OFAC watch list (pdf)

I used to work for a company named Teletech, which has as one of its largest clients Bank of America, for whom they provide customer service agents...hundreds of them.

My job was to train new hires (who are specifically told not to say they do not work for B of A, as that may undermine confidence) in their basic jobs as well as doing uptainings on such topics as "Anti-Money Laundering" and "Customer Verfiication Procedures". It is a tough job being a CSR (customer service representative) as, on top of all the irate, sometimes self-immolative customers out there, there is also the complexity of external controls and regulations.

One of the things we discussed in "anti-money laundering" training is OFAC, the Federal government's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which is tasked with making sure we know who we are not supposed to be doing business with, as these people or organizations are known to assist terrorists or drug smugglers. We always had a fun time teaching about the list, as over-zealous blocking parameters on our internet access sometimes kept us from viewing the list of individuals, countries and organizations OFAC maintains. Maybe they have that link working by now, but I digress.

Here's the link, currently in the news, to the OFAC listing of the thousands of people, groups and countries we are not supposed to do business with here in the United States. It is in the news as some businesses are abusing the list to deny people with similar names to individuals on the list basic services.

I think the list is of value and necessary, we just don't need amateur sleuths taking away our civil liberties in an atmosphere of paranoia.