Behavioral detection gone awry
 

A good friend of mine just had a terrible experience at Detroit. She is a Midwesterner living on the East Coast, a highly-educated professional, attractive, usually well-dressed, and mild-mannered. She was visiting her parents and flying home. Nonstop, domestic flight. She did not have any problems with Secure Flight or watch lists.

She is a frequent flyer, and has taken the same trip many times. Her name, demeanor, accent, clothing, etc. are unmistakably American.

She is not prone to exaggeration, and doesn't usually complain about airport security. She happened to mention this to me because she knows that I fly a lot.

After uneventful check-in and ID inspection, she went to get in line for the x-ray and metal detector.

A BDO pulled her out of line, and she was taken to an interview room. She was told that her behavior "aroused suspicion" (perhaps not in those words.) The BDO and another agent conference called some TSA phone number. They asked her repeatedly about the nature of her trip, how often she'd lived at each address, the nature of her work, her father's birthdate, her mother's maiden name, and... my favorite... the last four digits of her FATHER's social security number. (She said, "How would I know that?")

She was eventually released and allowed to fly. I don't know if she had selectee screening, but I think that's probably likely.

I used to think that behavioral profiling made some sort of sense. But now I'm reconsidering. The best I can imagine is that the BDO's are new, newly trained, and want to test out their skills.

They may have actually picked her just because it would be less work: she's young, articulate, etc... so the background check would be simpler and they could act as if they're doing something. (In random screening, it's easier to pick the guy with a small bag and light clothing.)

She's not a complainer, and just wanted to get home. But I find this incident troubling. Of course I wasn't there, perhaps my friend had completely gone nuts and was acting erratically (I strongly doubt that.) There may have been a specific threat about young women traveling alone, as there was prior to Pan Am 103 (I doubt that as well... and there are a lot of women traveling alone through Detroit.)

I hope that this was a one-time incident.

This was deduced on FT some time ago. That people were detained for secondary screening because they were less likely to refuse, than that they were actually suspicious. Sad commentary indeed.

One-time for her hopefully, but I'm certain other passengers are subjected to this bull on a daily basis.

Behavioral profiling does not work in an airport termianl environment. At best, it may be useful as an adjunct to conducting interviews; for picking people out of a line up it is useless even for trained, competent practitioners. The TSA's "officers" don't come close to that definitiion.

"None of your business." Would they still let me fly?

She should've told them where to go.

TSA could place people in the terminals with crystal balls and get the same results.

These TSA employees know perfectly well that nobody they interview is a terrorist or ever will be. They know it's all for show, and they choose people for their own reasons. Attractive women are an obvious choice.

Bruce

And they would have told her where she was going to stay.

One of the many broken things about the TSA is that they have unchecked power. You have no recourse. They can search your bags, even looking through papers. They can point to almost anything and say you can't take it through security. Pointing out that their published rules allow it can get you detained and threatened with arrest. Even if they can't make it stick, they can easily make you miss your flight. And probably get commended for doing it.

All of those rights and protections you heard about as a kid -- forget them. If you want the "privilege" of traveling, you have to agree that constitutional protections do not apply.

That would be an interesting question.

My gut reaction would be not. And if it were me in that situation, I would be taking names and taking said names to court. BDO's don't have QI.

This is exactly how this was expected to work. Since they cannot find terrorists, these workfare recipients will spend their time on other people, including the "objects" of their desire or hate.

..... yet another reason to pick up the phone and talk at airports.

I won't be interrupting my phone calls to waste my time to satisfy a BDO clown's useless curiosity.

I don't use a crystal ball, but I'd be willing to bet that I could do 100% better! :D

Besides being absolutely useless (how would they know if she's telling the truth or just making up answers?), a number of those questions are used for security purposes (banking websites, etc.). I would feel very uncomfortable sharing that kind of info with someone who already has my name and possibly my address.

I'm actually looking forward to one of the BDO's trying to play games with me. After I politely give them nothing, I'll pull out my credentials and ask for their names and their supervisors names, and we'll see who ends up getting a commendation. ;)

The typical traveler has no government credentials to pull out. What would you suggest to those of us in that position?

I dont think that your friend is giving you the whole truth. These are questions asked by STSOs when you have no ID what so ever

Since I don't need any TSA employee's permission to fly, such questions will be ignored and then an invitation to go to hell and summon the GSC for the airline I'm on will follow. For bonus points, said TSA employees are welcome to summon law enforcement and look even stupider.

The critical key is to make sure you are prepared to miss your flight. That way, they lose that ability to intimidate. Also - be unfailingly polite and non-adversarial. If they start to raise their voice/voices, lower yours. This is an incredibly effective technique in controlling an interaction - especially when you are being accosted by an inexperienced and poorly trained TSO.

Next, I would get out a pen and paper, and methodically take as good notes as you possibly can. If you are prevented from doing so, ask for a LEO to be summoned immediately.

At that point, answer any question you wish to answer, and always be completely honest in your response. If you think the question is inappropriate or you do not wish to respond, state as much, decline to answer, and ask for a supervisor AND an LEO to be summoned.

At this point, the BDO will likely back down and allow you to go on your way. :) If they don't, hold your ground. Continue to avoid escalating the confrontation - politely refuse to answer questions, but ask if you are being detained under what grounds you are being detained, and if you have a lawyer, ask for the opportunity to contact him/her.

I agree with tsadude... those questions, and especially the "conference call", are only used when somebody doesn't have an ID.

I asked about ID. She had a valid driver's license, which she presented prior to entering the queue. There was no difficulty with her ID inspection or boarding pass.

I agree with the couple others that this seems like SOP for those who show invalid/no ID. However, if she really did bring ID (which I'm not doubting--I believe her) then that is seriously sad. It could happen to me next. :( Even worse, I'm Deaf, so communicating would be very hard.

I strongly recommend you refer your friend to TSA's Got Feedback. Have her be specific, try to mention names/appearances if possible, and additionally, advise her to write both her Congressperson and the airline, threatening an end to business travelling through said airline if this kind of behavior by TSA is going to become more and more common.

I totally agree. Also, be prepared for the standard question, "Why are you getting so upset?" What's so infuriating about this question is that it's asked regardless of whether or not you really are upset. The purpose is to make you upset! Don't take the bait. Just respond: "I'm not upset. I don't know why you are asking me that." It won't stop the questioning, but it will help a little when you recount it to the real LEO who inevitably will be called.

Bruce

Interesting thread and an interesting perspective. I doubt they have interpreters trained in sign language. I also wonder how the rights of a blind person would be preserved who couldn't see what they are doing with your luggage. They could theoretically plant stuff in there.

One advantage in this particular situation might be that you could demand that EVERYTHING takes place in writing. That would take a really long time and it would leave a paper trace. They'd most likely not want either and let you go.

Till

I dont believe the story. It is anecdotal. There are just too many "friend of mine, or friend of my second cousins uncle, etc."
The methods as described dont meet with modis operandi of the BDO's.

That is false. It's also sometimes done when someone does present valid ID but the TSA or TSA-approved think the passenger is presenting an ID that does not look like the passenger or may be a fake or fraudulently-acquired ID. It's also sometimes done when the FBI has been called up.

But as we know, procedures vary from airport to airport. TSA has stated as such. :rolleyes:

A lot of TSA's evidence is anecdotal and too many "my contractor said ..." or "it's SSI." Beginning to understand how we feel?

eyecue,
I respect what you're saying, but I have to say that this particular friend is particularly sane and unlikely to exaggerate. She is highly-educated, professional, and I've known her for 10 years.

Yes, there are always people who embellish their stories, or even fabricate them. This is not one of those cases.

Spiff - when requesting the GSC, don't forget about what response I got from TSA at Bangor, ME - "We don't call the airline." and when I asked for the FSD - "He's not coming down and he doesn't have to."

Maybe that was asked because if she DID know it then it would be suspicious?

Or am I giving them more credit than they deserve?

Most stories are anecdotal. :confused:

I guess that there is only one question left.......is she really hot :D

Really? Well here's what I observed one busy January 2010 morning at MCO. Woman directly in front of me had no picture ID. Apparently she concluded it was left in her hotel room. Woman asked random TSA rep wandering through line-up what to do and got the standard reply "we'll make phone calls and confirm your ID a different way." When woman got to TDC, TDCO asked for a credit card (I didn't see a picture on the CC), hemmed and hawed a little, and then let her through with the standard max security scribble that shows the high level cryptographic BP-ID match has been accomplished. Personally I don't care; This faith in picture ID as some sort of security measure has even less basis than the liquid explosive BS.

And some airports exceed even that, as the SO? procedure varies from lane to lane. or even varies over time for the same day at the same lane. :rolleyes:

How come I'm never so lucky to get a BDO to try that with me? Best I ever got was lead screener Grieto in AUS last October who told me he was not going to release me until I told him my home phone number (he had already searched my then cleared wallet for my driver's license).

I'll have to try harder I guess.

"Then I guess we're done, since you can't detain me or touch me. Did you want to call a police officer?"

SOrry it happened to your friend. This sort of incidents happen regularly.
When will people wake up to the shameful fraud perpetrated by our Govt and the TSA in the name of security and Behavioural Detection. BDO's are phony. The only people who appear suspicious. to them are those who appear to be of Middle Eastern origin to them.

That deduction may or maynot be correct. But there is a more serious problem where people are singled out because of their appearance.

Quite correct. It does happen on a daily basis. People who travel as many of us do have sene this happen and even experienced it.

Why are your anecdotes any more believable? Many don't believe anything you say. So where do we go from here. An employee being a supporter of an oppressive and stupid agency is nothing unusual and has very little credibility. The method described herein does not meet the MO of a BDO because they know nothing about BDO. Most, or enough of them They practice bigotry io the name of BDO. Why do you think the Nigerian slipped through?

She is Middle Eastern ain't she? ::rolleyes:

The sad state of affairs is that security apparatus is run based on appearance. It's been more than eight years since 9/11, six since the invasion of Iraq, we have had two Presidential elections and a change iof guard at the White House. The Emperor is still not wearing any clothes.

It depened on whether you look like a terrorist, err Middle Easterner/Muslim.

That's not necessarily so. They called the airline's Station Manager threatening me to recommend to her that I not be allowed to get on their flight. Later on the staion manager upgraded us to F on the flight to Honolulu. The FSD did come down and reccomended that the involved screeners undergo further training in SOPs. The reason, I would not hand our passports over to them, when going through the security after customs and immigration. We had already shown our other Govt issued photo ID's, the DL.