Travelling to the US with your laptop/phone/etc. - beware

[Bianca Jaguar 39183]

Oh my..that is f*** scary...

 

good to know about the password...

 

but what makes a boarder agent want to confiscate your laptop??? on what growns? I read on qwerty,s post that they dont need a reason??? so randomly they would just take it away from you if you look somewhat suspicious!!!!

 

Keep a laywer's number in your Pocket if that happens...geez...

[Nicolette Vaughn 294340]

When I used to travel to the U.S., I'd wipe my phone clean and not even travel with a laptop. I'd use the internet in the hotel room on the t.v with a keyboard they provided. Even with my own belongings, I would buy lingerie down there and claim it on the way back. Money would be sent back by Western Union to someone I trusted until I got home. I would not travel with anything they would view as "personal" such as condoms. I will never work there again..too risky. I was extremely careful bordering on paranoid.lol.

[Old Dog 179138]

A few issues here.

 

First, when you enter a foreign country, you are entering at the discretion of a foreign government. You have no RIGHT of entry. With that in mind, everything on or about your person is subject to scrutiny under the laws of the receiving country. EVERY country has laws regarding the movement of people and goods across international borders.

 

Second, when you enter a foreign country, the standards of law, evidence and reasonable search and seizure are those of the receiving country. You can be as "righteously indignified" as you wish, but it comes down to four words: "Their country, their rules."

 

Last, and probably most important? If you don't want your dirty laundry seen by foreign governments, don't bring it along.

[fortunateone 156618]

I agree, OD.

 

Keep in mind the exact same thing goes on in Canada when foreigners and citizens enter into Canada after being away. Evidence they commonly look for in foreigners without work visas is are they coming here to work, they will check over the computer for documents and emails, and probably search history and favourite sites.

 

Phones will be searched as well, so don't bother locking your phone, if you get nervous and can't remember the password, like one guy, they will probably arrest you until or unless they are satisfied.

 

They will phone the contacts in your phone, and/or the person who you say you are going to visit.

 

It is their business to keep criminals, drugs, and illegal workers out of our country, just as it is the US border guards to do the same thing for their country. Just deciding to cross a border means you have agreed to their terms and conditions of entry, and that includes full inspection and search.

 

Having said that, the Canadian border patrol asking a US citizen the purpose of their visit is perfectly OK with the fact the US citizen says they are coming to visit an sp. :)

 

I've been waiting to cross the US border and seen the guard take the phones of two younger females traveling with an older one. I've watched Border Security when the Canadian guards refused entry to an Australian traveler due to the pictures on his phone (showing him engaged in illegal activity, they felt they had reason to believe he was going to engage in illegal activity in Canada).

[Guest S*rca****sid]

I've traveled to the U.S. with my laptop, camera and cellphone. I haven't had any issue yet, the only thing they said was to take my laptop out of my bag as it went through the x-ray machine.

I have no cause for concern, I don't have anything to hide. But I can see the issue for some Providers due to the questions they ask. Like when they ask you what you do for a living. If someone says unemployed, and they see it's the 3rd time you've flown into the country in a year. They will want to know how you can afford it. Some of their questions may seem mundane, but when you take them all into account, plus they are checking their database which has shared info with the Canadian government.

It's easy enough to catch someone who may be saying something misleading.

 

Although it is good practice to remember these warnings when traveling with a personal electronic device. And if you are the person that wants to travel with a laptop and has lots of personal photos or documents you can to keep private, I would suggest having a second hard drive which is "clean" you can swop out before you travel. Use a pay as you go cell phone and buy a SIM card when you arrive, it's less expensive too as you don't have to worry about roaming charges. Then dispose of the SIM card before you leave.

[qwertyaccount 15793]

Some USB flash drives such as the encrypted models from Kingston http://www.kingston.com/us/usb/encrypted_security

allow you to have both encrypted and unencrypted (normal) partitions.

 

Verbatim as a very small tuff-n-tiny USB drive http://www.verbatim.com/prod/usb-drives/everyday-usb-drives/tuff-n-tiny/

that also can have encrypted/unencrypted partitions and can be tucked away most anyplace.

 

You can put all of your private info into the encrypted partition and some benign stuff in the normal partition.

 

If you ever asked for the password to the encrypted partition you can just say that you don't know because you found it on the bus, erased the normal partition and used it for your own stuff. You probably didn't even know the encrypted partition even existed.

[Guest S*rca****sid]

Some USB flash drives such as the encrypted models from Kingston http://www.kingston.com/us/usb/encrypted_security

allow you to have both encrypted and unencrypted (normal) partitions.

 

Verbatim as a very small tuff-n-tiny USB drive http://www.verbatim.com/prod/usb-drives/everyday-usb-drives/tuff-n-tiny/

that also can have encrypted/unencrypted partitions and can be tucked away most anyplace.

 

You can put all of your private info into the encrypted partition and some benign stuff in the normal partition.

 

If you ever asked for the password to the encrypted partition you can just say that you don't know because you found it on the bus, erased the normal partition and used it for your own stuff. You probably didn't even know the encrypted partition even existed.

 

Any USB stick can be encrypted with free software.

 

I have a feeling that pleading ignorant will not work. If you claim you found the USB stick, they will simply confiscate it and never give it back.

So if you did put private info on it, make sure it's not your only copy.

[fortunateone 156618]

Any USB stick can be encrypted with free software.

 

I have a feeling that pleading ignorant will not work. If you claim you found the USB stick, they will simply confiscate it and never give it back.

So if you did put private info on it, make sure it's not your only copy.

 

 

It's like most things, they will ask about it, and decide if the answer is sufficient. Found on the bus will never be sufficient, as is 'that piece of luggage I pulled off the roundabout, with the colourful green rope unlike any other bag out there and that i just told you before you opened it and found the suspicious stuff, is not my bag after all".

 

Well, then, let's just go back out there and see if we can't find that bag for you then.

 

Another question: did you pack the bag yourself. No great answer if you've got contraband. Yes? Then you know what's in it right? No? You mean someone else packed this bag of your stuff for you? so we are going to examine it even more carefully aren't we??

 

 

Watch Border Security, people and mail entering Canada, it is very revealing.

 

[qwertyaccount 15793]

Any USB stick can be encrypted with free software.

I have a feeling that pleading ignorant will not work. If you claim you found the USB stick, they will simply confiscate it and never give it back.

So if you did put private info on it, make sure it's not your only copy.

 

Great points fstop, especially about having a duplicate.

 

You are right, there is plenty of software to encrypt the entire USB drive, including "Bitlocker to Go" that is built into Windows 7 and 8.

 

Found on the bus will never be sufficient

 

Fortunateone, you are right, if the entire drive is encrypted with software, including BitLocker, anyone finding such a drive would have reformatted/erased the drive or thrown it away.

 

Just to clarify, my suggestion was to use a USB drive that has built-in hardware encryption that allows you to have two partitions, one encrypted and one normal -- effectively two separate drives in one device. The access utility that is stored in the regular/unencrypted partition can be deleted and downloaded from the manufacturer when needed.

 

With multiple partition (drive) hardware encryption the "found it" story would make sense - the regular/unencrypted partition contains your cat photos and salsa recipes, the encrypted partition, if you even knew it existed because it is typically invisible until the access utility is used, contains who-knows-what.

 

Hardware encryption systems often offer an additional feature that the software based solutions do not - the ability to automatically erase the drive if the wrong password is entered more than a certain number of times (3 strikes & you're out). This cannot be provided by a software system because the encrypted information can simply be copied from the drive.

 

For example: an 8G drive - 1G hardware encrypted and 7G unencrypted. Without using the access utility, the 7G portion is there for everyone to see and use. Only with the utility is the 1G portion even visible. Who wouldn't use a 7G found drive and not care about the missing 1G. Besides, it would take a sharper person to even realize that 1G was missing.

 

A special note about found USB drives: Be very careful, they are a great way of spreading malware - some drives containing malware are purposely "lost" outside businesses hoping the finder will use it on their office computer to see what is on it and the bad guy now gains access to an otherwise protected system.

[TINCUP 6043]

As we now know, thanks to Edward Snowden revelations, CSEC is eaves- dropping on Canadian citizens, especially if you are at a Canadian airport and using the WIFI. We now not only have to cautious travelling internationally but also within Canada.Those who use an Iphone or android on a daily basis should beware that big brother (CSEC in Canad and NSA in the USA) are listening.

 

When traveling I only bring a regular cell phone,no laptop, I also do not do facebook or twitter. Because when Governement agencies start listenig/eaves dropping on its citizen conversation then the country is no longer a democracy.

[Guest S*rca****sid]

As we now know, thanks to Edward Snowden revelations, CSEC is eaves- dropping on Canadian citizens, especially if you are at a Canadian airport and using the WIFI. We now not only have to cautious travelling internationally but also within Canada.Those who use an Iphone or android on a daily basis should beware that big brother (CSEC in Canad and NSA in the USA) are listening.

 

I'm willing to bet the government has better things to do than to know your Facebook update.

[cinelli 22184]

Several US police departments have a device in their cars that will download all the info in your cellphone.

And for those of you with encrypted storage...that just makes them more curious.

They can tell you to open it yourself, or give them the password, or they can just seize it and examine it later.

 

A sad state of affairs in a formerly free country.

[Guest S*rca****sid]

The police still need "Just Cause" in order to search your phone.

[fortunateone 156618]

The police still need "Just Cause" in order to search your phone.

 

Border guards are not the police.

 

They don't need just cause and they don't need a warrant and they don't need permission.

[Guest S*rca****sid]

Several US police departments...

 

As you can see, cinelli was referencing the police.

[Guest N***he**Ont**y]

I am glad I kept my old GMS hobby phone. You never know!

[50 Shades Raven 31380]

Border guards are not the police.

 

They don't need just cause and they don't need a warrant and they don't need permission.

 

fortunateone is SOOOOOO correct here.

When I was coming into Canada last year for an interview, I was stopped by Canadian Border security and turned back.

 

I happened to be one of those 'randomly selected' for a secondary interview, and I pulled my car up and parked it, got into the offices and was 'grilled' for over 6 hours.

 

I did not have my laptop with me, but I had my cellphone.

I also carried my passport, drivers license, birth certificate, social security card and other forms of ID along with the letter of intent from the employer. All originals.

 

At first, there was no big deal, a few questions.

It was the attitude of the secondary person that decided to listen in on the questions and answers that had me there for hours.

This particular border patrol guy definitely had issues.

 

I had enough luggage with me for 5 days, I brought my cell phone as I was driving in, and all the pertinent documents that I would normally have if I was flying.

I had rented a car, so that was what I had with me, all documents in order of course, the car was torn apart while I was inside talking with the border guards.

My luggage was gone through, everything that could be opened, it was, such as toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, etc, and squeezed out.

My cell phone was taken from me, and gone through.

 

The reason I was turned back? On my cell phone there was a couple of messages from some idiot that had typed in the wrong number and was asking about something illicit!

Even though the text messages of my reply were to state that I had no idea who the person sending the messages was, and that they must have the wrong number, (and the messages were still on my phone, never thought to clear them off) border patrol took it upon themselves to deny me entry into Canada. Even though I was coming there on a job interview with proper documentation that was confirmed by the place interviewing me!

 

I ended up driving to Boston, booking a flight and coming in that way! No problem with those border patrol people!

 

I think it all depends on who you get on what day.

 

But it's true what fortunateone states, border patrol, on either side of the border, do not need just cause, permission, or warrants to go through anything that you are carrying.

[cinelli 22184]

The reason I was turned back? On my cell phone there was a couple of messages from some idiot that had typed in the wrong number and was asking about something illicit!

 

Everyone should routinely delete all their messages if possible. Things that are just joking around to you and your friends may look very different to someone else. And they have software that will run a quick check on every one of your contacts. So if any of them are red flagged you will be too. That red flag will stay on your file forever.

[PistolPete 61421]

I've travelled to the USA in the past years, and have had set up dates through P411, and through email with ladies in the USA.Crossing into the states, there is nothing on my phone, as per contacts, email, etc etc, in fact I don't even have my phone on until I reach my destination.

When I do reach my destination I simply log into P411 get required info, then text my scheduled meetings with ladies.

[Guest S*rca****sid]

fortunateone is SOOOOOO correct here.

When I was coming into Canada last year for an interview, I was stopped by Canadian Border security and turned back.

 

I happened to be one of those 'randomly selected' for a secondary interview, and I pulled my car up and parked it, got into the offices and was 'grilled' for over 6 hours.

 

I did not have my laptop with me, but I had my cellphone.

I also carried my passport, drivers license, birth certificate, social security card and other forms of ID along with the letter of intent from the employer. All originals.

 

At first, there was no big deal, a few questions.

It was the attitude of the secondary person that decided to listen in on the questions and answers that had me there for hours.

This particular border patrol guy definitely had issues.

 

I had enough luggage with me for 5 days, I brought my cell phone as I was driving in, and all the pertinent documents that I would normally have if I was flying.

I had rented a car, so that was what I had with me, all documents in order of course, the car was torn apart while I was inside talking with the border guards.

My luggage was gone through, everything that could be opened, it was, such as toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, etc, and squeezed out.

My cell phone was taken from me, and gone through.

 

The reason I was turned back? On my cell phone there was a couple of messages from some idiot that had typed in the wrong number and was asking about something illicit!

Even though the text messages of my reply were to state that I had no idea who the person sending the messages was, and that they must have the wrong number, (and the messages were still on my phone, never thought to clear them off) border patrol took it upon themselves to deny me entry into Canada. Even though I was coming there on a job interview with proper documentation that was confirmed by the place interviewing me!

 

I ended up driving to Boston, booking a flight and coming in that way! No problem with those border patrol people!

 

I think it all depends on who you get on what day.

 

But it's true what fortunateone states, border patrol, on either side of the border, do not need just cause, permission, or warrants to go through anything that you are carrying.

 

Unless you're not a citizen of Canada, as far as I'm aware, they can not deny you entry in to the country.

[Guest vio****e]

Someone in this thread indicated that they had "nothing to hide" on their laptop. I'm glad he is certain of this, as I am not. You really have no idea what might be found among your browser cache files and numerous email. Even an unread message in a spam folder might be of interest to someone poking around.

 

My suggestion is always to avoid travelling over borders with data, if at all possible. Travelling with no data means there is nothing for anyone to search. I have a good friend who travels only with a nice Chromebook, which has just about nothing on it.