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Old 04-21-2008, 11:07 AM   #1
4X4
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What gives? Contrary to my staunch hatred of all things Telus, I actually considered switching to them from Shaw because a) my sister works there and b) Shaw internet is just really slow in this building.

So I call Telus to order service and they start asking for my DL#, my SIN, my AHC... WTF? Are they crazy? I'm supposed to donate those numbers to their huge database so that all their thousands of employees can access it?

They say it's to do a credit check. Since when do companies need to do credit checks to provide TV and internet? What happened to taking a deposit from people?
Take my name and birthdate and run the check. If you don't like what you see, I'll pay a $100 deposit.

It really ruffles my feathers that companies like Telus do this. I'm not applying for a credit card or a mortgage. It's $100 per month for what you're going to give me. Charge in advance or something, but forget about taking all those numbers. I guess I remain with Shaw.

Along the same lines, what's with businesses asking for my address? I'm buying a slurpee and they're asking for my family tree. You go to visions or something and drop a couple grand on some equipment and the weasly kid is asking for your address. Great, so that you can come and break into my house tonight? The oil change places are asking for addresses. As you're leaving they're thinking "nice car"... Give it up. It does not help your business at all to collect my personal info. You want to figure out where to open another branch? Ask for my postal code. That I'll give you. No more addresses, phone numbers (I bought something at Guess once and they called me two months later to tell me they were having a sale...) no DL# no SIN# no AHC.
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Old 04-21-2008, 11:25 AM   #2
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Agreed, companies ask for, and we provide way too much information for purchases. I'm definitely going to think about any info I give out more closely.

As far as you Telus encounter goes, I worked for Telus Mobility before and all we really needed was the SIN to run the credit check. And that was because on the program we used. Often a person might not have a DL or it might be from out of province/country. Sometimes all people had for an address was a PO box or a friends house they were staying at. I did my best to work with whatever info the person wanted to give me.

And of course, the credit check for mobility is a little more important than home service as it's very easy to run up a huge bill. Not that it should be as easy as it is, but for the time being, it's still very expensive to have a cell phone or data device in Canada compared to other countries.
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Old 04-21-2008, 11:53 AM   #3
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And then there are the stupid promo clubs at every store, what's more annoying than giving out your phone number everytime you stop at Safeway for groceries.

I was at Professional Skate for a sharpening, walked up to the counter to pay and they ask; "What's your phone number?"

What does that have to do with anything? Just take my money and stop asking me so many questions, I'm just paying for a simple service, you don't need my phone number.
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Old 04-21-2008, 11:59 AM   #4
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Hey 4x4, I just say No when they ask for my phone number. One of the few times I didn't just happened to be at Guess. I purchased a purse there for my sister, it was a fairly pricey purse.. $169.00. Anyway, she thinks it's too big, so I go to take it back. Lost the receipt! So I'm knowing I am just going to get a store credit, which is fine too. BUT they asked me my phone number, looked up the purchase and Fully refunded me without a receipt. Pretty decent of them! I can't see any other good reason to give out your number, and I doubt many companies use it to retrieve information to use for purposes like Guess store did. I also don't like giving out my phone number at Safeway. Not because of the store, but sometimes there are creepy guys in the line behind you, and I have this paranoia of some weirdo getting my number.

Last edited by BuzzardsWife; 04-21-2008 at 12:01 PM.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:00 PM   #5
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I completely agree. I don't know why they need my number or address to make a simple purchase. I understand if they just want my postal code, no big deal. But to ask for my address and phone number on top of getting my student ID when using my SPC (Student discount card) is ridiculous, I didn't even have to give any info when I bought my damned SPC.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:01 PM   #6
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I was at an identity fraud seminar through work a few months back, they scared the daylights out of me with the SIN thing. From what I recall, it is NOT required to run a credit check. The only people asking you for that should be your employer.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:04 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay View Post
I was at an identity fraud seminar through work a few months back, they scared the daylights out of me with the SIN thing. From what I recall, it is NOT required to run a credit check. The only people asking you for that should be your employer.
Just out of curiosity about the SIN#, do companies really need it on your job application form? I mean, you don't even work there yet.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:10 PM   #8
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It's not just Telus, but many other companies are asking for too much personal information. When my phone number or post code is asked for when making prucahes i tell the clerck it's none of the companies business and i decline to give them that info.

I suspect someone will fill a complaint with they privacy comisson.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:11 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay View Post
I was at an identity fraud seminar through work a few months back, they scared the daylights out of me with the SIN thing. From what I recall, it is NOT required to run a credit check. The only people asking you for that should be your employer.

N.S. Seriously, think about how easy it would be for one of those Telus employees to seriously wreck a person's life. They have your SIN, your DL, your DOB, your address, your credit card... Just keep that in mind the next time you want to fly off the handle with one of them.

FTR, I'm not focusing my scorn on Telus or their employees. The company policy is what ticks me off. Any one of these companies that hire random people and give them access to sensitive data like that.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:12 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dion View Post
It's not just Telus, but many other companies are asking for too much personal information. When my phone number or post code is asked for when making prucahes i tell the clerck it's none of the companies business and i decline to give them that info.

I suspect someone will fill a complaint with they privacy comisson.
Postal code doesn't bother me. I can see the usefulness to the business. And it's just obscure enough that I don't mind sharing it. My SIN is a different story.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:13 PM   #11
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I've regretted not giving my phone number to store before. Now I just give them an old cell phone number I no longer use...But can remember. They can file it how they want, and I can get them to look me up if need be. It's probably illegal on some level.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:15 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dion View Post
It's not just Telus, but many other companies are asking for too much personal information. When my phone number or post code is asked for when making prucahes i tell the clerck it's none of the companies business and i decline to give them that info.

I suspect someone will fill a complaint with they privacy comisson.
See with the postal code, I'm ok, because they're probably just trying to get an idea of where their customer base is, or for us at work, we're just trying to prevent fraud. Pretty much, someone trying to scam us will freak if asked for their postal code and leave instead of trying to get what they wanted. And we can't even find you with it, not gonna go to your block and knock on every door looking for you, but definitely hate it when people ask for my number for a purchase.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:17 PM   #13
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Last week i went to play some golf and decided to sign up for the courses online booking system. One of the gals told me they needed my credit card # to keep on file in case i failed to show up for anyone of my bookings. Being a good paying customer i was insulted and told them as much. Luckily for me i knew the gal and she was kind enough to wave the CC# info.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:32 PM   #14
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Going by the reaction you get when you say "why do you need my phone number" or "I'm not telling you my address", pretty much everyone just gives it up without a second thought.

Some poor kid at Radio Shack got so flustered about it once and couldn't answer why my phone number was required to make some piddling little purchase that he looked nervously over both shoulders and said "I just put my own phone number in there" and away I went.

It's not like I was pressing him or being aggressive or trying to prove some point, I just asked.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:33 PM   #15
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Hey 4X4 I believe it's illegal now to ask for someone's SIN number. I believe it's against the new privacy rules.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:38 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dion View Post
Last week i went to play some golf and decided to sign up for the courses online booking system. One of the gals told me they needed my credit card # to keep on file in case i failed to show up for anyone of my bookings. Being a good paying customer i was insulted and told them as much. Luckily for me i knew the gal and she was kind enough to wave the CC# info.
I guess I disagree with you on that one. When I call a business and ask them to put a product on hold for me, and I'll come get it later on, I don't mind them getting some form of security from me.

Especially for golf. Nothing is worse than what the city's reservation system was like a couple of years ago. Try to book golf for a group on a Friday, nope- it's all full. I go down by myself hoping to walk on joining a group of 3, not only is there no problem walking on, but now I get to golf by myself as there's no groups to join; nobody showed up.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:45 PM   #17
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I guess I disagree with you on that one. When I call a business and ask them to put a product on hold for me, and I'll come get it later on, I don't mind them getting some form of security from me.

Especially for golf. Nothing is worse than what the city's reservation system was like a couple of years ago. Try to book golf for a group on a Friday, nope- it's all full. I go down by myself hoping to walk on joining a group of 3, not only is there no problem walking on, but now I get to golf by myself as there's no groups to join; nobody showed up.
Come play golf in Nanton. Easy to get on and book team times for you and your buddies - plus it's chaeper than any city course.

http://www.nantongolfclub.com/

Getting back to your statement, it's hackers getting into the computer systems of places like Winners that has me leary of leaving my CC# on file with any business.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:46 PM   #18
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for some information on what the SIN is used for and who can ask for it.

http://www.privcom.gc.ca/fs-fi/02_05_d_02_e.asp

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Under the new law, organizations like banks, telecommunications companies and airlines cannot require you to consent to the collection, use or disclosure of your personal information unless it is required for a specific and legitimate purpose. This means that unless an organization can demonstrate that your SIN is required by law, or that no alternative identifier would suffice to complete the transaction, you cannotbe denied a product or service on the grounds of your refusal to provide your SIN.
If you disagree with a request for your SIN made by an organization that is subject to the PIPEDA, you can complain to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, who will investigate the complaint.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:47 PM   #19
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NO you do NOT have to put your sin number on a job app.
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:56 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by ken0042 View Post
Especially for golf. Nothing is worse than what the city's reservation system was like a couple of years ago. Try to book golf for a group on a Friday, nope- it's all full. I go down by myself hoping to walk on joining a group of 3, not only is there no problem walking on, but now I get to golf by myself as there's no groups to join; nobody showed up.
Hate to derail, but I actually liked that a bit. Walking on was so easy because of that. Now it's impossible to get a tee time or to walk on.
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