


Upon my return entry into USA , ICE agent asked me if I had any food items to declare. I replied none. Then he saw something on his computer screen and asked me how much money I was carrying.

This caught me totally off guard because in my 30 plus years of international travels for both work and pleasure I have NEVER been asked about money.

I replied with the amount I was carrying (under $10K) and he handed me my passport and I proceeded through customs and into airport for my next flight to DFW.


Strange coincidence indeed
Click to expand...
Uhh I have always been asked that question by US customs
 
  • Like
Reactions: BLEE, Skunk, akmike47 and 11 others
#4
There are/were like what 10-12 questions on the customs form that you had to answer yes or no to. With the forms being basically eliminated now unless the computer system go's down I believe their computer will pop up 1-2 of those questions to ask randomly now.

10k cash was one. "Have you been around any farms" I seem to remember was another. "anything over the duty free limit".... etc...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lightning8
#7
Extremely common question. You're actually an outlier that you've never been asked. Also, FYI, when you enter the US through a P.O.E its not an ICE agent and its not just an immigration inspection.

It's a CBP Officer and there is a laundry list of things that are looked for upon entry. Immigration, customs title 19 stuff, etc, etc.

Also, FYI, there's no 4th amendment and other such things when crossing into the US at a POE. No reasonable suspicion, no probable cause.....nothing. There's no expectation of privacy regarding searches and such. They don't need your consent. The exceptions would be if they were doing it based on race, sex, religion etc (and being able to prove it).

Meaning the CBP Officer could have searched you bags, phone, computer, etc, etc without any suspicion whatsoever (since Ports of Entry are treated completely different than the rest of the country).


And lastly, rank and file CBP Officers and the like aren't going have access to systems like FINCEN. And even if they do, they aren't going to be randomly running queries on people crossing into the US.

So, most of the time, if an Officer actually does see something on his screen that makes him question you longer its going to be either the amount of crossings you have made or any notes that are associated with you from prior crossings. They are definitely not checking finances on random border crossings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Skunk, mikeinfwa, kthomas and 1 other person
#9
mikeinfwa said:
The other day I had some Zelle money transferred to my bank from my friend’s sister living in florida. She asked me to give this money to her sister in Colombia when I fly there.

In Cartagena, I made multiple ATM transactions to collect pesos for my friend.


Upon my return entry into USA , ICE agent asked me if I had any food items to declare. I replied none. Then he saw something on his computer screen and asked me how much money I was carrying.

This caught me totally off guard because in my 30 plus years of international travels for both work and pleasure I have NEVER been asked about money.

I replied with the amount I was carrying (under $10K) and he handed me my passport and I proceeded through customs and into airport for my next flight to DFW.


Strange coincidence indeed
Click to expand...
your first 3 sentences got an eyebrow raise from me lol
 
  • Haha
Reactions: 91Eunozs
#10
EddieNFL said:
Had my bags checked coming into LA. The customs guy is causally chatting when he stops mid-sentence and asked, "WTF is this?" He holds up a Speer bullet box. I forget what I had in it, but he was excited for a minute.
Click to expand...

"I forget what I had in it"

Sure.gif
 
  • Haha
Reactions: BLEE, Terry Cross, roostercogburn98 and 1 other person
#14
whatsupdoc said:
So in "30 plus years of international travels" you never filled out form 6059

https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/2024-07/cbp_form_6059b_english_0.pdf

Question 13
Click to expand...
As a crew member we don’t fill this out . We are listed on a General Declaration form.

As a passenger I have filled this out for years. Now its an app on my phone

I exit and enter USA on average 25 times a month.

And yes, this was the first time I was asked about money

My usual response to “anything to declare “ is Coffee.

And yes, I am very aware that the protections offered by the US Constitution don’t apply when at a Port of Entry.

When I am flying with new crew members I often mention this fact. 99 % of them were unaware of this fact
 
Last edited:
#17
mikeinfwa said:
The other day I had some Zelle money transferred to my bank from my friend’s sister living in florida. She asked me to give this money to her sister in Colombia when I fly there.

In Cartagena, I made multiple ATM transactions to collect pesos for my friend.


Upon my return entry into USA , ICE agent asked me if I had any food items to declare. I replied none. Then he saw something on his computer screen and asked me how much money I was carrying.

This caught me totally off guard because in my 30 plus years of international travels for both work and pleasure I have NEVER been asked about money.

I replied with the amount I was carrying (under $10K) and he handed me my passport and I proceeded through customs and into airport for my next flight to DFW.


Strange coincidence indeed
Click to expand...
Gonna need some pics of the "friend" and the "sister". 🥸
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikeinfwa
#22
The one time most recently I flew to Frankfurt, Germany (From EWR), they had a CBP station (US Customs only at the time) setup for the flght right at the gate as we were boarding. They were in plain clothes but all badged and armed. I guess they were looking for people bringing cash to launder over there.

They let me pass.... even after I gave one of them the "stink eye" when I absolutely shouldn't (i.e. "WTF you lookin' at???")... I guess I just didn't fit the profile.

I swear I had worse time in Frankfurt coming home. They had a guy who spoke perfect British English do a personal interview in the gate area before I even boarded. Took 20 minutes. Again, I passed, but still...
 
Last edited:
#27
Cartagena is a shit hole. Sewage flowing into the ocean. Bums and hustlers all the same trying to get a peso off you every time you turn around. It’s basically bourbon street of Colombia. There’s so many better beach destinations in the world. Hell, even that continent. They’ve created and allow the bullshit so it’s their own fault. Pitiful.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sloporsche
#28
db2000 said:
Cartagena is a shit hole. Sewage flowing into the ocean. Bums and hustlers all the same trying to get a peso off you every time you turn around. It’s basically bourbon street of Colombia. There’s so many better beach destinations in the world. Hell, even that continent. They’ve created and allow the bullshit so it’s their own fault. Pitiful.
Click to expand...
Did an excursion there from our cruise ship .......that is the way i would describe it also ,they mobbed us just trying to get off the bus selling hats aggressively. Saw a video of them ambushing a bus by getting it to slow down on a street and they opened up the luggage hatch and stole suit cases . Cops/ national guard are brutal when they catch them ....i like that
 
  • Like
Reactions: db2000
#29
Pre-marriage, Pre-TSA, early 1990’s, returning from a somewhat raucous trip to Bogota my douchebag “Best Man” stuffed a Ziploc baggie of white flour into my carryon backpack and wrote “NOT COCAINE!” on it in big black Sharpie.

I was held overnight at a gnarly jail in Bogota. Worst part was, I had just seen “Midnight Express” like a week earlier. After paying roughly $600 in bribes the next day, and $800 in fare difference (pre-internet, pre international cell phones — so try to do THAT math). No way to contact my fellow travellers or family and at least 30 years ago my Spanish sucked and none of the Columbian cops spoke english.

Fargin’ bastage.
 
  • Wow
  • Haha
Reactions: roostercogburn98, akmike47, mikeinfwa and 1 other person
#30
TheHorta said:
Pre-marriage, Pre-TSA, early 1990’s, returning from a somewhat raucous trip to Bogota my douchebag “Best Man” stuffed a Ziploc baggie of white flour into my carryon backpack and wrote “NOT COCAINE!” on it in big black Sharpie.

I was held overnight at a gnarly jail in Bogota. Worst part was, I had just seen “Midnight Express” like a week earlier. After paying roughly $600 in bribes the next day, and $800 in fare difference (pre-internet, pre international cell phones — so try to do THAT math). No way to contact my fellow travellers or family and at least 30 years ago my Spanish sucked and none of the Columbian cops spoke english.

Fargin’ bastage.
Click to expand...

Or, even worse, the Miami Vice episode, "Milk Run."







 
  • Like
Reactions: Rookie and TheHorta
#33
I got asked about how much cash I had with me entering the US in 1990. As in did I have more than $10 000 USD cash with me.

I said "I should be so lucky, no I do not." She laughed and sent me on my way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Post death of family member questions
Replies
33
Views
1K
502Chevelle
5
Maggot
They live among us.
Replies
60
Views
3K
turbo_bird
T
F
2024 Legion Memorial Run and Gun, Honoring the Fallen as a Family
Replies
9
Views
543
FatBoy
F
lonegunman762x51
Taking a cruise with a$$holes.........................
Replies
129
Views
7K
Big Phish
Big Phish
TheOE800
SOLD Dan Wesson PM-9 Pointman 9mm 5” government 1911
Replies
5
Views
1K
cshann55
cshann55
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Merch
Alerts