big brother is watching

[Dabbler]

Ok here is another thought;

When you go and stay in a hotel..do you fill out the "sign in slip" even when you pay cash. Have you ever stayed in a hotel over in Europe (and this is before 911) you get registered with the local police station,and they take a copy of your passport and this is everyone including residents.

After all, each bill says "legal tender" on it

Try and walk into any bank that you don't have an "account" at and try to make change....see how far you get. I tried to take in my rolled change to a local TD branch and they would not except it because I didn't have an account

I find this trend in privacy infringement disturbing.

Like I said earlier all they ask is name and phone number ( they don't ask for your address, or your SIN number, or your first born.....)...this is public knowledge, its in the phone book. And if you still don't want to give your name....John Smith @ 555-1212 works good to.

Radio Shack has been doing a similar thing for years with postal codes (and names I think)

In general;
99% of retail software now uses this type of format, and you need to make a different account for each person. Some have created a "Cash" account. Some stores use this to see where there customers are coming from, are they local or are they coming from Spruce Grove. This software also tells them about stock consumption, what sells and what doesn't and when it sells. It also gives the store a estimate on how many different people are buying from there store and also what they are buying. An example is that John Smith buys lots of corrals but doesn't buy salt and Jane Doe buys power heads every month. Then they can take this info and change there business practices to mach there customer base. With staff changes in the retail world, people coming and going there is very few times you will see the same sales person the next time in that store, so the stores are trying to get there info from the sales instead of the employees.

Just to make another point I do not hand out my information to just anyone and I don't work in the retail world.