Credit privacy compromised by a business

[methusaleh]

Well folks, I respect you all so highly and love how this forum has members from all walks of life with all kinds of experience, so this is the first place I am airing this situation outside of my family.

I have a credit account at a major nationwide jeweler chain. I have been a customer in good standing for 4 years, never late with payments or anything. I assume I'd be considered a valued customer.

I live in Massachusetts, and that is where the store mentioned below is located.

There is a woman out there (I am a male) who is somewhat of a stalker to me, though not in the legal sense of the term and not usually weird enough to cause concern. But the incident this week takes the cake, and I put all the blame on the jewelry company.

The girl lives 1200 miles away but keeps in touch by phone, email, and she mails me gifts.

Here is what happened:

The girl wanted me to buy her a piece of jewelry for Christmas. She knows I have a girlfriend, and my girlfriend knows about her, and I have no intention of honoring the request, thinking it would only fuel the girl's obsessiveness. I bought her a nice card and some chocolates and mailed it to her for Christmas, but she was completely convinced that because I am such a nice guy, I must have secretly purchased some jewelry without telling her and will be mailing it or having it sent to her soon..

The girl is a big fan of this particular jewelry chain, and went so far as to visit a store and pick out various things she wanted, and then email me the exact store SKU numbers of the items.

She knows I did my Christmas shopping when I was visiting my parents, and she knows the mall I did my shopping at, which just happens to have one of these stores in it.

Come to find out from her, she called the store and was somehow able to convince the employees to check and see if there were records of any purchases I had made there. The employees not only told her every single item I had bought and when I had bought it, but even the fact that I had a charge card there, and what the balance was!

Needless to say I am livid. Being someone who workds in law enforcement, my first instinct was to call the PD in the city where the store is located, and see what action could be taken. Then I realized that they'd probably need to speak to the obsessive girl, and if it ever went to court, she would find out where I live, and I do not want her finding that out because it would make my life awful. The address she thinks I live at is 3 states away from where I actually am now, I just have the mail forwarded by the person who lives there now (a relative of mine). I thought of consulting an attorney to see if I have some kind of case against the company and/or employee, even if it was frivolous for "emotional distress" or something. But again, the idea of bringing this to court makes me dread that the girl would learn of my address.

At the very least I want the company to punish the employee and provide me with one heck of an apology. I am going to try to get a copy of their "privacy statement" ASAP to see what wording it has about disclosing things to outside parties.

I am not sure who to contact first or where this can go. I don't want to tell the company right off the bat in case I need to let law enforcement handle that.

Any ideas on this?

 

[Pablo]

Sounds like you need to go after the store, legally. What they did is wrong in most states.

But, why, oh why and what, oh what were you thinking by sending ANYTHING to this girl?? You need to make it plain and clear to her. Buying even a card, let alone chocolates sends a HUGE wrong message.

 

[Johnny]

I agree with Pablo 100% on this one. I would go after the store, drag them and her to court, and while she's there have the judge read the law to her. If she contacts you again, take her to court. Life is just to short to put of with crap like this. Not only would I not send her anything, I would not communicate with her in any way, not even to give her the time of day. After all of this is over, I would close my account at that store and never see them again.

My $.02 worth.

 

[michaelc80]

Like Pablo said, what were you thinking while you were stringing this girl along?

But that's not the real point of this post. I would confront the store, but keep in mind any legal action might reveal your true whereabouts to the girl involved. If they have a corporate office I would start there.

 

[Slick17601]

Call the store and mention the GLB Privacy Act to them. Then call your state department of banking and file a complaint.

 

[Schmoe]

Dude, you got a SERIOUS problem on your hands. You better nip it in the butt now and get it over with. First, she is STALKING you, people have been arrested for lessor offenses. Her actions have already shown that she has the intent of being criminal. Basically, from what I'm reading, she is a psycho-bit(he. Although, I have a feeling that you haven't told us the REAL story. If your not getting to freaked about her wanting stuff, and you sent her something for Christmas (why would you do that? backup???) and your only worried about the jewerly store, something is amiss here. There is some reason that you sent her something in the first place. Don't know you, nor the whole situation, but something just doesn't "feel" right with this.
As far as the jewerly store goes, what's done is done....call them up and cancel all your accounts and find another one. Where you live at, it shouldn't be too hard to find a reputable one. It's not like your living in the middle of nowhere.

 

[williar]

I agree with other about the need to cut this relationship off before it hurts both of you further. However, trying to take legal action against the store is likely a waste of time as you didn't suffer any monitary loss. The hassle and expense of persuing the matter with the store isn't worth it. Just payoff your card and cancel it. And do your shopping elsewhere.

 

[Gary Allan]

Well, that'll teach you. You put the methusaleh whamy on the wrong female.

When pushing those buttons ..be careful of the model. Some recover from unstable conditions better then others.


This one never righted herself.

 

[Al]

quote by Pablo: "Buying even a card, let alone chocolates sends a HUGE wrong message."

Send her chocolate Ex-Lax.

I think its a waste of time persuing action against the store. You might tell them of the problem and perhaps they will reward you with something. You might want to cancel that credit card.

 

[vairox]

wow man, w t h ? sending a stalker gifts ? not only that, but sending it 3 states away to have it sent to her just to conceal your address, theres defenitely more to the story than we have read, but thats your private business... if you don't want this woman stalking you then stop sending her stuff, in psychology we call this 'positive reinforcement' you are saying it's ok to stalk you because she will get gifts for doing it... forget the store man, yes what they did is wrong...

 

[methusaleh]

Thanks to all who read this.

As I did not suffer any more than "emotional distress," I have decided not to pursue the legal avenues for whatever it would have been worth.

I am just going to inform the corporate office of what happened and hope for the best.

As far as the psychotic woman, I had hoped it was nothing more than courtesy to be sending cards and small gifts, but this episode has shown me that she still is just as obsessed with me as she was when she lived near me years ago. I am looking forward to her next phone call (I am not taking the initiative), when I plan on finally giving her the verbal boot.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

As I'm reading this it's kind of scary and somewhat funny at once. If she only knows your phone number then after you give her the "verbal boot" then change your number. And if she's still stalking you then take legal actions against her.