When Asked Personal Info - Do You Comply?

[Abraham]

Radio Shack was the first retailer I can remember asking for my name, address, phone number, etc., when all I wanted was to buy a battery and leave.

Just sell me the battery please.

Other retailers are starting in with this personal information demand, although some just want your zip code. (and yes, I know why...)

Yesterday, during the course of buying a simple can of spray cleaner at a specialty store, I was asked for my name and apparently the clerk was poised to ask for more information when I pleasantly told her she didn't need my name. I wasn't applying for a job or credit... She looked flustered and responded peevishly. Yes, I know she was only doing her job, but that's not my problem. A simple purchase shouldn't come with a grilling.

Am I unreasonable? I don't think so. My name, rank and serial number are none of a retailer's business when it comes to a simple, CASH purchase.

I've also stopped giving my Social Security Number when it's not germane. Most of the time, my not providing it is not questioned, but the few times I've been told I MUST comply, I've calmly responded that I can easily take my business elsewhere and only once did I have to.

Am I in the minority in this perspective?

[nitrogen]

nope.

[seamusTX]

I'm with you, Abraham.

U.S. currency still says, "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private." That is all the information that they need.

- Jim

[flb_78]

Sure, My name is Rusty Shackleford.

[agbullet2k1]

I'll give my information out if and only if it's not too invasive and it might be to my benefit. Let's face it, getting someone's address is as easy as opening one of the 30 phone books I have littering my front doorstep each month. Zip code? Fine, they're just trying to decide where their customer base is so they can send out flyers. Address? Maybe they have a customer incentive program. Maybe after $XXX.XX of purchases you can get a coupon or gift card that isn't normally distributed. If that's not your cup of tea, then yes, politely decline (clerks sometimes must ask and have quotas to meet, so try not to blame it on them).

When I worked at Circuit City, we were required to ask (not to get) customer's info so that we could have records of purchases w/o the customer bringing in a receipt. It was convenient for the customer not to have to keep up with scraps of paper and came in very handy when that receiver you bought 11 months ago fried and you needed to prove it was still under warranty. It also labelled who some of the biggest spenders were, and the company sent out extra coupons and such around holidays. I had plenty of folks refuse the offer the info, which was fine, totally their right to do so.

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.

[LarryH]

When Radio Shack asks for my name, I tell them "cash".

[agbullet2k1]

When Radio Shack asks for my name, I tell them "cash".

"And how will you be paying today Mr. Cash?"

I had sort of the same issues when I used to work at Circuit City in College Station. Ask for ID on a credit card and they'd go nuts if I refused the card because it wasn't their card to begin with.

"It's my boyfriends/father's/step brother's credit card and I have permission to use it!"

Too bad, can't take it. It's not yours.

Had one guy chase down a TN state trooper in the store that was there with his young daughter and asked him to arrest me for refusing his card for not showing ID. I can only imagine that had his daughter not been with him, the guy would have gotten more than a "it's not a crime. Have a nice day."

[Mike1951]

Yesterday, during the course of buying a simple can of spray cleaner at a specialty store, I was asked for my name and apparently the clerk was poised to ask for more information when I pleasantly told her she didn't need my name.

Quite likely, this "spray cleaner" might be something that could be misused as an inhalent and would come under the same restrictions as spray paint and other volatiles. The clerk was probably required by law to get proof of age, at least.

[nitrogen]

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

[boomerang]

I usually lie. It's easier than arguing with them.

[agbullet2k1]

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.

[KBCraig]

I think Service Merchandise was the first place that I encountered that. It was when Radio Shack became obnoxious about it that I started refusing (and I think they've stopped after so many protests).

I actually left merchandise on the counter at Toys-R-Us and walked out when the cashier insisted she had to have my phone number. It wasn't for a check, I was going to pay cash and she wouldn't even ring it up! For years my only number has been my cell phone, and I don't give that out unless I want to be called. It wouldn't help their direct marketing anyway, since there's no reverse lookup on cell numbers.

But anyway, I don't give out my information. If I pay by check or card, they get that information anyway. I don't sign the backs of my cards, I write "ID REQUIRED" and prepare to show my DL, but most don't even check for that.

When I'm buying beer and the store asks for my date of birth, I usually spout off today's date minus 21 years. Since I'm 45 and look it (I've been gray since I was 25), I usually get a funny double take. "What, don't I look 21?"

I had one gal really laugh at that because she knew how stupid it was. When I pointed out that I could beat their "system" by lying, she chuckled right along.

[cowboymd]

Zip Code ought to be enough for their marketing info. Anymore than that becomes invasive.