For the discerning shopper, it's
that time of the year: a landscape adorned with discounts and deals as far as
the eye can see.
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| You can set up an alias email to protect your email |
If you're anything like me, avoiding paying full price is a priority. However, the question arises: Is it worthwhile to surrender your email address, phone number, or even more personal information in exchange for a coupon code? As with many things in the realm of technology, the answer hinges on various factors.
What Details are Hidden in the Fine Print?
Did you carefully peruse the terms
and conditions when you signed up? Probably not, right? It's never too late to
circle back and scrutinize those terms and conditions. Recent statistics from
Atlas VPN, which assessed several popular shopping apps, reveal some concerning
findings:
58% of the reviewed apps shared
names, home addresses, email IDs, and phone numbers with third parties,
implying anyone willing to pay a sufficient amount.
25% of the apps shared device IDs
or other unique identifiers for smartphones and tablets.
Approximately a third of the apps
disclosed financial data, including purchase history and payment details.
28% of the apps shared location
data with "external sources," a rather vague term.
The situation doesn't significantly improve if you're signing up for an email list, providing your number for marketing texts, or becoming a "member," even if it's a free membership. It's a stark reminder to be vigilant about the information we willingly share and to revisit the terms and conditions to better understand how our data is being handled.
How Secure are your Personal Details when using Store Loyalty Cards?
Getting persuaded to join a store's
loyalty program is a common occurrence. The allure of great deals on groceries
and household items in exchange for a bit of information is hard to resist.
However, it's crucial to recognize that you may be giving away more than you
realize.
Every time you swipe your loyalty
card, provide your phone number, or share your email address, the store gains
access to detailed information about your purchases, including what, when, in
what quantity, and at what price, along with your payment details. If you
download the store's app, they may even know your location.
While it might seem harmless for the store to know your preferred brands, the tracking goes beyond that, encompassing your name, address, phone number, and credit/debit card information. This data can be a target for thieves who may use it to create a fake identity for fraudulent activities.
Here are some practical tips to
safeguard your information:
Use your office phone number as
your loyalty number.
Provide a disposable email address
if necessary.
Opt for stores that offer discounts
without requiring loyalty programs, such as Trader Joe’s and Walmart.
Explore physical coupons available
on grocery store websites.
Never share your Social Security
number or driver’s license number.
Request the discount at the
checkout, as cashiers often have codes to apply digital prices without the need
for a loyalty app or code.
If all else fails, politely ask
someone in line if you can use their card.
Ultimately, it's worth considering whether the minimal savings offered by the loyalty program justify the potential risk to your data. In many cases, the trade-off may not be worth it.
Opt for a Privacy-Centric Approach
In the past, websites often relied
on personal questions to verify identity, but with the increasing
sophistication of thieves, banks now employ safer methods for authentication.
The advice remains the same: when faced with personal questions during log-in
creation, consider providing fictitious information—something memorable to you.
For activities like using coupons and loyalty cards, it's wise to shield your actual contact information. One effective approach is to create a burner email address and phone number, keeping your genuine details more private.
Here are some tools to help with
disposable email addresses:
Temp Mail: Offers a
temporary, anonymous, and disposable email address. No registration is required
for the free version, but remember to manually delete your temporary email
address (emails are stored for about two hours).
10MinuteMail: Provides a
temporary email address that lasts for 10 minutes, with an option to forward
important messages to another email address. No personal information is needed
to start using it.
If you're an Apple iCloud+ subscriber, you have access to "Hide My Email," a feature that generates unique, random email addresses forwarding to your inbox. You can create multiple addresses and respond to messages. To use this feature:
Go to Settings and tap your Apple
ID.
Navigate to iCloud > Hide My
Email > Create New Address.
Follow the onscreen instructions to
create a new email address, manageable from iCloud settings.
These tools empower you to maintain
a level of privacy and security while engaging in online activities that might
request your contact information.
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