[vkou]

You don't get a check, you get a gift card for a credit monitoring service that you will never use because all your data leaks all the time already.

Motherfuckers asked my wife her SSN when she was getting a store card the other week. Not a credit card, a store card.

[qup]

I had a pawn shop try to take my social to buy a air paint sprayer. They said it was a city ordinance.

I left empty handed, even though I think SSN shouldn't be used as a password.

[bradknowles]

Now that would be a violation of federal law. I would inform the store that my wife is a lawyer, and we can have her law firm contact their law firm to discuss why they are in violation of federal law.

Then I would ask them if they want to reconsider this possibility.

Now, if you actually want to use this tactic, I would suggest you look up the federal law in question, so that you can quote it by section and paragraph. Maybe keep a printed copy with you.

[fragmede]

air paint sprayer seems innocuous, but given the problem of graffiti (no matter where you actually live), they likely weren't lying to you.

[qup]

I said something like "really? for a paint sprayer?"

He said "for anything in the store."

[bradknowles]

Technically, they’re still a creditor, and creditors get special privileges when it comes to things like that. So, while I would refuse, it’s probably not a violation of federal law.

[ImPostingOnHN]

What is a store card in that case, and how does it differ from credit card (other than, I assume, the place you apply)?

The store cards I have seen are simply store-branded credit cards.

[maicro]

Based on the intonation, I'm guessing it's a "loyalty" card - it tracks your purchases, unlocks some level of default discounts, and will often accrue points you can then use for various purposes. Giant Eagle in the US is a good example - you earn points for every dollar spent, then you can redeem the points for percent off gas at their gas station, a percent off coupon, etc.

(the above description is very bland - add in anti-capitalist/m messaging wherever you deem appropriate, I won't argue)

[ghaff]

Some store chains still have their own credit cards that aren't just co-branded. Far less common these days but I've still occasionally signed up for discounts on large purchases.

[vkou]

> What is a store card in that case, and how does it differ from credit card (other than, I assume, the place you apply)?

It's not a credit card, debit card, or any other kind of payment card. It's not even, like, a COSTCO membership card.

It's a tracking card that is used by the store to track your purchases in exchange for a small discount on some items if you swipe it at checkout.

[ImPostingOnHN]

Thank you, and that does seem like a ridiculous thing for which to request an SSN.

[cs702]

Actually, you get one free year of credit monitoring.

After the first year, you'll be asked to pay for monitoring.

[hansvm]

Actually, you'll need to input your credit card or other payment details for the one year, and after the first year they'll automatically remove money from it. Cancellation is not posible.

[bradknowles]

That’s why I sign up with virtual credit cards from privacy.com.

If I don’t like the service, then I can cancel the card. And I can limit them to how much money can be taken out per transaction, or per month, or per year, or total. Or the card could be a one-time only card. And it will be merchant locked, so if anyone else tries to charge that card, they get refused.

[vkou]

Given how many data breaches I've been in, I'm pretty sure I have more unclaimed years of free credit monitoring than there are grains of sand on a beach.