Vehn
04-17-2003, 02:58 PM
I wonder what you guys think of this. Attached is a correspondance of email that is pretty much self explanatory.
1st email:
Hello, for most of my adult life of 9 years I have used Superamerica gas stations here in Minnesota. I would estimate I've spent in the neighborhood of $10,000. Today as I went into one of your establishments to buy a pack of cigarettes, my driver's license card was swiped through a machine by your employee. I consider this a HUGE invasion of privacy. You have the right to verify my age, but not the right to log my name and address into your computer. As of today I will no longer be a customer and will take my business elsewhere. Good day.
Chris
Their response:
Dear Chris,
I am in receipt of your e-mail. Please be assured that no information is logged or kept in the system when an ID is scanned. This is done simply to verify it is a state issued ID as not all fraudulent ID's can be identified simply by looking at it. The purpose of scanning ID's is not to obtain information but to prevent sales to minors. Many areas are now doing this as well as many different businesses. Should you wish to obtain more information on scanning ID's, the number to the Legal Age Security Software, this is the company that the machines are installed and run through, is 1-800-779-4945.
Thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts. I hope you will reconsider shopping at our stores.
Sincerely,
Rachel xxx
My response sent this afternoon:
Rachel I appreciate your response. I did a little digging on the "Legal Age Security Software" on the internet. I found this link which explains it: http://www.greensheet.com/PriorIssues-/991201-/legal.htm . "Curiously", no where on that page does it indicate exactly what information is stored. I understand your company's need to verify your customers age. However, I fail to see how scanning your customer's ID protects you from the legal repercussions of selling to minors. While the scanning device certainly makes it simple to verify age, I would conjecture that MORE underage people are buying products from you illegally - simply because your clerks will clearly no longer verify that the ID belongs to that person, only that it is an ID of a person that is 18 or older. Prior to the implementation of the scanning device your clerks would have to physically look at the date of birth and picture to verify the age, and I doubt that is being done with the thoroughness that it was. I also have to question why there is no posted indication at your stores about why the ID is being scanned and what information is being collected from it. To be honest I find the whole thing to be VERY distasteful and see no reason to change my previous stance stated to you in last night's email. Coworkers and friends/family that I have explained the situation to tend to agree with me.
Chris
What do you think?
1st email:
Hello, for most of my adult life of 9 years I have used Superamerica gas stations here in Minnesota. I would estimate I've spent in the neighborhood of $10,000. Today as I went into one of your establishments to buy a pack of cigarettes, my driver's license card was swiped through a machine by your employee. I consider this a HUGE invasion of privacy. You have the right to verify my age, but not the right to log my name and address into your computer. As of today I will no longer be a customer and will take my business elsewhere. Good day.
Chris
Their response:
Dear Chris,
I am in receipt of your e-mail. Please be assured that no information is logged or kept in the system when an ID is scanned. This is done simply to verify it is a state issued ID as not all fraudulent ID's can be identified simply by looking at it. The purpose of scanning ID's is not to obtain information but to prevent sales to minors. Many areas are now doing this as well as many different businesses. Should you wish to obtain more information on scanning ID's, the number to the Legal Age Security Software, this is the company that the machines are installed and run through, is 1-800-779-4945.
Thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts. I hope you will reconsider shopping at our stores.
Sincerely,
Rachel xxx
My response sent this afternoon:
Rachel I appreciate your response. I did a little digging on the "Legal Age Security Software" on the internet. I found this link which explains it: http://www.greensheet.com/PriorIssues-/991201-/legal.htm . "Curiously", no where on that page does it indicate exactly what information is stored. I understand your company's need to verify your customers age. However, I fail to see how scanning your customer's ID protects you from the legal repercussions of selling to minors. While the scanning device certainly makes it simple to verify age, I would conjecture that MORE underage people are buying products from you illegally - simply because your clerks will clearly no longer verify that the ID belongs to that person, only that it is an ID of a person that is 18 or older. Prior to the implementation of the scanning device your clerks would have to physically look at the date of birth and picture to verify the age, and I doubt that is being done with the thoroughness that it was. I also have to question why there is no posted indication at your stores about why the ID is being scanned and what information is being collected from it. To be honest I find the whole thing to be VERY distasteful and see no reason to change my previous stance stated to you in last night's email. Coworkers and friends/family that I have explained the situation to tend to agree with me.
Chris
What do you think?