When Asked Personal Info - Do You Comply?

[jimlongley]

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

I use that, and then I tell them that my first name is "Coyne" and that my parents thought it was quite funny. Then I tell them that my address is "twelve thirty four, Justa Lane, (whatever city we happen to be in) and a zip code. It always amazes me when they accept the zip code even though it could not possibly go with the city.

I also give them my old office telephone number 518-471-6470. It's part of an official block of telephone numbers reserved for the phone company where I used to work and it's not likely that it will ever be reassigned.

I was once asked to prove that I was 21, and the bartender wanted to make a bet out of it, and I lost. I was 23.

I got my money back when I bet him that he couldn't tell what coins I had in my hand, even though I told him what one of them was. I simply asked "I have two coins in my hand, that total 55 cents, and one of them is not a nickle, what's the other one?" He lost double or nothing.

[GrillKing]

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

Agree, but I don't take it out on the clerk. It's not their fault. I usually will give zip, but just say "I know you are just doing your job, but I rather not give that out" for anything else. I've never had a problem.

[lunchbox]

i ask people for their info every day and most of the time i get it without question

and i have used this info for my benefit. not by selling it or anything but sometimes i need to give them a call with info or i need info from them like model numbers etc etc

we do not sell the info nor send mailers or telemarketing. it all just stays in the computer and only employees can access it all 7 of us

[LarryH]

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

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

By the time he asks for my name, he already has my money in his hand.

[longhorn_92]

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

Academy asks for zips all the time. I jokingly told a clerk No one time....she accepted that and continued the process. No questions asked after that...

Now, I say No all the time...and I am not joking anymore. They don't need any info from me.

[CHLSteve]

Some of you guys are exceptionally paranoid, and probably have no idea how much real information is already available about you on our lovely internet. You are already in "the system".

No need to be a jerk, or hardheaded about it. Just make up a name or phone number if you want. Just make something up... Why fight with a store clerk?

You should give your real info on larger purchases, however. Like someone else mentioned, they can track your receipt/warranty info that way which comes in handy if you ever need service on that stereo receiver you bought 30 months ago, but no longer have your purchase receipt.

[Venus Pax]

I gave my address when I signed up for store loyalty cards because they send me coupons by mail.

When asked for a phone number, I just tell them that I don't have a home phone number. Usually, they accept that. I did have one occasion where the clerk asked for my cell # instead, and I declined, telling her that I want to keep my cell private. I told her just to type a bunch of nines in the register, which she did.

I've never had to walk away from a purchase over the issue.

[WildBill]

Some of you guys are exceptionally paranoid, and probably have no idea how much real information is already available about you on our lovely internet. You are already in "the system".

The reason I do not give out information has nothing to do with paranoia. I stopped giving out information, other than my zip code, when I started getting three copies of the Radio Shack catalog in the mail every week. I am just doing my small part of trying to save the environment by reducing the amount of junk mail that gets mailed to me.

[KBCraig]

No need to be a jerk, or hardheaded about it. Just make up a name or phone number if you want. Just make something up... Why fight with a store clerk?

Wrong question. The question should be, "Why is the store clerk fighting with me over this?"

I won't make something up to appease them; I prefer honestly saying (politely) that my contact information is private. I have even suggested that they enter their own information, but for some reason they always hesitate to do that.

[Fangs]

I was in SA once with some friends and signed up for a Hollywood Video account just so we could rent a movie for the night. The next week my mom called me and asked why a Playboy magazine showed up in her mail with my name on it. That was still my mailing address since I was in college at the time and Hollywood Video felt a need to sign me up for 3 different "free trial" subscrtiptions, Playboy being one of them, after I expressly told them that I was not interested. Hehe, kind of awkward, but I got them all cancelled. A quick Google search showed that Best Buy had done the same thing.

[WildBill]

I was in SA once with some friends and signed up for a Hollywood Video account just so we could rent a movie for the night. The next week my mom called me and asked why a Playboy magazine showed up in her mail with my name on it. That was still my mailing address since I was in college at the time and Hollywood Video felt a need to sign me up for 3 different "free trial" subscrtiptions, Playboy being one of them, after I expressly told them that I was not interested. Hehe, kind of awkward, but I got them all cancelled. A quick Google search showed that Best Buy had done the same thing.

That was mighty nice of them.

[WildBill]

It's not a huge conspiracy to bombard you with junk mail and steal your identity, it's to make your life easier. For the three years I worked for Circuit City I would not hesitate to say there have been hundreds, if not close to a thousand customers who were relieved they gave us/me their information when they made the purchase so that we could verify their purchase for mail in rebates, warranty work, etc. because they lost their receipt.

I can see your point for larger purchases, but I never spent more than $5 at the Radio Shack. My Bad, if I didn't keep the receipt.

[KBCraig]

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.

If I want to register a big-ticket purchase, I do so. If I don't, that's my problem, and anyone who shows up months later demanding warranty service without a receipt is a fool.

But that aside, how many big ticket items does someone normally purchase? The annoyance comes when you are nagged over a pack of batteries or a DVD.

[CHLSteve]

The annoyance comes when you are nagged over a pack of batteries or a DVD.

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!