Banking and credit card with bank outside US?

I'm looking for a bank that will give me a bank account and credit card and will respect my privacy. I don't want the US or any other government monitoring where I go and what I buy - none of their business.

I don't really need checks, just a way to transfer money to pay the credit card. Of course I'm willing to secure the credit card.

I'm aware of the Swiss bank accounts, but I don't think I have enough money for those.

There might be more appropriate forums on the subject of privacy, any URLs are appreciated!

I'm thinking like the Caymans or something?

I'm not sure if it is legal though.

I would LOVE more info about this myself!

PAE

There is alot of info HERE (http://www.lowtax.net/)

You might want to check this link (http://axiusnews.com/taxActions/document.asp?ID=28) conserning offshore bank credit card use though

Thanks, I've just looked around a bit and obviously many people try to evade taxes.

Unfortunately, tax liablility isn't my problem, you need to have taxable income first. I'm also not doing anything illegal.

My concerns are the US efforts to keep a history of all my purchases, phone calls, every e-mail I send and receive, every web site I visit, etc. etc. etc.

Things have been pretty bad for a while:

http://www.cdt.org/wiretap/

This story really got my attention:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/839248.asp#BODY

"INTENSE SUSPICION

Yet from the day the research program was launched at the start of the year, it has been the target of intense suspicion, from both right and left. In order to identify possibly conspiratorial behavior by a few individuals, the computers would have to sift through the personal information of millions of innocent people—without their knowledge or consent. Potentially, the government could keep track of what you buy, whom you call, where you travel—just by tapping into the files that various businesses already keep on you. "

If I wanted to live like that, I'd just move to China or Russia.

Here's what's really scary:

"The project’s PR hasn’t been helped by the fact that its leader is retired Navy Adm. John Poindexter, best known for his part in the Iran-contra affair. Poindexter was convicted of lying to Congress about the Reagan administration’s plan to divert profits from Iranian arms sales to fund the Nicaraguan rebels. His conviction was later overturned, but that doesn’t mollify those worried about his return to power at the helm of such a sweeping program."

Poindexter????? That is just bizarre.

I don't mind saying what I think and putting my real and full name right with it. I DO mind when I don't have a choice anymore. That's why I set this software up to NOT display your IP numbers with your postings.

Knowing how screwed up my credit files are, requiring continued monitoring and disputing, I can imagine how screwed up the government databases are.

You go to the Home Depot and buy some paint, and somebody makes a mistake and it shows up as some chemical that also happens to be on an "alert" list. Maybe you also followed a couple of the links here and you lose a few more points. Rent a car and go sightseeing in major cities. Ding ding ding!!!! Next thing you know, you're on a list of suspicious persons, maybe even arrested.

I know people who pay cash for everything because they value their privacy. Too me that's such a huge inconvenience. I'd rather get a credit card in another country.

It's not really high on my list of things to do, but I've looked at Belize a few years ago, and of course there are risks and costs associated with offshore banking.

http://www.providentbelize.com/provident.html

Christine or anyone else for that maTTer if you come up with a gOOd country / solution let me know. Or are their any banks out there that people here are cuRRently dealing with. Please due let me know. This is some thing i have been lOOking for a while. Just did not want to deal threw some shady website and not know what is haPPening

I'm looking to start my own country. Does that help? I'll ensure your complete financial privacy.

It would be tough to start your own country, but you COULD start a bank in a country that allows you to offer privacy to your customers.

Saw some related sites in my search the other day. All it takes is $$$ - much more than I have.

If you start the Shylock Bank, we won't have to deal with with shady web sites :)

I wish more people thought the way you do Christine. I tried to get automobile insurance with a new company a couple of weeks ago. The agent wanted not only mine and my wife's socialist security numbers, but also ALL OF MY CHILDRENS'! When I asked her why she said it was so the company could tell when my kids became of driving age. "Why?" she asks, "is there a problem with giving us that information?" Give me a break! I tried to explain to the lady that that number is connected to every financial aspect, and most medical and social aspects of one's life...you can't even get a cell phone these days without giving it. Business and government already have every piece of information about me and my wife that exists in some database or another! Why would I want to begin the same anal probe on my 5 year old??? She said I was the first person that ever had a problem with the requirement. People are such lemmings...they don't have a clue that their civil liberties are eroding...and at a snowballs pace...

:eek:

Just give out bogus numbers for most things where people don't really need to know.

When social security first came out, social security was handing out 'sample cards' to help people get used to them. The number on the sample card was 078-05-1120.

Some people thought that was their actual social security number and started using it that way. That makes it a nice, bogus number to give out. Other possibilities are to use impossible bogus numbers, like xxx-00-xxxx or xxx-xx-0000. Some computer systems filter against 'impossible' social security numbers like this, but not all.

I use this technique mostly with video rental stores where they want your social security number on the application. No way I'm giving my confidential credit information to some minimum-wage kid so that I can rent a video.

Don't use a bogus number if they're going to run your credit (like with a cell phone).

Ok all that not giving out the number ad stuff is cool. But back to biZZneSS. Does anybody have any info on some ligitamte offshore banks and what it takes to setup accounts. This might proof to be a must, also i hope that no one sends links to those real flaky looking sites that are on the net. We really need to look into this.

I thought this one looked rather reputable: http://www.providentbelize.com/provident.html

Their application and guidelines are all there. What do you think?

Credit cards: http://www.providentbelize.com/bank_card_services/bankcardservices.html#creditcard

Of course you need to secure it, since they're not running your credit :)

And since they want 150% deposit, the debit card they hope to launch might be an option, if it's a Visa or M/C.

I saw a prepaid reloadable mastercard today. That might be an idea.

I will see what i can gather. I am looking for a totaly solution. Banking, Credit, Debit you name it. I have also heard of world master cards that allow you to extract as much cash as you want out of an ATM. Providing you have the balance to cover it of course.