[jankassens]

Store memberships for points and rebates on products are really common here in the US. When you sign up for them, they ask for your email, phone number, address, etc.

Safeway, a big supermarket chain, does this to an extreme. Many of their products are "50% off" when you enter your phone number of your membership on checkout. (It really just brings it down to a normal price).

Nothing prevents you from using a fake number, but as far as I can tell, most people give a real number.

It's certainly a different culture in Germany. Media and people are a lot more concerned collection of data.

[qq66]

I use a fake number and a fake name at Safeway, and they always address me by the fake "Mr. XXX" when I check out. Always a little weird.