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Blu-ray Update Sent To User Via Credit Card Records

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the allright-that's-just-plain-scary dept.

wmoyes writes "Back in September I ran into a Best Buy store to buy a Samsung BD-P2550 Blu-ray player. I didn't give the clerk my name, telephone number, or address, just my debit card. The player has sat happily in my living room without ever being networked or registered. Today I was shocked to find a package waiting for me at home from Best Buy — inside was a firmware update CD for the player. I used to think Windows Update was scary, but Samsung's update service tracked me to my house using the mag stripe from my bank card. Has this happened to any other Blu-ray owners?" Or is there a simpler explanation?

2 of 526 comments (clear)

  1. Why not to buy anything Sony (or Blu-ray) by woboyle · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Sony has lost all my business forever, since the cd root kit fiasco a couple of years ago. As for Blu-Ray, I refuse to purchase any consumer device that REQUIRES me to install some so-called upgrade. The fact that you cannot play some newer media without upgrading in the case of blu-ray, just raises my hackles.

    In this case, I think there is a matter of invasion of privacy. I can understand why they might send you an upgrade after registering the product, but HOW IN THE EARTH'S GOOD NAME DO THEY KNOW YOU HAVEN'T PURCHASED IT AS A PRESENT FOR SOMEONE ELSE?! Such maroons...

    In any case, I personally would boycott the store that did this. This situation shows that they have absolutely no respect for the privacy rights of their customers.

    --
    Sometimes, real fast is almost as good as real-time.
  2. you know who your customers are by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I have a merchant credit card account for V,MC,D, you know the telephone swipe box that sits on the store counter.

    It's pretty easy for the merchant, BestBuy whoever, to get your name and address from it. Samsung asked BestBuy to pass on the update to whoever purchased the SKU. It's a tremendous courtesy, actually.

    There is no privacy. Get over it. No matter how much the Planned Parenthood robots babble about the "Right to Privacy" whenever abortion is discussed. I know where my customers live. And Planned Parenthood rents its mailing lists to (mostly) liberal interests. Except for the one time it rented them to Newt Gingrich's Contract With America. Hey, it worked.

    You have no clue about mailing lists. I hope I scared you.