Walgreen's, Best Buy, Target, Victoria's Secret, Invasion of privacy -- driver's license Deerfield Illinois

A National Law allows and requires Pharmacies to scan the back of a driver’s license, when the customer is purchasing a pseudoephedrine product that could be used in the making of meth.

 However, there is NO national law that would allow for the scan of a customer’s driver’s license for any other product.  Also, NO state law that would allow this to happen.  And NO requirement for any scan at any time.

 But, a medical doctor in New Jersey began scanning every patient’s driver’s license for every office visit.  Even though all of the patient information was included in the initial paperwork for that patient.  In theory this was to prevent patient duplication or a patient passing themselves off as someone else.  In the case presented in the attached website, the patient refused and left for a doctor somewhere else.

 Additional stores have begun to adopt this process, perhaps under dubious claims.  Pharmacies and Liquor stores to ‘cut down on underage’ purchases.  Target, Best Buy or Victoria Secret – for what reason as their products are not harmful to the public.

 My recent experience is yesterday.  I stopped smoking cold turkey with my heart attack in May, 1999, but my wife still smokes unfortunately.  I stopped at a Walgreen’s location (one that I had not visited at all), not our regular Walgreen’s that has been handling my meds for over 15 years.  I intended to purchase 3 packs of cigarettes and was told my license was needed or no sale.  After 3 assistant managers explained how this was very important, I complied.

 Today, my phone conversation attempt with the Legal Department of Walgreen’s headquarters in Deerfield, IL was intercepted by ostensibly an EA (Executive Assistant) to the CEO.  She claimed that some locations were operating on the belief that scanning for cigarette buyers was important.  This was all part of HIPPA information for the general welfare of customers.  After trying to impact this questionable reasoning and reach the CEO, I doubt I will hear from any responsible management at Walgreen’s.

* Only State Police and Local Police can take your driver’s license from your hands, and only after asking for it.

* What happens to the scanning information.  The bar code on the back of the license has two (2) lines and holds all of the same information that is contained on the front of the license.  The additional line holds unknown information about you, but experts will not discuss this.

* The scanned information will go to a server, either the company server or an outside company contracted server.  Management of each company may or may not converse/disclose what will happen to your scanned information.  In some cases, the information may be deleted or in some other cases, the information will be kept and form the basis of a database.

* The consumer has a choice to not agree with the scanning, but then purchase the product elsewhere….or give in.

* In the view of experts, the consumer must contact each store or contracted outside company to inquire and learn what happens to their private information.  Good luck……

* The scanning procedure aligns you and your private information to the product and the store --- for what reason ??

* Is this an invasion of privacy, deciding without your knowledge, what you can purchase in the future ?  Or just a marketing technique for sales advertising and store inventory.  The answers from store management, if at all, differ with the excuses or imagination.  This is not HIPPA related in the case of Walgreen’s, evidently so far, they just want to do it…somewhere.  And Best Buy or Victoria’s Secret ?

* Perhaps if known by the buying public or Legislative officials, this practice will be stopped.  Decisions by the individual for the individual are not the purview of store management far removed from individual activity.

I am including a website (one of many possible) that provides information that will be helpful.

https://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2015/04/bamboozled_what_the_bar_codes_on_your_drivers_lice.html 

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