From a totally different point of view - the credit card companies are the ones requesting the zipcode verification. Just like many times you enter the code from the back of the card, now it's zip codes. This is part of the PCI Compliance issues for credit card transactions. (My knowledge of this comes from 15-year use of software that takes payments, etc.). The new laws require that credit card numbers and any associated information are masked when stored, and the storage locations are very limited.

Pam



Pam Ragland
Administrative Manager
Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission
861 Riverland Dr
Charleston SC 29412
(843) 762-2172
Fax (843) 762-2683
Direct: (843) 762-8044
[log in to unmask]
www.ccprc.com
Where Fun Comes Naturally!

 please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Julie J. Colgan
Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2011 4:01 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ZIP code

I wonder what the real intent is - to get the practices changed or to sue
the pants off of "Big Oil" (and perhaps the intent varies depending on
whether you're a consumer or a lawyer ...).  I just absolutely can't
imagine that the gas stations had nefarious or malicious intent, but were
rather likely acting in what they felt was the best interest of the consumer
and that their practices were in accordance with the law (per another CA
court, as cited).

I'd be interested to hear of actual damages incurred by *any* consumer as a
result of that practice, which should be a weighing factor in the award of
damages by a court, or settlement out of court.

If the state has now made the determination that a ZIP is PII, then fine, do
that; but give merchants a chance to make changes to their systems to comply
with the change.  I'm more suspicious of levying fines in a hurry as being
potentially malicious than I ever would be of a gas station trying to prove
I'm not using a stolen card by asking for my billing address ZIP.

I like Mark's idea of allowing the consumer to decline entering their ZIP
but then making them have their ID checked by a station attendant instead
before they can pump gas.  Convenience over concern - the consumer's choice.

These kinds of lawsuits drive me nuts.

--
Julie J. Colgan, CRM

[log in to unmask]
http://twitter.com/juliecolgan
http://www.linkedin.com/in/juliejcolgan

List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]

List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]