A few days ago I was at the local Harbor Freight Tools , the discount big box store for tools. Harbor Freight is obsessed with collecting information on you with the intent of email spamming or filling your mailbox with junk mail.
To be fair, I have a sentimental feeling for U.S. Postal workers. My late dad retired from as a carrier. However, I also have a problem with receiving multiple, mostly the same weekly mailing. And, I have zero use for more spam email. Add, to that the weekly bundle of circulars dumped into the foyer of my condo building which include HFT circulars.
With this in mind I have a habit of annoying the HFT cashiers by challenging them when they ask me for my phone number. I rarely buy anything expensive at HFT almost always paying cash. When the cashier asks for my number I tell them "I'm paying with cash." They're usually confused, then annoyed by this response. I'm supposed to just automatically comply and tell them my number with a smile.
Reminds me of years ago when I was in the habit of donating blood and the intake nurse would ask: Name? ... Social ..." -- as in Social Security Number. Then, in 2006, someone stole a Red Cross Laptop with containing sensitive ID info. Fortunately, the data was encrypted. Suddenly, . the American Red Cross realized it had no need to take down SSNs.
In the most recent HFT episode the dude wanted to know why my paying with cash had to do with anything. My response to him was why do I need to give out my phone number if I'm paying with cash. His retort was then to point out the obvious, he's 'reading from script'. Then informed me, as if I needed to know, he would only be working at HFT for a couple more weeks.
