You Know Not to Give Out Your Zip Code to Merchants, Right?

[alfreda89]

Buying gasoline is an exception--they actually use the zip to make sure the right person is using the card.

Everyone else is using it for marketing. They will know everything about you. They don't need it for the transaction.

If they want it that badly, and refuse to sell you something--maybe you should buy the product somewhere else, or do without?

By the way, you can always give the general zip for your area (downtown.) Or your place of biz, if you're feeling generous. I just hate all this attention to where I am. It's none of your damn business where I live, or where I am.

I guess I'm a privacy throwback. Thanks to originalkitsune for finding this!

Comments

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

I don't think they consider it "basic" from the consumer's POV. This is something you'd never be likely to hear about if you don't know someone like me, who has to deal with the credit-card companies directly. And it doesn't surprise me that Forbes would not reveal something about the merchant side of the credit-card agreement in a consumer article. It's... how do I put this... not relevant to the thrust of the article, which is "companies use your zip code for targeted advertising". And yes, a lot of them do.