Customs Agent: Where did you buy that XXXXX?
Jan 9, 2016, 4:16 pm
#16
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Indianapolis
Programs: Hilton-Diamond Lifetime Platinum AA UA, WN-CP, SPG Gold.
Posts: 7,377
Your camera serial number and date taken is on the medata of any pictures taken..
You may also take pictures of your equipment, jewelry or whatever..
iPad will show it very quick, if you get your back against a wall .
You may also take pictures of your equipment, jewelry or whatever..
iPad will show it very quick, if you get your back against a wall .
Jan 10, 2016, 2:42 am
#18
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,621
Suspicionless searches of luggage are permitted at the border. Suspicionless pat downs, body searches, etc. are not.
Jan 10, 2016, 2:44 am
#19
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,621
If you turn on your iPad and enter the password and show it to a CBP officer so that he can see a receipt/photo, then you may end up with a CBP officer searching the entire contents of your iPad. I keep my devices off and/or password locked when I'm around CBP officers.
Last edited by jphripjah; Jan 10, 2016 at 2:49 am
Jan 10, 2016, 8:05 am
#20
Join Date: May 2011
Location: San Antonio, TX
Programs: AA EXP, DL Silver, Global Entry
Posts: 1,863
If you turn on your iPad and enter the password and show it to a CBP officer so that he can see a receipt/photo, then you may end up with a CBP officer searching the entire contents of your iPad. I keep my devices off and/or password locked when I'm around CBP officers.
Jan 10, 2016, 8:33 am
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
If you turn on your iPad and enter the password and show it to a CBP officer so that he can see a receipt/photo, then you may end up with a CBP officer searching the entire contents of your iPad. I keep my devices off and/or password locked when I'm around CBP officers.
Jan 10, 2016, 8:45 am
#22
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: where the chile is hot
Programs: AA,RR,NW,Delta ,UA,CO
Posts: 41,643
They can, however, 'detain' your electronic devices for further investigation - and they can confiscate anything that appears relatively new, could have been purchased overseas, and that you do not have a receipt for.
Last edited by chollie; Jan 10, 2016 at 5:45 pm
Jan 10, 2016, 5:02 pm
#24
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,621
If you're an American citizen without outstanding warrants, they can't detain you indefinitely, although they can hold you for hours (how many is unknown) without restricted access to food, water and toilets.
They can, however, 'detain' your electronic devices for further investigation -
They can, however, 'detain' your electronic devices for further investigation -
They were bluffing both times, it's a tactic they use to get people to answer questions/reveal passwords.
Jan 12, 2016, 7:03 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEL
Posts: 1,056
Fortunately I have never been questioned by the CBP concerning a specific item in my possession on where I bought the stuff such as my laptop
...
My aunt (Canadian Citizen); however, had a difficult time with the YYC CBSA recently upon returning home from Vegas. She was wearing a gold bracelet she purchased at the Tiffany store in Edmonton (for about $1,000 CDN) where she had already paid all applicable taxes when she bought it. She said a customs agent pestered her on why she didn't declare it?
...
I know certain items can be registered with customs. But AFAIK those items would need to contain a serial number.
...
My aunt (Canadian Citizen); however, had a difficult time with the YYC CBSA recently upon returning home from Vegas. She was wearing a gold bracelet she purchased at the Tiffany store in Edmonton (for about $1,000 CDN) where she had already paid all applicable taxes when she bought it. She said a customs agent pestered her on why she didn't declare it?
...
I know certain items can be registered with customs. But AFAIK those items would need to contain a serial number.
Even prior to 9/11 and the creation of DHS/CBP, US Customs was more interested in finding drugs and smuggled cash than collecting duty--unless it was really expensive (think $50k watch, not $2k camera), it went down the road.
At least for registering things with USCBP, although most things one would register on a 4457 have serial numbers (e.g. laptops, cameras, electronics), it's not a requirement. Somewhere I have a 4457 for a pre-1968 shotgun with no serial number. CBP loved seeing that cross the border. (No, Mr. GS-7 city kid just back from Glynco, it is not illegal to own a gun without a serial number, and no, you should not attempt to arrest me for it.)
When I worked for CBP the only things I ever saw 4457s for were firearms. Even then, a lot of hunters just brought the sales invoice. The cheapest place to buy nearly any expensive item is the US, so there's no motive to buy high-ticket items overseas like there used to be. Firearms, of course, are a different story since they're illegal to import without a license. Extremely expensive equipment (usually photo/video gear) moved on a Carnet.
Last edited by essxjay; Jan 13, 2016 at 2:16 pm Reason: reference to deleted post
Jan 12, 2016, 7:12 am
#26
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott Titanium (Lifetime)
Posts: 33
Driving to Vancouver, Canada from Seattle, WA with some fellow attendees of a hacker conference in late 1999:
Jake
Canadian Border Agent: "Gentlemen, do you have any drugs, firearms, or dangerous materials in the vehicle?"
My (idiot) friend, after leaning towards the officer: <snif> "Yeah, sure, whadda ya need?"
... add another 4 hours delay to the trip for being smart-asses. Good story now, but sucked at the time.Jake
Jan 12, 2016, 7:51 am
#28
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: AA, AS
Posts: 53
If you're an American citizen without outstanding warrants, they can't detain you indefinitely, although they can hold you for hours (how many is unknown) with restricted access to food, water and toilets and no access to a phone.
They can, however, 'detain' your electronic devices for further investigation - and they can confiscate anything that appears relatively new, could have been purchased overseas, and that you do not have a receipt for.
They can, however, 'detain' your electronic devices for further investigation - and they can confiscate anything that appears relatively new, could have been purchased overseas, and that you do not have a receipt for.
Jan 12, 2016, 4:01 pm
#29
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: ATL/SLC
Posts: 3,540
Driving to Vancouver, Canada from Seattle, WA with some fellow attendees of a hacker conference in late 1999:
Canadian Border Agent: "Gentlemen, do you have any drugs, firearms, or dangerous materials in the vehicle?"
My (idiot) friend, after leaning towards the officer: <snif> "Yeah, sure, whadda ya need?"
... add another 4 hours delay to the trip for being smart-asses. Good story now, but sucked at the time.