NOT HOT: Best Buy.com's privacy policy to change so that it shares your information with "affiliates"!!!!!

[AkumaX]

i just got an email saying that their privacy policy will change so that they'll share your gathered information with "affiliates." you have until nov. 4 to notify them that you dont want to do that (via a link) but at the same time, wouldn't that probably be signing you up for spam?

 

[Krugger]

woke up, read the email msg, clicked the link, easy as pie. nice of them to at least tell us and let us get out of it ahead of time. most places don't even do that.
---Krugger

 

[tetatdo]

could someone post the link?!

 

[ChefJoe]

Sorry tetatdo, they're sneakier than that. They send an e-mail to the addy that you gave them and the link in that mail has all the custom alpha-numeric stuff that tells them what that e-mail addy is (I opened the link from a computer that doesn't have the BB cookies after forwarding it to a different e-mail account).

Those of you that visit the web-site will see that going to the website from 10/26 on allows them to share your info anyways... appears that this response only excludes your earlier browsing/what's in their old database.

NOTE: I've edited the alpha-numeric stuff a bit... would hate to be opted back in.

>Subject: Important Changes to Our Privacy Policy
>Date: Sun, 6 Oct 2002 07:46:47 -0000
>
>Dear BestBuy.com(TM) Customer:
>
>This message is to notify you of the upcoming changes to
>our privacy policy and is not a marketing message. We are
>constantly striving to make your experience with us as fun
>and rewarding as possible. As part of our continuing efforts,
>we have updated our privacy policy in order to communicate
>with you in a more effective manner.
>
>In order to better understand your shopping preferences, we
>plan on combining the information that you've given us with
>other members of the Best Buy Companies. If you do not want
>us to make the information you have previously provided
>accessible to all the Best Buy Companies, please click here
>to notify us no later than November 4, 2002.
>http://a.chtah.com/a/tA9nwyBAJmbdMAKdw64Alkjasd.AKb58kqS/optout
>
>The updated Best Buy privacy policy will be effective
>October 27, 2002. Any information you provide while on our
>Web sites or in our retail stores after that date will be
>handled according to the updated policy. If you're interested
>in reviewing the updated policy, click here.
>http://a.chtah.com/a/tA9nwyBAasdflkjKdw64AHnu3W.AKb58kqS/priv1
>
>Best Buy's firm commitment to providing a secure and safe
>shopping environment and respecting your privacy has not
>changed. If you have any questions about any of our changes
>or about our privacy policy, just send us an e-mail at
>mailtorivacypolicy@bestbuy.com.
>
>Please note that if you have provided multiple e-mail
>addresses to the Best Buy Web sites or retail stores, you
>may receive this notification for each address provided.
>If you don't want us to combine the information you have
>provided to us in the past, you will need to opt out for
>each e-mail address.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>BestBuy.com

The website says:

<FONT face=ARIAL size=2>Dear BestBuy.com Customer,
In order to deliver the best possible service to you, BestBuy.com would like to combine the customer information in our database with the rest of the Best Buy family of companies. We are giving you this choice in the use of your information as an example of our strong commitment to your privacy at BestBuy.com.
If you would prefer that we not combine your past information, please click on the button below.
Please note, if you visit the BestBuy.com Web site or retail stores after October 26, 2002, any information you provide after this date will be combined with information from the rest of the Best Buy family of companies.
No, I'd prefer to opt out of having the information I have provided to you combined. My email address is AT-moderator@hotmail.com. </FONT>

 

[hamburglar]

thx

 

[mrokkam]

well, I too got that email. I clicked on the link without thinking.. like the rest of you. It DID not take me to Best buy. Looks like a scam.

BE CAREFUL

MAYBE they just send out random mails as MANY people will probably have a best buy account. and all of them will respond... and they can be spammed!!!!

if someone can make sure...

Thanks

Mohan.

 

[Pothead]

I got 2, each in the correct email address I had an acct with BB.com, looks KINDA legit

 

[Dragnov]

Oh no, I just saw junk mail from Best Buy so I just deleted it right away.

 

[ww4397]

From the opt out site:

"Please note, if you visit the BestBuy.com Web site or retail stores after October 26, 2002, any information you provide after this date will be combined with information from the rest of the Best Buy family of companies. "

Looks like your past is protected but not your future!

 

[Pardus]

the email came from: BestBuy@adm.chtah.com

link goes to http://a.chtah..com......................

another link goes to http://www.cheetahmail.com/cgi-bin/subscriber......

anyone notice this?

dont click it, its fake!!!

 

[MontyBurns]

If you don't want telemarketers collecting information from you, it's simple. Just stop shopping at Best Buy. And every other online store. And stop using your "discount" card at the grocery. And stop paying with a credit card at Wal-Mart. And the gas station. And the florist. And, for that matter, stop using a credit card anywhere. And disconnect your phone. And don't apply for a driver's license. And never register a domain name. Or sign up for Internet access. And never enter a sweepstakes. And don't subscribe to any magazines. Or the newspaper. Or cable television service. And never talk to anyone about anything, ever.

That's all you have to do to eliminate a lot of junk mail. What could be easier?

 

[speeddragon]

I remember that I received the same e-mail awhile back at the same Yahoo! account. I never got any more spam than before, so I think it is legit. I opted out again this time.

 

[MrPhelps]

Man that sucks I hate that they will share your info. Those bastards should have their personal stuff all over the internet to see how they like it.:|:|:Q

 

[ebaker]

 

[ebaker]

I wonder who their "affiliates" are?

 

[Boogak]

Originally posted by: ActiveX
the email came from: BestBuy@adm.chtah.com

link goes to http://a.chtah..com......................

another link goes to http://www.cheetahmail.com/cgi-bin/subscriber......

anyone notice this?

dont click it, its fake!!!

Cheetahmail does the email marketing stuff for Best Buy.

 

[Squalish2357]

If its not at bestbuy.com, LEAVE IT ALONE, IT IS A SCAM.

 

[TomDooley]

Well..... I was just messing around with the internet addy which they sent to us, and apparently, if you change the number at the end of the address, eg. I changed mine from '3' to '1', another date pops up(July 5, instead of Oct 27) , with basically the same message.... Damn them :|

 

[DavemanUT]

I got 2 as well, both to my 2 email addresses that I have registered with BB.com. I'm not sure if this is fake or not, but I'll say that if it is, they did a pretty d*mn good job of makin it look like it came from bb.com.

D.C.

 

[cmf21]

Circuit City uses cheetahmail as well so I don't believe it's a scam at all. circuitcity@adm.chtah.com

 

[SLEEPER5555]

If you really want to know call BB custo service and ask if this is true and this other company is in with them. maybe they make it look fake on purpose so you wil not reply and then they sell you info to affiliates! I hate this trend that all sites seem to be taking, and i would never deal with bb.com after some of the stories i have heard along with one of my personal experiences.

 

[MrCoyote]

I think this is fake. I think they copied this from the real SprintPCS thread.

 

[DeadSeaSquirrels]

Why aren't we more organized in sending complaint mail to BB for this type of change. I know some would say, they won't care anyway, but then that leaves everybody with the only option of not shopping at BB anymore. And that isn't totally great either.

I also don't follow the adage that one person just won't make a difference. Fine, Anandtech is x,000 people strong or xx, 000 people strong, that is something. We should all try to send them a letter expressing our discontent.

And if everybody thinks it won't do anything, just remind yourself of this one time when tampax or some other tampon making company decided to change their packages to have like 12 instead of 16 tampons normally, thinking nobody would notice or care. But so many women complained, and DID notice, that they had to change it back with their tails between their legs.

 

[Akira13]

Originally posted by: ebaker
I wonder who their "affiliates" are?

Bestbuy owns stores like Samgoody, Suncoast, and Magnolia HiFi. I suppose these stores could be their "affiliates."

 

[Krazi]

Originally posted by: MontyBurns
If you don't want telemarketers collecting information from you, it's simple. Just stop shopping at Best Buy. And every other online store. And stop using your "discount" card at the grocery. And stop paying with a credit card at Wal-Mart. And the gas station. And the florist. And, for that matter, stop using a credit card anywhere. And disconnect your phone. And don't apply for a driver's license. And never register a domain name. Or sign up for Internet access. And never enter a sweepstakes. And don't subscribe to any magazines. Or the newspaper. Or cable television service. And never talk to anyone about anything, ever.

That's all you have to do to eliminate a lot of junk mail. What could be easier?

Well, since I don't want to do any of that, here's what I intend to do.

1. If I get a phone call from a telemarketer, I'll ask them to hold on for a second. Then I'll put the phone on the table and walk away.
2. I'll take all my spam snail mail and stuff it into the postage-paid return envelopes the credit card companies send you and stick it in my mail box.
3. I've already installed a program which will block spam email and send some spam back their way (although most use bogus addy's anyway).

While it doesn't get rid of the annoyance, it makes it more bearable knowing that you can give back in such a generous way