It’s the savvy shopper’s favorite time of year: Discounts and deals as far as the eye can see.
You’re probably like me — I hate paying full price. But is submitting your email address, phone number or more worth it for a coupon code? As with most things tech, it depends.
Did you read it when you signed up? Yes, I think so. It’s not too late to go back and check the terms and conditions. Here are some recent statistics from Atlas VPN, which reviews some of the most popular shopping apps.
- 58% of the apps they reviewed shared names, home addresses, email IDs and phone numbers with third parties. (That’s code for anyone willing to pay enough.)
- 25% share device IDs or other unique identifiers for smartphones and tablets.
- About a third disclosed financial data, including purchase history and payment details.
- 28% share location data with “external sources”, whatever that means.
Things don’t get any better if you sign up for an email list, submit your number for marketing texts or become a “member”, even if it’s free.
What about store loyalty cards?
Talking about signing up for a store loyalty program is easy. In exchange for a little information, you can get great deals on groceries, home goods, you name it. But just like the other methods we’ve discussed, you give more than you think.
Every swipe of your loyalty card, phone number or email address tells the store everything you bought, when you bought it, in what quantity and at what price, along with your payment details. Install that by downloading your store app; they also know where you are.
“Who cares if my store knows what brands I like?” Fair enough, but tracking goes beyond that. Rewards cards store data, including your name, address, phone number and credit and debit cards. Thieves can steal this information and create false identities for crimes.
About a third of the top shopping apps disclose financial data, including purchase history and payment details. Getty Images
The good news is that there is an easy way to submit this.
- Use your office phone number as your loyalty number. If they need an email address, I give them a disposable address. (More on that below.)
- Look for stores that don’t require loyalty programs for discounts, such as Trader Joe’s and Walmart.
- Don’t forget physical coupons. Most grocery stores have a coupon section on their website where you can print, clip and submit.
- Whatever you do, never give them your Social Security number or driver’s license number.
- Ask for a discount. Cashiers usually have codes to charge digital prices without you having to have an app or loyalty code.
- If all else fails, smile and ask the person behind you, “Hey, mind if I use your card?” Be polite, and I’m sure you’ll get a yes.
And hey, if all else fails, consider whether saving $1.25 is worth your data. I’m willing to bet no.
The report found that 58% of the top shopping apps share names, home addresses, email IDs and phone numbers with third parties. Getty Images
Do it in a way that prioritizes privacy
Remember how often sites used to ask you to answer questions to prove your identity? The thief was caught, and now your bank has a safer way to make sure it’s you than giving out your mother’s maiden name.
My advice then is the same now: Fudge it. (If you’re ever asked to answer a personal question when logging in, do something — as long as you can remember what you said later.)
For coupons, loyalty cards and everything else, this means providing yourself with the burner’s email address and phone number. I encourage you to keep your real contact information closer to the vest.
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Burner email address is disposable and can be used in place of your primary.
- Temp Mail provides temporary, anonymous and reusable email addresses. You do not need to register for the free version. Remember that the service doesn’t delete your temporary email address automatically (it’s up to you) and you can’t send emails. Emails are stored for approximately two hours before they are automatically deleted.
- 10MinuteMail is another popular option that you can also use to send emails. As the name suggests, emails and addresses are deleted within 10 minutes. If you receive an important message that you don’t want to lose, you can forward it to another email address. No need to provide personal information to get started, which is a nice bonus.
If you’re an Apple iCloud+ subscriber, you get access to one of my favorite Apple features: Hide My Email. It creates a unique random email address that is forwarded to your inbox. You can create as many addresses as you want and reply to messages.
- Go to Settings and tap your Apple ID.
- Go to iCloud > Hide My Email > Create New Address.
- Follow the on-screen instructions and you’ll get a new email address that you can manage from iCloud settings.
Keep up with your tech knowledge
My popular podcast is called “Kim Komando Today.” It’s 30 minutes of tech news, tips and solid callers with tech questions just like you from around the country. Find it wherever you get your podcast. For your convenience, hit the link below for the latest episode.
Also, I’m linking Jessica from Illinois with tips for last minute cheap flights. Holiday shopping? Here are the best tech gifts of the season. A free tool to block online trolls and unique remote work. Also, try these Siri and Google Assistant voice commands for emergencies!
Check out my podcast “Kim Komando Today” on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast player.
Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for my last name, “Commando.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
