Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site sdcsvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!sdcsvax!brian From: brian@sdcsvax.UUCP (Brian Kantor) Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Phone numbers on credit card purchases Message-ID: <3730@sdcsvax.UUCP> Date: Sat, 3-Sep-83 06:56:00 EDT Article-I.D.: sdcsvax.3730 Posted: Sat Sep 3 06:56:00 1983 Date-Received: Sun, 4-Sep-83 00:42:48 EDT References: <343@ihuxn.UUCP> Organization: U.C. San Diego, CS Dept Lines: 51 <<>> I too had noticed that many times I was requested to put my home phone number on the credit slip. When questioned, the clerks universally replied that it was "store policy" (or "my manager told be to get it"). As I don't need any more calls at home than I already get, I took the minor trouble to memorize the number for the County Coroner's Office. Perhaps some day one of those people actually will call the number. Then we'll see what happens - if anything. Maybe there is a valid reason for the number - but until someone tells me why they are demanding this information, I'm not going to give it to them. If you don't want to give them the Coroner's office, how about a local massage parlor - or maybe the city garbage collection number. I'm tired of telling people things that they insist they need to know, without them answering the question of why they need to know it. Yes, I've gone all the way to the top to find out why - with little luck. (However, one local store, when asked, immediately told me that their bank wanted the number to pursue bad charges. I now give them my number, because they gave me a reason.) And while we're at it - how many people want your social security number on a form you are filling out - sure employers need it, and taxing jurisdictions, and so on, but its none of my department store's business. I support COMPLETELY the efforts to PREVENT the Social Security Account Number from becoming a national identity number - its only a short step from that to requiring national identity cards - and when will it be that those numbers are branded (or tattooed) into you at birth. That's also why I like ATM machines - I can draw cash and spend it without a paper record of where I spent my money. Sure the bank microfilms all checks - and there is no doubt in my mind that people who don't need the information are able to get to those films. Its none of their God-damned business where I spend my money - whether I fritter it away on beer, gasoline, or groceries, or whether I give it to beggars in the street. Yeah, I use checks for big amounts, or (of course) for paying bills by mail, but I still don't like the idea of other people pawing around in my personal affairs by remote control - and with the cooperation of my bank! No, my social security number is NOT on my checks. Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not really after me! -- Brian Kantor, UCSD. {philabs,ucbvax} !sdcsvax!brian sdcsvax!brian@nosc