CDR: Treasury Department worries about ecash, anonymity

[Declan McCullagh]

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

    Feds: Digital Cash Can Thwart Us
    by Declan McCullagh (declan at 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."

    [...]