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

reply to post by Ringadingasaur

In the eyes of coporate, it does not matter. If the company has that policy, you do it, or get fired. Do you think that the employees are wanting to do this, especially with customers that they see every day and may be friends with? No.

I can tell you that one of my first convience store jobs, the company policy as far as ID, was that we ID God. That ment that if God almighty himself came through that door and wanted to purchase beer or cigarettes, I was to ask for and see an ID, make sure that it was a valid ID and then enter in the birthdate. Any failure to do such ment that I could have been terminated, and I did my job, even when customers complained and a few did thinking that I was in the wrong, and the manager backed me up. However, I learned in time when to break the rules, as the manager one day had to endure some of the abuse that I did.

The fines are stiff, very stiff for most stores that sell age control products, but ask yourself this, and be honest, is your job worth say 6 dollars?

Having read the replies I am going to state something else, that should be:

There are 2 sides to this issue, and ultimately, it can be a problem in the USA for the convience store employee. Most of the laws are geared to punish the employee and convience store for selling to someone who is underage. The laws are very clear in this aspect and can range from thousands of dollars to loss of liscence on the part of the business. Some would say that the industry hires idiots, but personally from my experience, not all of us are idiots, but don't need that kind of trouble. A job should not be worth the pack of cigarettes or a 6 pack of beer, but if it is sold to someone who is not of age, it becomes just that, and a criminal record to boot. In short it sucks, and ultimately is a world of hurt on the employee who is just trying to do their job, make that sale and work in a fast pace, stressful industry as it stands.

But here too is the problem is that this goes back to the parents, who are demanding that the government solve a problem that they themselves often are not willing to take care of. And the laws reflect that, don't punish the child, but punish the source. Many of the more stricter stores that do ID everyone, there is a good chance that they have been busted before for underage sales and ultimately have faced fines and possibly lost liscense to sell those products, all cause of one mistake or a person who did not want to follow the rules. And those fines can get up there, the lose of a liscense can pretty much ruin the entire store. Think about it, one pack of cigarettes ment that the store is no longer allowed to sell any tobacco products and now is going to go under cause that is their main stay.

It is also that the government decided that smoking and tobacco is bad and that its citizens should not be doing such, thus it is slowly trying to make it hard and an inconvience for doing such. While it varies from state to state on the punishment, the bottom line is this, the person who provides age control products to someone who is underage is breaking the law, and ultimately when they are caught, face criminal charges, thousands of dollars worth of fines and ultimately can lose everything they worked for, and pretty much will be without a job, all for one beer, or one cigarette. Blaming a company is not the answer, as they are trying to protect themselves, and usually these kinds of policies come out after the fact, to show the courts that they are serious about following the laws.

And if you look at the laws, who get punished more, the employee or the child? It is the employee that bears the brunt of the punishment, the child gets off scott free, and the parents do nothing, but demand from the government that they make tougher choices, opening a door that ultimately leads to the nanny state approach.

Originally posted by sdcigarpig
And if you look at the laws, who get punished more, the employee or the child? It is the employee that bears the brunt of the punishment, the child gets off scott free, and the parents do nothing, but demand from the government that they make tougher choices, opening a door that ultimately leads to the nanny state approach.

It is the employee's responsibility at this point and while I can understand your argument here, all responsibility falls upon that employee (or even employer) to ensure they are following stated laws. In this case, the law is prohibitive upon the seller, not the buyer. There is no law that dictates the age of consumption, but rather the sale thereof.

That responsibility falls squarely upon the seller of prohibitive items and expecting parents to be 100% proactive and 100% all knowing, is unrealistic in this situation.

reply to post by Signals


My local grocery store (not a franchise chain) has the same policy of carding EVERYONE, even old ladies with walkers. I go in there several times a week to buy wine, and it's always the same cashiers, and they always have to card me, per store policy. It has actually started to piss me off, and i usually have a remark like "my birthday is still the same," or "I'm honestly NOT getting younger." The managers, however, when they open a register, never do. One remarked, "We know you well enough." But all the other employees, who also know me, must abide by the "policy" to keep their jobs. Such is store policy.

Back to your OP, that IS very strange that they actually scan your ID. Maybe there's some kind of kickback they get from scanning/compliance. Maybe to see if it's a legitimate ID (even though you're a regular), but quite possibly creating a real time log of your habits, either for the government or for marketing purposes.

Does the state in which you live have your fingerprints encoded on your license via barcode??? THAT is what's troubling to me.

How long before one HAS to have a Kroger plus card in order to shop at Kroger? Then they know the entirely of your purchase habit (at that store).

I'd have to look deeper into to to see why they truly might scan it, but someone else in this thread might have already...

Kinda freaky. I'd probably stop shopping there if they scanned my freaking ID.

reply to post by Signals


thats exactly the reason right there, i was just waiting for someone to point it out as i scrolled the thread!

Originally posted by bknapple32
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.

I am going to disagree with you here BK...

The scanning system in a store (Price Chopper up here uses them as well and I've gotten in a few tiffs with them) is directly tied into the (we used to cal it the NCR scanners since they used to make them) scanners that are used to scan the barcodes on products you purchase, they scan the license and that information is tied to your store card (if you have one) and even PC admits they use that info to target advertisements, and knowing firsthand how "secure" the main computers used to run the scanners are, I would and don't let them scan my ID at the store at all. If they can't punch it in manually then I hand them my US Govt ID and let them chew on that for a bit.. usually not always they let it go.. but they really really want that info that's on your DL..

OP - as someone who used to be a member at this forum 10 years ago (wow it's been that long?) for educational reasons - en.wikipedia.org... - I can tell you how those readers work.

First - they're not storing any of your data anywhere. That is all stored either on the mag strip on the back of your ID, or on the 3d barcode if you have one of those. The readers are just reading your data off the ID and confirming that the information is consistant with the encryption/standards that the DMV uses to issue IDs. They get the name/birthdate/etc off the ID, then using that information run it through a program to see if the license ID matches the pattern the DMV uses.

Originally posted by vkey08

Originally posted by bknapple32
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.

I am going to disagree with you here BK...

The scanning system in a store (Price Chopper up here uses them as well and I've gotten in a few tiffs with them) is directly tied into the (we used to cal it the NCR scanners since they used to make them) scanners that are used to scan the barcodes on products you purchase, they scan the license and that information is tied to your store card (if you have one) and even PC admits they use that info to target advertisements, and knowing firsthand how "secure" the main computers used to run the scanners are, I would and don't let them scan my ID at the store at all. If they can't punch it in manually then I hand them my US Govt ID and let them chew on that for a bit.. usually not always they let it go.. but they really really want that info that's on your DL..

There's a difference between being a member of a store's discount program, and buying cigarettes.

reply to post by TheLieWeLive

I can verify this with at least one incident in Sacramento California USA- I had my passport, no license = No Beer.

Originally posted by TrueBrit
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.

This post wins my just now created "Post of the Month." Well said brother, well said!

Personally, there is no way on this green Earth I could be mistaken for "under 18," and if I was asked to provide confirmation of this fact they would get a snort of derision followed by a view of may a*s as I walk out!

reply to post by Signals


I would tell them that their policy has now changed my policy of shopping there. Make sure they KNOW (and by they, I mean management/corporate) that this is the reason you are no longer patronizing their business.

Of course, why the hell are you buying beer and cigarettes there anyhow? You're paying a convenience upcharge, when you could get them elsewhere cheaper....

This is why I love doing business with small businesses (like the small, independent liquor store I go to). I don't even really drink much, but I do like to entertain, and so, I get stuff pretty regularly from him, and he would NEVER dream of asking me for my ID.

The liquor control board in your state may be forcing them to do this.
Likely because they have been caught selling to minors too many times.

Remember, businesses have to deal with the same lame government we do.

They could just outlaw cigarettes and alcohol.

reply to post by TheLieWeLive


I have a friend who is in the Army and met a fraulein in Germany. She was in the Midwest US visiting, and a bar out here wouldn't accept her passport ID.

Originally posted by Evil_Santa

Originally posted by vkey08

Originally posted by bknapple32
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.

I am going to disagree with you here BK...

The scanning system in a store (Price Chopper up here uses them as well and I've gotten in a few tiffs with them) is directly tied into the (we used to cal it the NCR scanners since they used to make them) scanners that are used to scan the barcodes on products you purchase, they scan the license and that information is tied to your store card (if you have one) and even PC admits they use that info to target advertisements, and knowing firsthand how "secure" the main computers used to run the scanners are, I would and don't let them scan my ID at the store at all. If they can't punch it in manually then I hand them my US Govt ID and let them chew on that for a bit.. usually not always they let it go.. but they really really want that info that's on your DL..

There's a difference between being a member of a store's discount program, and buying cigarettes.

What I am saying, and you missed it, Price Chopper when they scan a drivers license actually DOES keep the info on the DL in their system, and merges that with your discount card.. I don't know how that was missed, it was a big deal here when they admitted to it.

They could just outlaw cigarettes and alcohol.

They tried that once before (alcohol)...didn't go over too well, birth of modern organized crime and all of that....

reply to post by opethPA


He said he would no longer work at that store. How does that make him not care about other people who work there? It's an employer's market. I don't think his quitting would make that much difference. How else could people fight the implementation of Orwellian systems? Still, it sneaks up on us so we barely even realized what's going on. For instance, I have looked into the rfid thing and I see how it can be part of the Orwellian process, which involves data mining, but scanning a driver's license for a purchase is a more slippery thing. The store may feel that there's too much room for error in a salesperson gauging the age of someone to ask for an ID. With people suing everybody left and right, everyone wants to cover themselves. Hotels don't want people skipping out of town, but scanning a driver's license does seem a bit odd.
This is only one aspect of the Orwellian nightmare being created. There's satellite surveillance, parking lot cams watching everything we do, scanners that take your car license pic if you don't pay the highway toll, etc. You may say that it's just part of doing business in a busy technological world, but some of us still remember days gone by when this stuff didn't exist. (exception, bar codes in groceries).
We are headed into this technological nightmare and it's complacency which will allow it.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
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

I couldn't tell if you were being sarcastic or not, but when I was as a teen I had a really good fake ID, only cost me $50, looked exactly like a regular drivers license and also scanned if the store clerk decided to test it.

Originally posted by Signals
reply to post by rangersdad

 

Thanks, that's where I'm afraid this is going...

If I remember correctly, under Obamacare insurance companies can charge up to 50% more for people who smoke. Which is ridiculous!

When Obama first proposed overhauling the health care system, a friend of mine who was from Canada....many years ago was saying good, now her daughter who works part time can get free health insurance....I tried telling her that it wasnt free, Obama never said "FREE" but that is what she heard.... That is the problem people hear what they want to hear regarding this change in our health care system.

reply to post by Signals


That is one of the questions that I been asking myself, the unsecured way that now all this so call smart IDs carry for anybody with the right scanner steal from you.

If I was you will boycott Circle K and refuse to have my license scan by them, I already boycott any retailer that have switched to the portable scanners in their stores.

Anybody can scan any of those portable devices and steal your card information from them.

I am not against technology but I value my personal and financial information too much.

I will be frying my soon to be smart ID driver license once I get it.