Latest news with #CustomsAndBorderProtection
CNET
15 hours ago
- CNET
Get a Burner Phone for Travel and Keep Border Agents Away from Your Private Info
Agents of US Customs and Border Protection are reportedly becoming more aggressive about scanning people's personal electronic devices when they arrive in the US -- even for US citizens returning from traveling abroad. Some businesses are even recommending that their employees use simple "burner" phones to keep sensitive information safe. If your plans involve a border crossing, it's time to look into getting a burner. But a basic phone isn't just for travel. A phone that doesn't include all of your personal information or has a simpler interface can be quite handy, such as cutting down on unsolicited calls or even avoiding distractions. Comedian Conan O'Brien recently praised his burner as a way to not get bogged down in instant messages and notifications. Read more: Best Prepaid Phone of 2025 Although carriers have offered prepaid phones since the '90s, the term "burner phones" or "burners" essentially became popular in the 2000s due to its use in the celebrated HBO series The Wire, in which characters use burner phones to avoid getting caught by the police. Although often portrayed as such, burners are not only popular among criminals. With privacy concerns rising, you might consider using a burner phone yourself. So, what exactly is a burner phone and how does it work? Below, we explain everything you need to know about burners and how to get one. What is a burner phone? Simply put, a burner phone is a cheap prepaid phone with no commitments. It comes with a set number of prepaid call minutes, text messages or data and is designed to be disposed of after use. Burners are contract-free, and you can grab them off the counter. They're called burner phones because you can "burn" them, i.e., trash them after use, and the phone cannot be traced back to you, which makes them appealing to criminals. Burner phones are typically used when you need a phone quickly, without intentions of long-term usage. Burners are different from getting a regular, contract-bound cellphone plans that require a lot of your information to be on file. Why should you use a burner phone? Diy13/Getty Images Burner phones are an easy way to avoid pesky cellphone contracts or spam you may be getting on your primary phone number. Burners are not linked to your identity, so you can avoid getting tracked down or contacted if that's what you need. However, you don't have to dispose of it after use -- you can just add more minutes and continue using it. Burner phones can still function as regular phones, minus the hassle of getting a phone with a contract. You can also get a burner phone as a secondary phone for a specific purpose, like having a spare phone number for two-factor authentication texts, for business purposes or to avoid roaming charges while traveling. You can get a burner phone for any privacy reasons you may have. Read more: The Data Privacy Tips Digital Security Experts Wish You Knew Burner phones, prepaid phones, smartphones and burner SIMs: What's the difference? Burner phones are typically cheap feature phones and usually don't come with the bells and whistles of a smartphone. Because these are designed to be cheap and disposable, you only get the essentials and very simple designs. The flip phone is a common sight in the burner phone market. All burner phones are prepaid phones, but not all prepaid phones are burners. What sets a burner apart is that you will not have to give away any personal information to get one and it won't be traceable back to you. Also, it will be cheap enough to be trashed after use. Prepaid smartphones are generally low-end models to begin with and burners are the cheapest prepaid phones you can get. However, you can use any unlocked smartphone with prepaid SIM cards if you want to, essentially making it a prepaid phone. If you want to get a burner, you don't necessarily have to buy a new phone. You can get a burner SIM and use it with an existing phone as well. Burner SIMs are prepaid SIMs you can get without a contract or giving away personal information. Where can you buy a burner phone? Burner phones are available at all the major retailers. Shelby Knowles/Bloomberg/Getty Images Burner phones are available at all the major retail outlets. You can pick them up from Walmart, Target, Best Buy and other big retailers. They're also often available at convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Rite Aid, local supermarkets, gas stations, and retail phone outlets like Cricket, Metro and others. You can get a burner phone with cash; a typical burner should cost between $10 and $50. It may cost more if you get more minutes and data with the phone. If you're getting a burner phone specifically to avoid having the phone traced back to you, it makes sense to pay with cash instead of a credit card. If you just want a prepaid secondary phone, you can pay for one with a credit card. Credit cards will leave a paper trail that leads back to you but that shouldn't be an issue unless you really don't want the burner phone linked back to you. There are also many apps that let you get secondary phone numbers, including Google Fi and the Burner app. However, these cannot quite be called burners in the ideal sense, because these providers will typically have at least some of your personal information. If you're just looking to get a solid prepaid phone without anonymity, you can check out our full guide for the best prepaid phone plans available currently. We also have a guide for the best cheap phone plans you can get.
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Marijuana products seized at Windsor-Detroit Tunnel
Marijuana/THC products seized at the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel on May 18, 2025. (Source: CBP/X) U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized various marijuana/THC products from a pair of inbound travelers at the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel. It took place on May 18. CBP officials say the vehicle occupants, both U.S. citizens, were each assessed a $500 penalty.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
3 plane crash survivors plucked from Atlantic Ocean at night after plane goes down off Florida coast
Three people have been rescued from the Atlantic Ocean in the dark after their plane went down several miles offshore off the coast of Florida, officials said. Officials from Air and Marine Operations, an operational component of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, were alerted to a single-engine Cessna Skyhawk crashing down into the ocean on Sunday evening several miles offshore, according to a statement from of U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Monday. MORE: 61-year-old man survives being pinned down by 700-pound boulder for 3 hours in Alaska creek 'During the evening of June 1, an AMO Fort Pierce Marine Unit was alerted by the Indian River Shores Police Department that a single-engine Cessna Skyhawk had crashed approximately 2 to 3 miles offshore,' officials said. 'AMO crews immediately responded and arrived at the location, joining search and rescue efforts already underway by the U.S. Coast Guard, Indian River County Sheriff's Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Indian River Shores Police Department.' MORE: 6 gray whales have died in San Francisco in the past week as authorities scramble for answers MORE: Tourists at beach house find human remains dating back 200 years An Indian River County Sheriff's Office helicopter was able to locate three heat signatures in the water which led to a focused search of the area and, at approximately 9:50 p.m. on Sunday night, AMO Marine Interdiction Agents located two survivors before finding the third one shortly after and bringing him on board as well. 'The survivor identified himself as the pilot and confirmed that only three individuals had been aboard the aircraft at the time of the crash,' CBP officials said. 'AMO agents assessed the pilot's condition, monitoring his vitals and providing initial care as he reported severe rib pain. The pilot was transferred to the Coast Guard 45-foot vessel for Emergency Medical Technician evaluation.' MORE: Black bear found sitting on stove inside home after crashing through ceiling All three survivors were immediately taken to Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce for further medical treatment by local fire rescue personnel. 'AMO remains committed to protecting lives and supporting partner agencies in search and rescue efforts across the nation's coastal regions,' officials said. 3 plane crash survivors plucked from Atlantic Ocean at night after plane goes down off Florida coast originally appeared on
New York Times
2 days ago
- General
- New York Times
Border Officials Told Not to Attend Events Tied to Diversity in Law Enforcement
The Trump administration this year ordered federal border agents and customs officers not to attend events hosted by organizations that support women or minority groups in law enforcement, according to a senior border official. Customs and Border Protection, the largest law enforcement agency in the federal government, issued a little-noticed internal memo in late March telling its officials not to attend events or conferences hosted by organizations like Women in Federal Law Enforcement and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, or NOBLE, said the senior official, Timothy Quinn. Mr. Quinn worked at the agency for nearly 12 years until he retired on Friday as a result of the policy. In an interview on Monday, Mr. Quinn said the directive was included in a broader travel advisory issued on March 28 to senior officials at the agency, who were then expected to pass along the instruction to the rank and file. The memo, which invoked President Trump's executive order banning diversity practices across the federal government, barred attendance at events or conferences 'that have a gender basis, race basis or a culture basis,' Mr. Quinn said. 'I think that's discrimination,' said Mr. Quinn, the former head of Customs and Border Protection's Office of Intergovernmental Public Liaison. 'I don't understand why we wouldn't engage with these organizations to share this kind of information.' In a statement, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Customs and Border Protection, said the agency's 'personnel are free to participate in outside groups on their own time.' 'However, C.B.P. will not use taxpayer dollars and official duty hours to fund identity-based events or programs,' Ms. McLaughlin said. 'As a federal law enforcement agency, our focus is on the mission.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBS News
6 days ago
- General
- CBS News
54 pounds of marijuana found in Massachusetts woman's luggage at Pittsburgh International Airport
A Massachusetts woman was caught with more than 50 pounds of marijuana in her luggage at Pittsburgh International Airport, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on Friday. While inspecting passenger baggage being loaded onto a London-bound flight on Saturday, officers said they found several vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana inside two suitcases. Officers learned the luggage belonged to 30-year-old Jetta Monet Corbett of Brockton, Massachusetts, who was detained at the departure gate. Officers intercept 54 pounds of UK-bound marijuana During a secondary examination, Customs and Border Protection said officers found a total of 49 vacuum-sealed packages of a substance that field tested positive for marijuana. Authorities said the marijuana weighed over 54 pounds and had a street value of about $240,000. Depending on how strong the drug was, Customs and Border Protection said the shipment could have fetched two to three times more if Corbett had made it to Europe. (Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection) Customs and Border Protection turned the marijuana and Corbett over to the Allegheny County police, who arrested her. She's charged with one felony count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance. Criminals are using flights to move weed, CBP says Bulk marijuana seizures at Pittsburgh International Airport are rare, but Customs and Border Protection said officers have been seeing a trend of "transnational criminal organizations" trying to move marijuana through passenger baggage and express air delivery to Europe and Africa, where it can generate huge profits. "Anyone considering making a quick buck by carrying bulk marijuana loads for drug trafficking organizations should realize that the consequences you face can be severe when Customs and Border Protection officers catch you," said James Hindes, Customs and Border Protection's acting port director for the Port of Pittsburgh. "One way that law enforcement agencies can combat transnational criminal organizations is to hit them hard in the wallet, so CBP will continue to seize these marijuana loads when we encounter them and deprive criminals of this illicit revenue."
