Erasing David

[di]

They aren't trying to steal my identity for fake passports

Or are they...???

[taff]

The clubcard, has made tescos one of the largest businesses in the world, and we willingly tell them.

And any other storecard, which is why I now only take cash out with me to pay for things, never the card, cancelled all loyalty cards, and hardly ever buy from the net if I can help it.
Points do not make prizes.

[Two_Sheds]

... hardly ever buy from the net if I can help it.
Points do not make prizes.

We save a lot of money by buying online: electric, gas, insurance, train fares ... not to mention eBay bargains

[taff]

can't disagree with you, but in order the make the savings i'd have to be willing to part with even more data about myself, and I really don't want what things I prefer to buy being avaialble on a database so they can send me money off coupons to buy those things.
Supermarkets are just doing what other companies have already done by targeting their markets, but it just gets up my nose.
My shopping is exactly that, mine, it's my business, and no-one elses, except of course the person behind me in the queue, swearing at my OCD packing technique

[Mikey]

Coupons aren't directly targeted at your buying, but at items that are closely related to it. Items which you don't necessarily already buy.

Tescos was the original databased storecard. I don't like companies holding information about me which I have no control over.

Lets look at junk mail, I always fill in forms to say no you or any other third party cannot contact me. So how come I still get junk mail from creditcard companies, and loans etc etc.

Where do they get their information?

[FoxHillGardener]

...Where do they get their information?

the electoral roll? Unless you tick the opt out box on the form

[Mikey]

I think the only thing I don't opt out of is life.

[Glutton4...]

... Where do they get their information?

They buy mailing lists. I gave a joke address to a friend once, for their Christmad card list, and they gift subscribed a magazine to me at that address. Since then I've had several leaflets and catalogues sent to me at that same incorrect address.

I write 'Not known at this address - return to sender' in bold red felt pen, on everything I don't want, and put it back in the post box!

[Mikey]

I have been known to send one persons junk mail in somebodies elses free envelope. It is mildly amusing.

[Glutton4...]

I have been known to send one persons junk mail in somebodies elses free envelope. It is mildly amusing.

I'm liking your style!

[Hilary B]

I don't think the 'targetted marketting' thing works (well it doesn't work onthis household). We have the Waitrose version of a clubcard, because you need it to use the self-check machines. I reckon our use of it gives the computer a headache, becuase there are very few things we buy regularly or consistently, our main shopping is 'what is cheap this week' and 'reduced for quick sale'.
Then again, in so many situations we find that the 'routine approach' just leaves us confused.
For instance (as the one that is relevant just now), dog rescue places talk about the garden being secure; our dogs don't go out unsupervised, a new one would be accompanied, every time (and for the very early days, on the long lead), the experienced one may get watched through the window, if the weather is bad, she doesn't like being out in rain any more than we do! Whether the garden is totally dog proof isn't an issue, because we don't use it that way, but it might well result in us not getting allowed to adopt a dog from most centres, in spite of having kept 2 dogs at a time here for 10 years and more, with no wanderings or problems, and having a total of over 30 years continuous dog-owning.

[Two_Sheds]

I always fill in forms to say no ... how come I still get junk mail ?

I do too. Send it back

I write 'Not known at this address - return to sender' in bold red felt pen, on everything I don't want, and put it back in the post box!

"unsolicited" gets written on mine

I have been known to send one persons junk mail in somebodies elses free envelope. It is mildly amusing.

I do that too.

I'm also having a little laff at a major credit card company who charged me £50 for "paying late". I disputed it, they wouldn't back down. So I left my account 25p in credit - now they have to post me a statement every month, for ever and ever, hehehehehehe

[Sylvan]

And any other storecard, which is why I now only take cash out with me to pay for things, never the card, cancelled all loyalty cards, and hardly ever buy from the net if I can help it.
Points do not make prizes.

You might find this useful taff.
How To Make A RFID Blocking Wallet

The targeted advertising that really annoys me is the rash of new ads on the internet, that keep bombarding you with massive flashing banners based on what you've researched in the last few weeks. I keep opting out of them but more companies crop up all the time.

I've been paranoid all my life. When people who don't need to know my personal details insist on having them I always make small "mistakes". :whistle: