Ever had a pop-up with your name in it while shopping online

[Majic 7]

A couple of weeks ago I was researching smartphones, plans and costs online. I was going back and forth with different plans, phones and such when a pop-up came up saying Hi Mike, how may we help you with your decision? Creeped the absolute $#!+ out of me. Backed out there like an anti-virus siren had gone off. Google or somebody is going too far.

 

[Deathhorse]

Actually I have had one that did that. Really strange it was one of those live agent type of things. I closed it all done asap

 

[coldmeat]

Do you log out of facebook?

 

[zinfamous]

A couple of weeks ago I was researching smartphones, plans and costs online. I was going back and forth with different plans, phones and such when a pop-up came up saying Hi Mike, how may we help you with your decision? Creeped the absolute $#!+ out of me. Backed out there like an anti-virus siren had gone off. Google or somebody is going too far.

this shouldn't surprise you if you <3 Facebook.

 

[invidia]

AT&T does that if you are logged in. What site were you on? Were you logged in?

 

[Pantlegz]

maybe mike is a common name? I get adds that talk to me and use a name, never my name tho.

 

[Majic 7]

I don't do any social stuff online. As far as I knew I should have been anonymous. Wasn't on any sites I have any relationship, business or otherwise, with. Don't remember which site it was, freaked me out too much. For all I know I bought my phone from them eventually. Today I had something related. You have to register on Intel's forum now to even read them. As I was filling out the register form it popped a drop down with my name and city after I typed the first two letters of my name.

 

[lozina]

Not as bad as having your license publicly available to anyone who knows your name and whee you live !!11one!! http://www.license.shorturl.com/

 

[slayer202]

I was on amazon the other day. There was a list of suggest items on the home page. It was a list of a bunch of TVs, and then a single bag of potato chips in the middle, the exact same bag as the one about 5 feet behind me on a table. no idea how they knew...

 

[DrPizza]

I was on amazon the other day. There was a list of suggest items on the home page. It was a list of a bunch of TVs, and then a single bag of potato chips in the middle, the exact same bag as the one about 5 feet behind me on a table. no idea how they knew...

If you use one of those rewards cards that a lot of grocery stores are using (so that you can get the "sale" price on the 90% of the stuff in the store that's on sale, instead of the jacked up "regular" price) - they have the information of what products you use, what brands you prefer, how often you shop, etc. And, they can sell that information.
(I always use a fake name and address.)

But even then... if you use a debit or credit card - your purchase is linked to your name. "Nahhh, they wouldn't do that. That information isn't worth money, is it?" Of course that information is worth money to marketers.