Electronic Privacy Watchdog Warns Of Abuse Of Counterfeit Tracking Technology

July 14, 2008 7:21 p.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Nearly invisible yellow dots on laser printed paper originally developed to battle currency counterfeiting could be used to go after political dissidents, whistle blowers and anyone who uses laser printers, warns an electronic privacy watchdog group.

The yellow dots, seen only by using a blue LED light, is normally used by the Secret Service to probe counterfeit money made using laser printers, according to Lorelei Pagano, director of the Central Bank Counterfeit Deterrence Group.

Seth Schoen, a computer programmer with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, pointed out while there is nothing wrong if the technology is used to investigate counterfeit bill production, the privacy of other people not involved in currency counterfeiting may also be threatened.

The dots provide information on the serial number of the laser printer used, and sometimes time and date. Among the laser printers tested by the foundation and found to use that technology were 11 brands manufactured by 13 firms including Xerox, Canon, Hewlett-Packard, Epson and Brother.

The technology is part of the counterfeit deterrence system set up by Federal Reserve banks and the central banks of other G-10 nations.