From: "Joseph M. Reagle Jr." <reagle@umbc.edu>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 94 07:16:34 PDT
To: SGT=DARREN=S.=HARLOW%ISB%MCTSSA@nwsfallbrook3.nwac.sea06.navy.mil
Subject: Re: BEST Inc.
In-Reply-To: <9404181937.AA16438@toad.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9404191021.B12954-0100000@rpc25.gl.umbc.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


On Mon, 18 Apr 1994 SGT=DARREN=S.=HARLOW%ISB%MCTSSA@nwsfallbrook3.nwac.sea06.navy.mil wrote:

> 	I was in a BEST store yesterday, and attempted to pay by check.  They 
> asked for ID to verify the check and when I handed them my military ID, they  
> asked for my driver's license instead.  I gave them my driver's license and 
> they used it and the magnetic strip on the back of it to verify my check.  I 
> noticed on their computer screen that it had all of my info, as in birthdate, 
> address, driver's license number, the routing number for the bank I am with, 
> and my checking account number.  They also have notices up that say they 
> index everything by your phone number.  I asked them what they were using all 
> of this information for, and they said for their marketing purposes.  I was 
> so ticked off that I took back the check, went to an ATM, pulled out cash, 
> and went back and purchased the item with cash.  I had to buy the item there, 
> because nowhere else in the local area did they have the item.  Just 
> something to keep in mind.

	I used to work at Best, and as far as I could tell it is so that 
they may send the fliers to your house.  _They_ are so dogged because the 
higher ups require each store to get so many new 'data sets', so we used 
to enter in dummy values, addresses of friends/relatives or ourselves 
multiple times.
	Somebody at the Corp level knew I'm sure, but it kept the 
managers off the sales/register people's backs.


Regards,            |                       *finger for UMBC:ACM 
info* Joseph M. Reagle Jr.| "I do not know such stuff!" 
reagle@gl.umbc.edu  | 		- Chew, Blade Runner.