This weekend I checked out a new coffee place in Atlanta. When I made my purchase, I used my credit card. About an hour later, I received a text message on my cell phone from this coffee place thanking me for my purchase and awarding me loyalty points.
This freaked me out and bothers me a great deal. My credit card is not tied to my cell phone and I didn't give these people my cell number. I plan to call their corporate office to discuss, but with all the knowledge here, I estimate that someone can tell me what invasive technology this company used to get my cell number.
Update: I just got schooled by my tech guys. The credit card capture machine was a "Square". I have used Square before and had the receipt texted to me. Apparently they keep all my info.
I don't know what's so creepy? When you set up Square don't you have your preferences set regarding how you want to receive receipts? You provided Square with your phone number, they didn't pull it out of thin air.
Posts: 2547 | Location: MN | Registered: March 06, 2004
Yeah, we use PayPal for a charity I work for. I find that most people who buy things from us are already in the system. We've never sold to them or seen them before, but I can choose to send their receipt to email or text without any entry on their part.
"The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people." "Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy." "I did," said Ford, "it is." "So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't the people get rid of the lizards?" "It honestly doesn't occur to them. They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates the government they want." "You mean they actually vote for the lizards." "Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course." "But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?" "Because if they didn't vote for a lizard, then the wrong lizard might get in."
Posts: 3519 | Location: Two blocks from the Center of the Universe | Registered: December 30, 2004
How about the UPS delivery guy calling me on my cell phone to let me know he couldnt get into the gate to drop my package off and offering to meet me somewhere close to home, how did he get my number?
Originally posted by isthatasiginyourpocket: I don't know what's so creepy? When you set up Square don't you have your preferences set regarding how you want to receive receipts? You provided Square with your phone number, they didn't pull it out of thin air.
When I paid through Square before, I didn't understand what it was. I was just paying by credit card with the guy that gives me BJJ lessons. When he asked if I wanted my receipt texted to me, I assumed that it was something he was doing, not something programmed into the data base of the third party processor. And I definitely didn't understand that they stored that data, along with my CC info. I didn't give Square that permission and don't like it at all.
Originally posted by Jaywendland1981: How about the UPS delivery guy calling me on my cell phone to let me know he couldnt get into the gate to drop my package off and offering to meet me somewhere close to home, how did he get my number?
Perhaps your sender put it on the form.
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When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson
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Posts: 48369 | Location: Texas hill country | Registered: July 04, 2005
Originally posted by TigerDore: Update: I just got schooled by my tech guys. The credit card capture machine was a "Square". I have used Square before and had the receipt texted to me. Apparently they keep all my info.
Still creepy to me.
That is exactly how square operates, to get your recipt you provide them with a email address which is stored for all future transactions with that card. I use square at every art show and my customers have no issues at all.
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Posts: 3854 | Location: 1,960' up in Murphy, NC | Registered: January 29, 2008
Originally posted by TigerDore: Update: I just got schooled by my tech guys. The credit card capture machine was a "Square". I have used Square before and had the receipt texted to me. Apparently they keep all my info.
Still creepy to me.
That is exactly how square operates, to get your recipt you provide them with a email address which is stored for all future transactions with that card. I use square at every art show and my customers have no issues at all.
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If you know what you are signing up for, no issues. I didn't knowingly sign up for this. I get it now.
Originally posted by Jaywendland1981: How about the UPS delivery guy calling me on my cell phone to let me know he couldnt get into the gate to drop my package off and offering to meet me somewhere close to home, how did he get my number?
The sender always puts a phone number in the information when they ship the package just for this reason.
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Posts: 4987 | Location: Phoenix, AZ | Registered: September 23, 2005
We stopped the other day at a small BBQ shop in Del Rio before we got back to the motorhome an hour later my wife got a text to rate the restaurant. We paid cash
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Posts: 4842 | Location: SWMO | Registered: October 20, 2009
Originally posted by Ozarkwoods: We stopped the other day at a small BBQ shop in Del Rio before we got back to the motorhome an hour later my wife got a text to rate the restaurant. We paid cash
Originally posted by Jaywendland1981: How about the UPS delivery guy calling me on my cell phone to let me know he couldnt get into the gate to drop my package off and offering to meet me somewhere close to home, how did he get my number?
I miss my UPS gal (she retired). She used to call if she needed an adult signature and ask I wanted to meet her or if she should pencil whip it and leave the package in a shady spot inside the gate.
Posts: 6926 | Location: Lost, but making time. | Registered: February 23, 2011
Originally posted by TigerDore: Update: I just got schooled by my tech guys. The credit card capture machine was a "Square". I have used Square before and had the receipt texted to me. Apparently they keep all my info.
Still creepy to me.
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Square is tied to Apple. In my prior company we used square and I got near weekly calls from customers furious that they received a text or email from us with a copy of their receipt.
They were convinced that we were somehow stealing their data. As tactfully as I could I would always answer the same way, "Don't blame us, Blame Apple".
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Posts: 12351 | Location: Belly of the Beast | Registered: January 02, 2009
Originally posted by Ozarkwoods: We stopped the other day at a small BBQ shop in Del Rio before we got back to the motorhome an hour later my wife got a text to rate the restaurant. We paid cash
Did you use their free WiFi while you were there?
Posts: 11027 | Location: SWFL | Registered: October 10, 2007
