Why Does Circle K Scan My Driver's License When I Buy Beer / Cigarettes?

So, the Circle K convenience store close to my house has recently started to enforce some new "company policies".

A little back story- I am, well, let's say I'm over 40. I doubt anyone with a lower level IQ on this planet would mistake me for being under 21, excluding a blind person. I stop in this store EVERY DAY on my way home from work. I work for a beer distributor, and have actually delivered beer to this store in the past. All of the clerks know me....

Anyway, a few months ago they started to enforce a policy of checking everyone's ID...everyone. Even a little old lady with walker and blue hair. I can deal with that, even though common sense is completely thrown out of the window.

Logic is the enemy and truth is a menace!

Now, not only do they check my DL, they are required by "management" to scan it on their swipe machine. When asked, the clerk said "it's our company policy and the machine verifies if your ID is valid".

Where is my ID information being stored and for how long?

Who is seeing this information?

How much police state are you willing to put up with?

Circle K was also the first retailer to adopt the use of electronic age verifiers and are placing them in all stores. These devices simplify the process of confirming the validity of an ID by reading the magnetic strip or bar code on the back of drivers licenses. The devices also reduce the chance of human error in calculating the purchaser's age by displaying it automatically for our clerks. New store employees receive training before they begin working at Circle K, including how to recognize fake IDs and how to refuse a sale. Circle K's policy is to ask for proper identification from anyone who looks 30 or younger.

Here's the kicker -

September is National Preparedness Month (NPM), a nationwide effort sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps. We are pleased to announce Landrum Human Resource Companies is taking part in this nationwide effort to help the communities we serve prepare for emergencies. This year, NPM focuses on encouraging you and other Americans to take active steps toward getting involved and becoming prepared. Preparedness is everyone’s responsibility. We have to work together, as a team, to ensure that individuals, families, and communities are ready.

www.circlekgulfcoast.com...

FEMA, HUH ?

So, I'm about ready to say to Hell with Circle K and drive out of my way to get what I want.

Thoughts?

Time to vote for your dollar it seems

What a ludicrous thing. It's not like teenagers are using fake ID's that are top notch. Who are they trying to find, CIA agents?!

Really silly and a waste of everybody's time.

~Tenth

reply to post by Signals


Maybe they have a right to card you, but I wouldn't think you have to put up with them scanning your data, and have a right to say "Hell No!", or, more politely, "No, thank you."

EDIT: And aren't the new drivers licenses in the U.S. equipped with digital room for lots of information, and by swiping your license they could be reading a lot more than you think. FEMA is french for fee-muh.

reply to post by Signals

So, I'm about ready to say to Hell with Circle K and drive out of my way to get what I want.

Yep, I agree, that move on their part would send me packing. I know it sucks to have to go out of our way, but yeah, that would be it for me and circle k.

Thanks for the heads up.

You already said the answer brother, move on to another store that doesn't use this policy. I no longer argue with businesses, if they do not meet my expectations, I take my money elsewhere. If more people did this, the companies would respond to our wishes.

S+F for taking a stand.

Most stores do this, at least the stores that I go to. Your license info is on the barcode, and scanning it is faster than manually entering it. Not everything is a conspiracy.

I carry ID for age verification purposes EVERYWHERE I go. Its in the beard on my chin, that reaches to my chest, and the grey at my temples, the manner in which I comport myself, and so on.

If an establishment is not prepared to accept that, then it does not deserve my business. I stopped using one of my local bars when it started demanding to see my ID at the door. There are other reasons than data security and a hatred for big brother to avoid having ID. Truth of the matter is, it costs money. I dont leave my country so I dont need a passport, and even getting a provisional drivers liscense costs more than I want to be spending on anything I am not going to eat, smoke or drink.

Stuff the lot of em I reckon.

reply to post by OptimusSubprime


Maybe not conspiracy, but maybe so,

What if some insurance company pays for this info, and I get liver disease or lung cancer?

Well, Signals, I see here you drink pretty much everyday and smoke like a chimney....Not pre-existing, huh?

Is this where we are headed?

I've heard a lot of stores won't take a passport either to purchase alcohol. Even though it has all the information they need and a picture ID.

Can anyone verify if this is true?

reply to post by TheLieWeLive


Ive never seen it, but I have heard of it, and the thing is, its a terrible policy for stores that dont accept them. Passport is considered a higher form of ID than a driver's license.

As for the scanning, there are a lot of reasons its done. Data mining certainly could be one of them. Though, I think it would be a lot easier to data mine with your credit card and debit card purchases. One only has to show ID for certain items. A lot of people pay with a card for pretty much EVERYTHING that they buy.

as far as i'm concerned....circle jerk...ermm...circle k, and any others that use this
garbage technology, don't have any right to have access to any personal data for
anyone...even motels and hotels are doing this, all across america.

sorry....i'm not giving up personal info,for anything....national security, or not.

Originally posted by Signals
reply to post by OptimusSubprime

 

Maybe not conspiracy, but maybe so,

What if some insurance company pays for this info, and I get liver disease or lung cancer?

Well, Signals, I see here you drink pretty much everyday and smoke like a chimney....Not pre-existing, huh?

Is this where we are headed?

Good point my man.......

I managed a club that scans ids. The device does not store any information. There's no memory card or server its attached to to store the info. Simply validates that it is government issued. No ulterior motive.

Most places do this. Just validates its is real and limits the chances of getting shut down or fined for selling to a minor. Nothing more simple than just having the clerk scan every ID so they do not have figure out if it is legit.

Frightening story yours is, I mean really scary.
Maybe old George was not far off with his book then?

About 10 years ago the liquor stores in Ontario started asking for postal codes when you purchased something.
The first time I was asked I complied like a fool.
The second time I refused to even acknowledge that the question was asked and just said take my money and I am out of here.

In return I received a wide open mouth then some sputtering, I repeated my request with a very red face (angry) and the transaction was finished is seconds.
I was indeed out of there and after that day they never ask me any questions.
I was not asked for ID I was asked for my postal code.
Regards, Iwinder

Run a magnet on the back of the DL and ruin the strip. I'm guessing the policy is not valid magnetic strip, though the teenage dropout serving you will be confused by the process.

Valid ID? I'm baffled by this. I am 100 years old, a fact that is in NO WAY altered by the expiration date on my DL or other ID. Age is age, it is not contingent on the length of time an ID needs before it is renewed and once I'm past 21 there is no way anyone needs to know how old the State says I am to make a purchase.

Valid DL? This is beyond stupid. The store requires that I am able to drink and drive legally before it will sell me booze?

Valid ID scanning. I don't let people do it. If you need my address, I'll give it to you, if you need the Number, I'll give it to you, the scan is a way of getting people to accept that any transaction must be accompanied by a VALID ID!!!

Why the obsession over who you are according to your paperwork? I am not my name, I am not my ID, I am a human being, whose existence is NOT contingent on a bureaucracy, via some lowly bureaucrat, telling me I'm me!!!!!!!!!!! Start owning this fact people, carry it without everywhere you go, make damn sure every person you meet, see or, god help you buy from, knows you are not your name, you are not your number you are a living, breathing human being!!!

three things come to mind.

1. first circle k is covering their a@@. they probably have had to many clerks selling beer and cigarettes to minors.
depending on where they are at fines can be pretty hefty. by scanning and storing the data, they maybe be able to stop clerks from doing so, and can pull up the data if needed.

2. just like the big box stores, they scan your purchases, and send you targeted advertisements.

3. they are in working with the government. people are creatures of habit. when moving in and around town or even when traveling, people tend to go to the same businesses they do at home. by scanning your drivers license at each location you visit, if you use cash instead of credit or debit cards they can track you and know what you have purchased. expect all the big box stores to start doing this, just another way that the national id card can work for Uncle Sugar.

reply to post by bknapple32


I don't know about that, it's attached to their register, which I'm pretty sure is connected to the "Net"...

Well you could always choose not to go to Circle K if it bothers you that much..........

It's completely voluntary, the ID scanning that is.

circleK's around here used to do that for a while, but then they stopped.
could have been from customer complaints,
could have been a temporary TSA plan to accustom you to the police state.

the thing i hate 'bout circleK's is smellin' like an wet ashtray after you leave.