What to say?

T

troutman

New member
Most likely 99.9% of people will not be bothered by this but I'm & I would like something to say that will give companies the point of not asking such questions & I would like to say it without being rude. Which I have done from time to time.

I will give a couple of examples.

I go into McDonald's, place my order & they ask me my name.

I have been into Lowe's & they asked me my phone number.

I have been walking out of many stores that have asked to see my receipt. (which they have no right to see) , we do live in AMERICA still. for how long who knows.

I have had companies ask for my zip code.

It is none of their business. I will say this nicely it makes me mad!!!

Anyway have any ideas of what to say. So I don't sound like a jerk. Yet to let them know how much I don't like it.

Chip
 
Im not sure I understand the problem with asking for your receipt? (personal information I can understand, but making sure you're not shop lifting something is a different matter...IMO)
 
shanifaye,

This is AMERICA, as AMERICAN'S the store has the right to ask. We also have the right to refuse. If they detain you in any way they have then kidnapped you. Then if I say no, I'm to be made out to be criminal. Guess what once you have bought something its yours they have no right to look at your receipt or whats in your bag.

Why are we so willing to give up everything that was hard fought for in this Country.

It has been in the last year or two that we have lost are property right. No one marched on Washington, their should have been 300,000,000 people on the Capital Steps.

Most people just think I'm full of hot air.

These may seem like small things, but in the scheme of thing they are huge.

Were giving up right by right by right. We may lose are Country.



Chip
 
> I go into McDonald's, place my order & they ask me my name.

If I place an order somewhere and they ask my name, 95% of the time I will give my real first name and the other 5% I will make something up. They rarely ask me because they get it off my credit card, though. I am quite sure they just do this to try to get the right order to the right person.

> I have been into Lowe's & they asked me my phone number.

If the cashier is pleasant, I will say "no thank you". If they do not care about what they are doing, I will just say "no". If for whatever reason they need a number, I give them the phone number to a grocery store I used to work at or the number for the current time and temperature in my hometown. This only happened once at Bed, Bath, & Beyond and the cashier seemed distraught that I declined -- oh, and once on vacation where the tourist information booth needed a phone number to give us a book of coupons.

> I have been walking out of many stores that have asked to see my receipt. (which they have no right to see) , we do live in AMERICA still. for how long who knows.

I read an article on this a number of months ago. They only have the right to stop you if they have probable cause that you are stealing. If there is no way that you are stealing anything, they cannot stop you, but they can still call the cops. The story continued to say that the guy who refused to show his receipt also did not want to show his drivers license to the cop and was arrested. Unfortunately for the cop it is not required to show any sort of ID unless you are actually operating a vehicle, which he was not.

> I have had companies ask for my zip code.

That I just give because it is generic enough. I understand what type of marketing information they can pull from that and it is easier than just saying no. I have never had to, but I am pretty sure I would never repeat it if the cashier did not catch it the first time.

My $0.02: Best Buy is the worst at this. They used to ask about four questions (phone number, their rewards card, magazines, and something else) and would put in the gender of the purchaser, which there was no choice to reject. I know they can track more about me than I care to admit when I pay with my card. I am pretty sure they can pull your address (I know the name for sure) and track purchasing habits.

If you do not like the tactics at a certain store, either stop going there or write a letter to the store manager. Talking to them I do not think would have as much effect as putting it in writing.

Lastly, the quote you are looking for about receipts is from Benjamin Franklin from 1759: "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

--Jason
 
radio shack always used to ask for the phone number - but since stopped - because of customer complaints

there's a local store that asks for a zip code -that will usually ask if you're in the current zip and a simple yes is fine...

I worked witha guy once who was very protective of his social security number and wouldn't allow it to be used for insurance purposes - the insurance company issued him card 123-45-6789 -

all youhave to do is ask -or just say no thank you..
 
maleficent said:
I worked witha guy once who was very protective of his social security number and wouldn't allow it to be used for insurance purposes
Click to expand...
You surely do not need to give your Social Security number when signing up for insurance... and the company does not need to give you the good-credit discount or put you in a preferred tier, which is usually a good chunk of change. Most states have a statute where credit score cannot be used to decline insurance, but at least at my former job we were able to not quote applicants in Arizona without an insurance score of 600 or greater. (An insurance score is like a credit score, but goes from 100 to 997 instead of 350 to 850.) It all varies by state.

-J
 
These stores do this for marketing purposes and some sell our personal information to companies that deal and sell in personal information.

I always say nicely "I dont give out that information" for any question such as zip code or address.

If I'm filling out a receipt for a returned item and they require an address, I'll change my address by a few numbers (street number and house number).

Here's another tip. Notice you're asked to give out your private social security number to practically every Tom, Dick and Harry these days? Every doctor and dentist asks this too. Well I just switch my numbers around a bit so its not my exact social security no. Its none of their business! Obviously sometimes you have to give the right one, for getting a credit card or driver's license, but otherwise, try to switch numbers so you dont have to get into a beef about not wanting to give out the info.

Make sure your health insurance card number is NOT your social security number. One large company did that to me and I insisted on having the number changed. This would've made it very easy to steal my identity by any person who found my wallet with my health insurance card (since they could get my social security number from the card). I had to insist, but the insurance company did change it.

I do all this because its smart to protect your identity from every doctor's office receptionist on down the line. And I decline to give my zip code or other info at a store cuz its none of their business to ask. I'm not so bothered by the receipts though, since its usually really quick and obviously they're only doing this cuz they're getting ripped off and are looking for ways to curb or prevent theft.
 
Wow!
I find it so amusing what "irks" people.... I was in Linens and Things.. this lady gave her credit card and the clerk ( to protect her) asks to see her ID... this lady had a hissy. ....
They ask your zip code to find out where there customers are coming from....
What is the big deal??
I give my phone number no problem... I even give my e-mail address if I like the company and would like to receive great discounts and promotions.. I save a lot by joining the preferred customer clubs... Famous Footwear, Bath and Body and World Market have cool discounts...
Hey Maybe I'm just a lonely stay at hom mom shopper.. but I am alway friendly and always talkitive to sales staff everywhere...lol

You sound super paranoid... What are you afraid of?? The only number I guard is my social security number and my birthdate.. as I wouldn't want anyone getting a credit card in my name... as for phone number and address.. well any weirdo who sees you in a parking lot could follow you home.. so guarding those things seems stupid to me....

In any case it always amuses me when I see other customers get uptight about it.

The only stores that seem to want to see a receipt as you leave are the Electronic stores.. and I'm sure they have their reason.. they don't ask to search your bag to they?? Maybe they are tracking sales for some reason and looking at a specific number on the receipts...
For your own mental health.. Don't sweat the small stuff .... lol
 
I dont mind the stores checking ID for a credit purchase or for your receipt, but I find this new thing about asking for your zip code at every store annoying. They never used to treat their customers this way and I dont see why they need to bother asking us this personal information all of a sudden in the past few years. I dont get upset about it or rude with the sales clerks, but I dont feel like being a part of this new marketing thing either.

As far as willingly giving out your address, this is a surefire way to get your name, address and telephone number on a junk mail or telemarketing list, which seems to be your aim Misty, so obviously this is of no issue for you. To each his own, but I'd rather not receive any more junk mail and emails than I already do.

And I dont like the idea of my personal information and habits, down to the brand of tampon I use, being sold and resold to different companies. Yes, that's what happens when you swipe your store card to get your discounts. Some day it has been theorized that the fact that you buy a lot of steak and butter and cigarettes could be used to deny offering you health insurance. The information is being compiled and its not a paranoid leap to think of ways that all of this compiled information is and will be used.

You can generally be a laid back person who's not easily "irked" and still not like the idea of companies slowly but surely getting ahold of more and more of your personal information, or you may just not like junk mail or the risk of employees using your information in nefarious ways.
 
Ha! See.... Your use of the word Nefarious is what I'm talking about.. Paranoid! lol

First of all.. just because Safeway knows you like Steak and Eggs.. and lets say the Insurance company does get a hold of the info... there is no way to prove you ate the steak and eggs... you could have been buying them for your chubby neighbor! lol

And... If "Big Brother" knows that I am purchasing Tampax Tampons in the blue box ( the ones with the yellow wrapper).. maybe they will send me coupons or notify me of a recall ( in case they are made in china with lead laced cotton) snort!

( I'm just in a goofy mood.. this post was made with good natured nuttiness)
 
Its hardly the spirit of goofiness and fun to call me paranoid because I disagree with you. But then I could call you stupid :D. All in the spirit of fun! Enjoy clipping your coupons and sorting your junk mail. LOL
 
Misty53,

You don't get it. It is none of their business!!! Also if some one in the parking lot & says whats your name or let me see your receipt. Your going to give it to them? Because it's a company employee does not make it right.

I can see some one knock on your door & ask to look in your fridge, you would invite them in.


Chip
 
I get it.. I think you don't get it

You are P A R A N O I D !!!

It seems to me that people who would post their weight loss struggles for all the world to see would be much more open about their shopping habits.. lol
 
Troutman,

The questions they ask are for marketing purposes.

The receipt thing for shoplifters. yeh, u don't have to, but if they don't do something, more shoplifters and guess what, the prices go up and who foots the bill you and I who refused to show the receipt. It sucks to be looked at as someone who might steal, but then they can't discriminate. And how cna u tell a shoplifter anyway????

Geam - credit scores and how they are being used nowadays is totally wrong. To say that someone that has bad credit is more likely to scam the system is bs. If they were scam artists they wouldn't be in financial problems. Look at they guys/gals w/ the money!!

Once worked in a company where the comptroller was well respected and "seemed" financially secure until a clerk noticed something wierd. The prerun of checks compared to the post run of checks. The prerun had a vendor's name on a check, the postrun for the same check had his name. He went in and changed it. It was a fluke that the "low credit score clerk" caught this.
 
Misty53,

I don;t think you read my first post. I said "Most likely 99.9% of people will not be bothered by this but I'm" . I didn't say do you agree with me. I did not sau please get on here & tell me how wrong I'm & call me names. You do show your intelligence by calling me names.

Chip
 
I'm sorry I called you paranoid.

I guess we all have things that "irk" us in our day to day lives. I'll try to be helpful.

If I were you and it made me really really angry when clerks asked for my information... When they asked me my name at McDonalds I would say Prudence.( since you're a male may I suggest Pedro or Hector)

When they asked me my zip code I would say 90210.... When they asked me my address I would say 1122 boogie boogie Avenue and phone number 867-5309

And when they ask to see your receipt.. say" oh man.. I already ate it.."..Or... "they were out of TP in the rest room and I was forced to improvise"
 
First of all.. just because Safeway knows you like Steak and Eggs.. and lets say the Insurance company does get a hold of the info... there is no way to prove you ate the steak and eggs... you could have been buying them for your chubby neighbor! lol
Click to expand...

You would think that, but you would be wrong. Insurance companies get info from tons of different places, and will ding you for it. Ever been out at a bar, and seen Camel Cig girls walking around asking you to take a survey for their company, and if you do, you get a free nifty zippo lighter? Once you fill out that survey, and camel mines out whatever data they want from it, that list gets sold to insurance companies. Now they know you go out to bars, and that you smoke (both are questions on the survey). Any points of data logged about you in today's society are subject to function creep. While getting angry/upset might not be the optimal answer, there are very valid reasons for concern.
 
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