New York Lawmakers Urge Visa, Mastercard, to Flag Gun Sales

The Gothamist reports the law makers sent a letter to the credit card companies, in which they urge Visa and Mastercard to move guns out from under a broad category like sporting goods, placing them under one that refers specifically to guns or gun stores.

The Gothamist summarized:

If credit cards had a code for purchases at gun stores, the same laws would let them flag if someone were spending large amounts of money at one dealer, or traveling to multiple gun retailers in a short amount of time. The legislators say that could ultimately help law enforcement to stop crimes like firearms trafficking, or even to prevent mass shootings.

PoliticsNY notes that NY State Sen. Zellnor Y. Myrie (D-Central Brooklyn) is spearheading the effort to change the categorizations for guns purchased via credit cards.

Myrie said, “The rise in gun violence has had devastating consequences for New Yorkers, and we need every sector to step up and do their part. Credit card companies have the power to identify merchants and transactions, and report suspicious activity to law enforcement when it may preempt a mass shooting.