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How to Ask the NSA for Your Records
Posted May 28, 2006 – 7:56 pm by Yakov Shafranovich in PoliticsOne of the comments on my previous post asked for a formal letter so others can submit requests to the NSA as well for their records. The procedure is really easy - a sample letter and the actual procedure is described very clearly on the NSA website. The crux is as follows:
1. Let them know that it is a Privacy Act request.
2. Ask for the records that you want. If you wish, you can indicate the specific system as GNSA 18 - Operations Files (that’s where all the main stuff is).
3. Include any of your information that you want them to search by (usually name is good enough).
4. Send the request to the address or fax listed here.
IF YOU WANT TO SEND YOUR REQUEST VIA EMAIL
Send all of the information described above to foianet /at/ nsa [dot] gov with a digital signature. If you use PGP, you can use that. If you want to use S/MIME you can get a free email certificate from Thawte or Comodo (IE required). I used the Comodo one.
A sample letter should like this:
Under the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. section 552a, please furnish me with copies of all records about me indexed to my personal identifiers specified below. To help identify information about me in your record systems, I am providing the following required information:
[include your information]
Description of the records you seek:
Any available information about myself under the personal identifiers specified above contained in the NSA system identified as “GNSA 18 - Operations Files”.
If you deny all or any part of this request, please cite each specific exemption that forms the basis of your refusal to release the information and notify me of appeal procedures available under the law. If you have any questions about handling this request, you may telephone me at XXX-XXX-XXXX. If the fees for this request exceed $20, please contact me before processing the request.
Sincerely,
XXXXX XXXXXXXX
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