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Wednesday, March 20, 2013

HERE’S WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO STOP GIVING OUT YOUR ZIP CODE TO STORES

You might have thought nothing of stores asking for your ZIP code when you’re making a purchase. After all, it’s just the general location of where you live, right?

According to privacy experts, giving out your ZIP code might reveal more about you than you intend to reveal.

In a recent interview with NBC’s Today show, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse Policy and Advocacy Director Paul Stephens advised customers against offering up their ZIP codes. He said when paired with information like the customer’s name on a credit card, these ZIP codes can help identify the person’s actual address and target them with marketing materials, like junk mail.

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Every time I use my debit card at the Shorebirds to buy tickets they always ask for my zip code. I have a home zip and a PO Box zip. If I give the wrong zip it won't go through.

Anonymous said...

The zip code went into the data file the second the card was swiped; it's in the magnetic strip. Prompting the buyer for it just verifies the buyer is the card owner. Kinda like the 3 digit code they ask you for over the phone, they need to verify that whoever is calling in a cc# is actually holding the card.