When Asked Personal Info - Do You Comply?

[KaiserB]

I just answer NO.

If they insist I explain it was an all inclusive NO.

If they continue after that, I ask for the manager and hand back the cart load of items, and say NO SALE.

[Venus Pax]

Maybe, but I find the constant, "Would you like to put this on your Best Buy/JC Penny/Sears/Victoria's Secret credit card?" to be even worse!

True. Most people don't need any additional burdens.

[nitrogen]

When I went to Radio Shack, I used to say my name was David Edmonston (former CEO of radio shack)

Nobody ever got it.

[Morgan]

It IS against Visa and Mastarcard's merchant agreements to demand ID for credit card purchases as long as the card is signed.

While it IS their policy, it sure isn't enforced. Something like mandatory checking of ID's, which is on a company internal memo coming from corporate, would surely have been challenged by now if it is ever to be challenged.

ETA: It is allowed per Merchant Agreement for the merchant to phone in verification for a credit card transaction regardless of signature and in doing so wait on hold for an available operator, so while showing ID may not be *required*, it certainly will save you time.

Right...but don't you get it? The standard contract between retailers and V/MC basically said "if the card is signed, you will not request other form of identification... run the card, get the approval number, compare the signature..."

And you're right, I don't know why nobody has really pushed the issue. Or they probably have on individual basis, but the card companies don't really care... it's not like people are stopping using their products because of it.

[bdickens]

They hesitate to do that because they are not the one making the purchase. Now whenever you come in complaining that you can't get warranty service on whatever it is you bought because they can't find your purchase and no longer have your receipt, guess what? The clerk's name, phone number, and address is on your purchase. You will never be able to get a copy of your receipt or have your purchase verified in the future if you need to.

Well, if getting something warranted is that important, you can just be sure to keep the receipt somewhere safe.

The people at these stores are constantly asking for personal information. Not once has anyone asked "would you like to go ahead and register the warranty information now while you're here."

No, the reason they are being so invasive is so they can fill my mailbox with junk mail and sell my name to mailing lists.


STORE CLERK: "Can I get your personal, private information?"
ME: "No you may not. all the information you need for this transaction is right here in my debit card."

[Abraham]

I'm perplexed at the folks who are on the side of intrusive merchant or are passive about this subject.

I don't need to be told that (in essence) "it's for your own good you give up your personal information - we know what's best for you..."

Or

Hey bub, if we want to know more about you, it's available, so don't be difficult, just give it up! I was told a variation on this theme at Sprint when I wouldn't give them my Social Security number.

Or - O.K. - the list goes on regarding merchants insisting they need your personal information as if you've no reasonable expectation to keep it confidential.

Yeah, right!

One of the many reasons I don't cavalierly give out my personal information is, I have no way of knowing how well or even if those with that information, will protect it.

An example: At a bank, in the lobby, sat the lady I rented a safe deposit box from. She stated, when I balked at giving out my Social Security number, that it'd be VERY well protected. I ultimately agreed, wrote the number on the required document and as we walked away from her desk (open to the view on anyone walking by) she left the document, face up, completely on top of everything on her desk, with all my personal info to include my social security number for anyone walking by to see. Arrgggghhhhh!

When we got twenty feet away, I stopped her and politely asked if leaving the document in that manner (I pointed back at her desk) was how she VERY well protected my personal information. She blushed furiously, walked back to her desk, picked up my paper work and kept it in her hand for the balance of the time we spent together.

Terrific eh?

[agbullet2k1]

I'm perplexed at the folks who are on the side of intrusive merchant or are passive about this subject.

I don't need to be told that (in essence) "it's for your own good you give up your personal information - we know what's best for you..."

I don't think anyone here said you should give over information because "resistance is futile." I think those on the side of "don't care" just don't see the big deal in giving out zip codes or addresses IF it could be to their benefit. Sure I get a few BB&B coupons and Macy's flyers each month, but that's why there's a garbage can next to the mailbox. I also get special invitations to wine tastings, store coupons not released to the general public, restaurant gift cards, etc. If you don't feel that any of that stuff is worth giving out your info, then by all means decline. It's a personal cost/benefit analysis that everyone has to solve for themselves.

Also, I don't think anyone here has said you *should* hand over your info. At most, some have said it may be beneficial to do so, but everyone can most certainly decide to decline if they wish. Free country and all.

One thing that works for me is setting up a seperate email account just for subscriptions and spam. That way, I can sign up for all the birthday clubs (Cold Stone, Texas de Brazil, etc.) and check the account the week before my birthday (or even hollidays in some cases) and cash in. The spam just sits there, on hotmail, never hurting anyone, and my normal everyday email is safely tucked away on a seperate gmail account. YMMV.

[Abraham]

We'll have to agree to disagree.

I think too, maybe, it's a generational thing. Younger people seem not to care as much about safeguarding their personal information. They've been manipulated in this regard all their lives so as to be desensitized...

One more point: I don't like the act of being asked for this information. Whether or not it may benefit (my judgment to make - not anyone else) or not.

I find simply being asked inappropriate and annoying. Much like I don't like being pestered by street corner beggars with "hey, can you spare some change" I don't like to tell them to back off, but I do...

When I make a transaction to the benefit of whatever business entity I engage - I'm doing them a favor, not the other way around. They should remember this and not hound me for that, they have no right too.

[agbullet2k1]

We'll have to agree to disagree.

I think too, maybe, it's a generational thing. Younger people seem not to care as much about safeguarding their personal information. They've been manipulated in this regard all their lives so as to be desensitized...

One more point: I don't like the act of being asked for this information. Whether or not it may benefit (my judgment to make - not anyone else) or not.

I find simply being asked inappropriate and annoying. Much like I don't like being pestered by street corner beggars with "hey, can you spare some change" I don't like to tell them to back off, but I do...

When I make a transaction to the benefit of whatever business entity I engage - I'm doing them a favor, not the other way around. They should remember this and not hound me for that, they have no right too.

Agreeing to disagree.

[Abraham]

Had it happen again at O'Reilly auto parts store.

Went to return an item for a refund and the clerk asked for my home telephone number.

I informed him he didn't need that. He said he did. He couldn't perform the transaction without it.

I smiled and told him to make one up.

He grimaced and made one up.

I got my refund.

As if they HAVE TO HAVE YOUR home telephone number, thus putting the onus on you for your personal information and you MUST comply!

You don't have to do any such thing. I wish people would be more assertive about this. It would help end this nonsense.

Now, get off my lawn!

[mr.72]

This is a major pet peeve of mine.

In fact, we did without cable television for a long time because Time Warner refused to give me service without my providing my social security number. In fact they wanted to run a credit check, but I was already a long-time customer and I protested, informing them that my payment history to Time Warner was a much more reliable indicator of my reliability as a paying customer than would be any credit report. Finally after several letters back and forth between myself and TWC management, they disconnected my service and lost a customer until they changed their policy a few years later.

I absolutely will not give my SSN unless there is a real, solid, legitimate reason for it. If I am applying for credit, then I will give it so they can run a credit check. Period.

Same goes for my home address, phone number, etc. If it's a merchant that I would like to be able to contact me for some reason, I will give it. But if it's just Radio Shack or Fry's, then they can shove it. I don't need their fliers in the mail and I don't need my name brokered on some mailing list.

By the way, the very, very worst for selling your information is probably your county, state or city government. In my case, I own a business. When I filed the DBA with the county, and they sold my contact info to every provider of health insurance, credit cards, you name it. All of the sudden my phone was ringing off the hook, not with business but with solicitations.

[Captain Matt]

I don't mind giving them a zip code. If they ask for more I give them a fake address and phone number. I use the same fake address and phone number for everyone so when I get a haircut they can find me in the computer.

[ProudNativeTexican]

I don't give out my info. I will either make some up or go to another store. I don't see how it is going to benefit me that they have my info. I don't need more mail or a coupon.

I have also told the good lookingcashier I would give them my info. when she gives me hers.

[KC5AV]

I'll give my zip code, but not much beyond that.

[dihappy]

The problem I constantly ran into were people refusing to show ID for credit card/check purchases, and thinking that it was even against the law to ask.

I had a guy refuse to give a credit card when checking into the hotel i work at, then he said he didnt have one.

I told him that i couldnt let him check in without a CC and he went on and on about how he travels the world and stays at big hotels without a CC and asking me why i need one, etc etc.

After about 5 minutes he became vulgar and i stopped trying to help him, i told him that he could leave now or wait for the cops to escort him out :)