HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

I get an occasional prescription filled at Walmart because the price is right. I do not order and pick up groceries or order things online other than prescriptions. I do not have a Walmart credit card.

Today I was looking at my Pharmacy account and was distracted by my "purchase history". The most recent purchase I see is late June, but it shows exactly what I purchased. If I wasn't using the same credit card that I might in the Pharmacy, HOW do they identify and record my purchases made through their check out line?

Maybe it's something obvious .... but I am not understanding how they can connect purchases with my name. Any idea how this happens?

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

They are tracking you through your Credit card use. It doesn't matter which cards you use, they are all connected by the banking system.

If you want more privacy, pay with cash.

HonestLife · ‎04-07-2011

It's Big Brother tracking. It's the way of the world now. The store itself, by location, tracks your purchases to offer you savings based upon the information. They have your name, address, street name, doctor info., etc. It's very possible and unfortunately privacy is something we have to seek out. Even if you use cash at the pharmacy it doesn't help. What a world...

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@Carmie wrote:
They are tracking you through your Credit card use. It doesn't matter which cards you use, they are all connected by the banking system.

If you want more privacy, pay with cash.

@Carmie

Huh. So I stop at Walmart and pick up some kitty litter. In what part of "the banking system" are they accessing my purchases?

I'm signed up for all the "do not sell my information" the state of California has to offer, so I guess I am suprised they can link to my purchases outside the pharmacy on a different credit card.

deb5555 · ‎03-21-2010

Cash leaves no trails, cash tells no tales, pay with cash. Cash is King!

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
@Carmie wrote:
They are tracking you through your Credit card use. It doesn't matter which cards you use, they are all connected by the banking system.

If you want more privacy, pay with cash.

@Carmie

Huh. So I stop at Walmart and pick up some kitty litter. In what part of "the banking system" are they accessing my purchases?

I'm signed up for all the "do not sell my information" the state of California has to offer, so I guess I am suprised they can link to my purchases outside the pharmacy on a different credit card.

When you use a credit card,that info is out there forever. One time while I was on a break from work, I checked the balance in my checking account via the website. It was the Christmas season and I was pinching pennies.

Imagine my surprise when I noticed an $85 purchase made against my debit card the day before. I was working the day before and wasn't even in the city where the purchase was made. It was an out of town store.

I called the store in a panic. They said they could do nothing, I needed to call my bank. I called the bank and explained that someone made a charge on my account without my permission.

They took my info and said they would get back to me. A few hours later, they did.

Fells Fargo entered the wrong date into their system and a charge was made against everyone's account who purchased something on that date over a year ago. They upload all credit card transactions over night. I have no accounts at Fells Fargo, but apparently all debt and CC transactions go through them no matter where you bank.

The company was able to fix the system and thanked me for catching an error almost immediately. They would have had hundreds, perhaps thousands of people charged again for purchases they made a year ago.

It took a few days, but I got many money back. All credit cards use the same system and that info is recorded and is out there for goodness how long..probably forever.

KaySD · ‎08-16-2016

@deb5555 wrote:
Cash leaves no trails, cash tells no tales, pay with cash. Cash is King!

@deb5555 Yes! Except I'm finding more places that won't take cash any more.

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@KaySD wrote:
@deb5555 wrote:
Cash leaves no trails, cash tells no tales, pay with cash. Cash is King!
@deb5555 Yes! Except I'm finding more places that won't take cash any more.

@KaySD

Boy, I never thought I'd see that day .....

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

@KaySD wrote:
@deb5555 wrote:
Cash leaves no trails, cash tells no tales, pay with cash. Cash is King!
@deb5555 Yes! Except I'm finding more places that won't take cash any more.

A few local stores were either credit/debit card only or exact change only if you wanted to pay in cash as they couldn't get change due to the pandemic.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!