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Blu-ray Update Sent To User Via Credit Card Records
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?
First, the facts: The Chase policy, which is similar to those of many other credit card companies, states: "You may tell us not to share information about you with non-financial companies outside of our family of companies. Even if you do tell us not to share, we may do so as required or permitted by law..."
According to the Wikipedia article, the credit card number, expiration date, and PIN verification info. I've seen tweekers do it with stolen cards. Magstripe readers are available for 50 bucks online.
This is not unusual. I have benefited from several class action suits where they have somehow tracked me down years after the fact, which is particularly impressive because as a student/young professional/grad student, I moved almost every year.
What probably happens is they give the debit card number (which is unique and remains unique long after you cancel/close the account) to a credit reporting agency (e.g. Equifax), and the credit agency has a record of your most recent address, which they got when you changed your address at your bank or any of your other credit cards.
Or this case, which might possibly result in a SCOTUS ruling requiring cops to use their brains before using their cuffs.
When information is power, privacy is freedom.
As they say on Wikipedia, "citation needed". I've bought a hundreds of things at BB, and even worked there for a spell when I was between real jobs; never once was I asked for my phone number during a purchase.
Slightly disreputable, albeit gregarious
You purchase an item on Credit you're entering into an agreement to pay for something they are going to want to know your billing address so that they can verify payment. If you're that concerned about your privacy you need to not enter into such agreements and pay for everything with cash (which protects both sides). As a side note isn't this potentially a good thing that they sent you an update? You can decide not to use it if you fear its updating drm as opposed to improving the product.
This would not be the case in Belgium. In fact it is even illegal to do it that way. If I give only my credit card details, all they will have is the following information:
Last 4 numbers of the credit card (We are not allowed to keep the credit card number anywhere)
The name of the credit card holder and the expiration date.
From the transaction itself the time, amount, item and card. (e.g. visa)
Some extra information related to the payment itself an the communication concerning the payment.
No link there with the users address. So unless we link it elsewhere with the address, we would have no idea what that would be. Calling the company will result in nothing but wasted time for both as they are not allowed by law to tell us the address.
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
Most retail stores put your information into their database when you make a purchase.
The first time you purchase from a company you'll usually be asked your name, address, and phone number before making the purchase no matter how you're paying.
Same thing with online orders as well.
Even if you don't tell it to remember your information it's still in a record somewhere.
I'm personally not too worried about it.
Check you card for any bill BB wants $30 to do this.
http://consumerist.com/5122504/watch-out-for-firmware-shenanigans-at-best-buy
Yes, you should. It is combining two complete clauses. If both clauses were short, it would be optional, but it is always correct to use a comma in this case.
If you want to complain about something, complain about the comma splice in the last sentence. It should either be a period (followed by a capital letter) or a semicolon.
--David the Grammarian
P.S. Just to bring this back on topic, if you want to make it a lot harder for this to happen, use a prepaid credit card and pay with cash.
Note: there are two short clauses in that last sentence. :-)
Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.
When you use a debit card, your using Visa or MasterCard's good name and network to check with your bank to see if your account has the appropriate funds for the transaction.
If your bank account does have enough funds, Visa/MasterCard requests the transaction amount to be placed on hold on your account until such a time as when the funds can be actually transferred from your bank account to the merchant's account with a credit card merchant office (e.g. Nova). This transfer can happen instantly during business hours or can hold as pending until the next available business day if done during off hours or weekends.
You sign/confirm to an agreement that the funds will still be there when the transaction electronically resolves itself. If you don't have the funds, Visa/Mastercard can come rape you. If the merchant sold you damaged goods and will not issue you a refund, you can use Visa/Mastercard's thugs to force their hand. If you didn't make the purchase (identity theft), your bank can use Visa/Mastercard's thugs to track things down, issue you a provincial credit, and other fun things.
Anytime you pay for something electronically, your info will be made known to the merchant and Visa/Mastercard. How do you think Visa has that promo for debit cards allowing you to be the big mystery winner just for using your debit card to make purchases?
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, START
I've stopped shopping at stores that use my credit card as a way to get me on their mailing list. On vacation, we bought some chocolates at Harry & David. When we got back, there was a catalog from them in our mail with my name (not "Resident") in the address.
I'm not saying you're wrong but you do realize it is far more likely that they got your name and address from a local mailing list vendor than from your credit card? Especially around the holidays. There are countless services available that can target promotional mailings for a fee. There are all sorts of public sources for this information including housing records. (seriously - buy a house and you will get spammed with more refinancing offers than you can imagine)
I get Harry & David catalogs too (no I don't want them), with my name on them and I've never purchased anything from H&D. They also will send you catalogs if someone else buys you a gift from H&D.
That's not to say they don't use credit card into. I never give a zip code, phone number or any other info when checking out because it can be cross referenced. I nearly called the cops on the guys at Jiffy Lube once because they drained the oil in my car and then insisted they needed my address to put oil back in. They do have a legal right to ask and can refuse service if I don't provide the information but then I have a legal right to shop elsewhere as well.
You're going to bother going to the ATM to get a couple of hundred dollars in cash?
Instead of using a credit card, where the purchase is _cheaper_ (cash back, other rewards) than with cash. I pay off my credit cards every month, they're more convenient than cash, especially now that virtually all places I go to take them (e.g. restaurants).
Except it's not cheaper, what you interpret as cash back is actually compensation for providing your personal information and you having paid extra for the "convenience".
It's sharing a percentage of the charge the vendor has to pay for processing a credit card, ever wonder why some places (commonly gas stations) have different prices for cash/credit? Prices overall could be a few percent cheaper if nobody used credit cards and that "cash back" could be accruing interest in YOUR bank account instead of theirs!
I'll take the 2% in my savings account rather than the 1% you get back after a month (interest free) any day (and Discover doesn't give it back anymore until you've accrued a big chunk).
Also, I use credit cards for business expenses, and the transactions take longer than cash (which I use for all personal expenses). Ironically, it used to be you'd look for the line where people were paying cash as it was faster, and now the credit card payment systems have gotten more convoluted and time consuming than when we signed paper slips, never mind waiting for a slow network day or waiting for the clerk to explain which buttons to press to each person in line. (Although I love self checkouts, then there's nobody there to explain to people how to process their plastic.)
Credit cards have their place (paper trail, online ordering), but they do enable others to profit from you and your information (while you pay them for the privilege).
(And yes, of course pay them off completely every month, anything else and you should use cash simply to not spend beyond what you have!)
PS: Ever wonder why credit companies can afford such lavish advertising, promotions, sponsorships, cash back programs, technical infrastructure all while being subject to so much fraud and theft? It's because they profit so much from each of "your" transactions. Sure you can minimize the extra costs to you, but they have perfected their revenue stream and made it appear inexpensive/painless.