Posted on 01/08/2005 3:49:12 PM PST by jb6
Ok, here is my question: How much information does DMV give out about us. I just recently (today) ordered a pizza. The clerk tells me he needs my driver's license number (now I figured before that was to check my address), just out of curiousity I decided to ask him "why?".
"Oh," he tells me, "it's to check whether we can accept your checks or not, if your credit is good."
Now, what in tar blazes is this about? Some shmo at the pizza joint can check my credit rating? Or whether I've bounced a check (which I haven't, mind you.)?
Where is the whole privacy thing?
This is news/activism? Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.
Was the pizza good?
Actually, when they take your DL, they are verifying that you have encoded your preference for anchovies and will automatically delete them from the pizza if so encoded.
At this point, the proper response is, "Kiss my ass.".
I think the DL # is what they use to check you out with Telecheck, which is the deadbeat-check-identifting database.
How nice, wonder what else it writes to a central Database?
Just wondering because around here they generally only take business/commercial checks (and then only if it's over $100.00 or something).
If you were intending to pay by cash I'd have looked into something else.
But if you were paying by check, they've probably been burned before and are subscribed to something that checks credit/bounced checks.
Mmm, maybe, but it pings my spidy sense when joe snuff the pizza guy is checking my credit ratings on something as small as 1 pizza.
I don't believe anyone can check your personal credit without your written permission.
That is not to say that with your drivers license and name the pizza company can not make a good estimate as to whether you are a good risk to write a check. They can check your name against a database of bad check writers and then say Yes or Nyet (most of the pizza delivery people in my neighborhood are Russian, for some reason)
My guess is that the place has had bounced checks before and is using it for ID.
That said, some states DO sell your DL information and have opt-out schemes, etc., that you must become aware of on your own. With the Driver Privacy Protection Act, Florida now has a opt-in (you must affirmatively allow disclosure) system. See http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/ddl/DPPAInfo.html
Pay cash? Use your ATM card?
The use of the driver's license for ID is pretty much standard when registering to bid in auctions. It gives the auction company something to go on if you buy stuff and cart it off without paying, or if you hand them a bad check.
My bank is a bit of a drive and using the local ATMs are a massive rip off: $2 from my bank and $2 from the local bank. If you get out $40 that's 10% robbery.
I just have my DL number printed on my checks by the bank. Saves me and the clerks a bunch of time in the grocery store.
One way to avoid that is to use your ATM card at a grocery store, and get "cash back". There are no out-of-network charges incurred, at least with our bank there aren't.
Really? Hmm, need to check on that one.
The DMV hasn't done anything wrong here. The business wanted the DL number because whatever credit/check verifying service it uses indexes its info using that number. In this particular case, the DMV isn't involved, other than issuing you the license.
1. it is normal to ask for DL for check verification.
2. you need a better bank.
3. pay cash.
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