Privacy Act Request
Obtains ALL government records about you. May reveal SARs (Suspicious Activity Reports), unknown accounts, surveillance, and information the government has collected without your knowledge.
The Privacy Act gives you the right to:
- Access ALL records the government has about you
- Correct inaccurate records in government systems
- Find out who has accessed your records
- Discover surveillance or monitoring of your activities
This is broader than FOIA — it covers ALL records about YOU specifically.
Privacy Act requests often reveal:
- IRS records showing different income than reported
- Secret surveillance or monitoring
- Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) filed by banks
- Cross-agency information sharing
- Government contracts or benefits you didn't know about
Template
[YOUR STREET ADDRESS]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]
[YOUR PHONE NUMBER]
[YOUR EMAIL]
SSN: [YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER]
DOB: [YOUR DATE OF BIRTH]
[DATE]
RE: PRIVACY ACT REQUEST FOR ALL RECORDS
Request for Records Under 5 U.S.C. § 552a
Dear Privacy Act Officer:
Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, I request access to and copies of ALL records your agency maintains about me in any system of records.
Under 5 U.S.C. § 552a(d)(1), I have the right to access any record pertaining to me that is contained in a system of records. This includes all automated and manual files, databases, and collections of information.
I REQUEST ALL RECORDS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
1. IDENTIFICATION RECORDS:
- All records associated with my name: [FULL NAME]
- All records associated with my SSN: [SSN]
- Any records under variations of my name
- Any records with my previous addresses
- Biometric data (fingerprints, photos, etc.)
2. FINANCIAL RECORDS:
- IRS files, tax records, audits
- Bank account information
- Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs)
- Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs)
- Asset searches or inquiries
- Liens, levies, or garnishments
- Bankruptcy records
3. INVESTIGATIVE RECORDS:
- Any investigations involving me
- Criminal history records
- National Crime Information Center (NCIC) records
- Terrorist Screening Database checks
- No-fly list or selectee list status
- Any surveillance records
4. CORRESPONDENCE & COMMUNICATIONS:
- Letters to or from me
- Emails mentioning me
- Phone records or intercepts
- Inter-agency communications about me
- Third-party inquiries about me
5. BENEFITS & SERVICES:
- Social Security records
- Medicare/Medicaid records
- Veterans benefits records
- Government contracts or grants
- Licenses or certifications
6. LEGAL & JUDICIAL:
- Court records or proceedings
- Administrative actions
- Complaints filed by or against me
- Witness statements involving me
7. MORTGAGE/REAL ESTATE SPECIFIC:
- HUD/FHA records for property at: [PROPERTY ADDRESS]
- HAMP, HARP, or other modification programs
- Foreclosure-related records
- Complaints about servicers/lenders
- Fair housing violations
Please search ALL systems including but not limited to:
- IRS: Individual Master File (IMF), Business Master File (BMF), CADE
- SSA: Master Earnings File, Numident, Claims Folders
- DHS: TECS, IDENT, ADIS, SEVIS
- FBI: Central Records System, NCIC, NGI
- Treasury: FinCEN databases, OFAC lists
- HUD: CAIVRS, TOTAL, Single Family Data Warehouse
ACCOUNTING OF DISCLOSURES:
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552a(c), I also request an accounting of all disclosures of my records to any person or agency, including:
- Date, nature, and purpose of each disclosure
- Name and address of person or agency receiving disclosure
- Any records shared with state or local governments
- Any records shared with private entities
TIME PERIOD:
Please provide all records from [BIRTH DATE OR EARLIEST DATE] to present.
To verify my identity, I am providing:
- Notarized signature on this request (see below)
- Copy of government-issued ID (attached)
- Full name, date of birth, and Social Security Number
- Current and previous addresses
I declare under penalty of perjury that I am the person named above and authorized to receive these records.
FEES:
Under the Privacy Act, agencies may only charge for duplication, not search or review time. I request a fee waiver as this information is for personal use to understand government records about me. If fees exceed $[25], please contact me before processing.
FORMAT OF RECORDS:
Please provide records in electronic format (PDF) if possible. If records are too voluminous, please provide an index first so I can specify priority items.
CORRECTION OF RECORDS:
If any records contain inaccurate information, I reserve my right under 5 U.S.C. § 552a(d)(2) to request amendment of those records. Please flag any records that may contain information from third parties that could be disputed.
RESPONSE REQUIRED:
Under the Privacy Act, you must respond within a reasonable time. Courts have held this to be approximately 30 working days. Please acknowledge receipt of this request within 10 days.
Agencies that fail to comply with Privacy Act requests may be subject to:
- Court orders compelling production
- Damages for willful non-disclosure
- Attorney fees and costs
- Adverse inference in litigation
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States that I am the individual named above and am entitled to these records.
Sincerely,
_________________________________
[YOUR PRINTED NAME]
Date: [DATE]
State of [STATE]
County of [COUNTY]
On this _____ day of _________, 20___, before me personally appeared the above-named individual, who proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she executed the same in his/her authorized capacity.
Witness my hand and official seal.
_________________________________
Notary Public
My Commission Expires: ___________
Where to Send
Send copies to each agency's Privacy Act Officer:
IRS FOIA Request, Stop 211
PO Box 621506
Atlanta, GA 30362
Social Security Administration
Office of Privacy and Disclosure
617 Altmeyer Building
6401 Security Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21235
FBI, Attn: FOI/PA Request
Record/Information Dissemination Section
200 Constitution Dr.
Winchester, VA 22602
DHS/FOIA
500 12th Street SW, Stop 0655
Washington, DC 20536
HUD FOIA Officer
451 7th Street SW, Room 10139
Washington, DC 20410
Post-Mailing Checklist
- Letter notarized
- Copy of ID attached
- Sent to IRS
- Sent to SSA
- Sent to FBI
- Sent to DHS
- Sent to HUD
- All letters sent certified mail
- Calendar marked: 30 days for each
- Copies of all requests kept
Next Steps After Receiving Records
Look for surprises, inaccuracies, or records you didn't know existed.
If information is wrong, file a correction request under 5 U.S.C. § 552a(d)(2).
Government's own records are powerful evidence in any legal proceeding.
Legal Citations
5 U.S.C. § 552a(d)(1) — Right of access
5 U.S.C. § 552a(d)(2) — Right to request amendment
5 U.S.C. § 552a(c) — Accounting of disclosures
Related Templates
- FOIA Request Bundle — Request specific agency records
- Qualified Written Request — For mortgage servicers
- Debt Validation Letter — For debt collectors