Gun shop scanned my driver's license

[wewoapsiak]

The scanner likely doesn't pull info.

Its probably an age verification scanner.

I've seen a few bars / clubs in downtown Knoxville that scanned my DL barcode, popped up with my name and d.o.b if I remember correctly.

[LI0NSFAN]

Old company I worked for use to use DL for age verification. All that popped up on our system was age and name. I caught a ton of fake ID's that way. It was amazing how good fakes have gotten.

[Photoguy67]

I was thinking about visiting them but now I will never set foot in there. Thanks for the info.

[Fourtyfive]

Not my kinda place , thanks for the warning.

[vontar]

I would like that either myself.

 

I would say would not be keen on going in there but it is not that close to me and I only get to Nashville every now and then.

 

I think Target tried to scan my DL for buying beer.  I left the beer on the counter.   Seeing it is one thing, They are not required by law to make a copy in my opinion.  I don't know what information they can obtain if it is only an age verification or other.  I believe the law just requires them to see a photo ID for beer.

Edited February 6, 2013 by vontar

[xRUSTYx]

I'm 99% sure it was an ID/Age Verification scanner.  The only info they are given is Name, Age, and whether the ID is valid or not.

 

Many Available:  http://www.avidbiometrics.com/Age-Verification-Scanners/

 

Seeing as a gunstore has to obey laws when it comes to who they sell to, I see no issues with the above type scanner.  Verification to cover their ass ...

 

You guys give small businesses a rough time ... These guys aren't trying to scam anyone, and if what is said is true -- several burglaries over the past few months -- I'd do the same. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if guns are bought every day with fake ID's and info.  My ID has never been scanned to check accuracy in the past.  Crook gets a fake ID made, copies that info with fake info on to a 4457, and the shop could potentially be held liable/responsible.

 

Moral of the story -- The store is covering their own ass.  Red Dirt - You gave them your ID to begin with.  If you weren't comfortable giving your ID to begin with, should have kept it pocketed IMO and left at that point :)

 

My $.02 cents

[vontar]

I think the big points being made here is the perception and change in status quo.  People aren't normally used to having their ID scanned. It is not considered normal.   Probably in the future that scan will be nothing when we have to give retina scans.

The store should let people know what they are doing before they do it.  Just doing it when out informing is probably what bothered OP more then anything.

 

Most of us are used to swiping our own credit cards at major stores like Walmart and only holding up our ID when needed. 

 

So it most likely came as a shock to see them scanning it when the thought process was they just wanted to verify resident or age.

[Guest sL1k]

idscan brand software logs everything that shows on the front of the license. It can be used to automatically fill out forms, marketing statistics, add you to mailing list. In NY one club owner found he could send mailings to women aged 21-32 for ladies night advertisements, could even pull up how many women named Karen with a height above 5'3" visited his club between 6pm-9pm last week.

[red dirt]

I personaly don't understand your complaint. If you bought the shotgun, you would be handing them your DL anyways. You already stated you was going to buy it until you gave them your license. What did you expect? If you don't want to play by the rules....don't buy from gun shops!

 

Dave S

I expect them to inform me if they are harvesting my name address DOB DL # eye color and other info and placing it in their own computer system without my specific consent. I have looked at many guns at many gun stores and never had to give them my person information up front, especially gathered my information without informing me what they were doing, only when a purchase is made. 

[red dirt]

I'm 99% sure it was an ID/Age Verification scanner.  The only info they are given is Name, Age, and whether the ID is valid or not.

 

Many Available:  http://www.avidbiometrics.com/Age-Verification-Scanners/

 

Seeing as a gunstore has to obey laws when it comes to who they sell to, I see no issues with the above type scanner.  Verification to cover their ass ...

 

You guys give small businesses a rough time ... These guys aren't trying to scam anyone, and if what is said is true -- several burglaries over the past few months -- I'd do the same. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if guns are bought every day with fake ID's and info.  My ID has never been scanned to check accuracy in the past.  Crook gets a fake ID made, copies that info with fake info on to a 4457, and the shop could potentially be held liable/responsible.

 

Moral of the story -- The store is covering their own ass.  Red Dirt - You gave them your ID to begin with.  If you weren't comfortable giving your ID to begin with, should have kept it pocketed IMO and left at that point :)

 

My $.02 cents

 

Good point, lesson learned, as well as a few others. However I didn't write the serial number of the gun down and take it with me either. :)

[npgunner]

Gotta say, I wouldn't be comfortable with this either. It's one thing if I'm purchasing an item from them that requires my ID. If not, I think I should be told about it. Call me paranoid, but I give fake (or an intentionally silly email) information to any store that wants my phone number, zip code, email, etc. It's not that I think the world is out to get me, but I don't want random emails, phone calls, marketing flyers in the mail from just anywhere. I realize some of the stores send out reasonable stuff, but how am I to know they don't sale the marketing list to other companies that sale things I'm not interested in. I'm already uncomfortable with all the places that keep and store my information (doctor's, retail shops, government, etc.), and whose security measures I'm not knowledgeable about. I just don't trust that my info is somewhere that is secure (see recent SC tax records hack).

[vontar]

Along with what npgunner said, some places ask for your phone number when you just go in for a haircut.  Seriously  No,  refuse and confuse them.   They almost don't know how to act.

[npgunner]

Along with what npgunner said, some places ask for your phone number when you just go in for a haircut.  Seriously  No,  refuse and confuse them.   They almost don't know how to act.

I often find myself thinking "gee ... why do YOU need my phone number?" If I can't come up with anything reasonable, I say no. It confuses a lot of people. It also confuses them when you ask WHY they want your number.

[red dirt]

When a phone number or email address is "asked" for its is possible to politely decline.

 

When I asked to see the firearm, the person behind the counter (owner I believe) said "I need to see your drivers license" I assumed he meant "see" not electronically harvest my info...

[mikegideon]

Wow. I've been in that place. Two nice guys (brothers) that are pretty new to the gun business. I doubt seriously that they are up to no good. I sure am glad we're not a paranoid bunch like the LIBeral reTARDS say we are.

[TMF]

When a phone number or email address is "asked" for its is possible to politely decline.
 
When I asked to see the firearm, the person behind the counter (owner I believe) said "I need to see your drivers license" I assumed he meant "see" not electronically harvest my info...

I agree, but I'd chalk this one up to a miscommunication. I'm sure they thought nothing of it because THEY know they aren't doing anything with the information. Of course, that doesn't give YOU peace of mind since you have no idea what they're doing. A good way to handle that would have been to let them know that many people aren't cool with that, especially without some kind of consent.

When you take a car for a test drive they make a copy of your driver's license. I've never found this practice to be abnormal. If I was handing someone an expensive piece of merchandise and I didn't know them from Adam, I'd want some kind of assurance that it wouldn't be stole, especially if it was something that occurred frequently.

I guess what I'm saying is I'd hate to see someone lose business over a little misunderstanding. Surely there were no nefarious motives there; the guy at the counter probably didn't think anything of it. At any rate, it would be nice to have clarified the issue with the guy at the business before flaming them here and turn away potential customers. If he was a d**k about it I would say flame them all day long, but it doesn't sound like that was the case. It would be nice to see an employee from that shop comment here to clear the issue up.

[Defender]

I dont like that either.  I looked on the web and saw this:  http://www.instructables.com/id/Decode-Your-License/

Not sure if Im geek enough to do all that but I think I will try.  I'd be concerned too.  From what I saw online, one code has  only the information on the front, and the other has much more...not sure what software is available to business or scammers to harvest it tho...kinda worrisome.

[red dirt]

I ran through the first part of that yesterday, it had most of the basic info but was missing some data, I may try a higher resolution scan just for kicks, 4800dpi.

[Jonnin]

The scanner is fine if you buy a gun.  To LOOK at one, its still garbage, you do not need a valid DL to look. 

[TMF]

To LOOK at one, its still garbage, you do not need a valid DL to look. 

You might change your mind after having a few guns run off as soon as you hand them over. Just saying, perhaps instead of getting upset at the store, try to put yourself in that situation.

[mikegideon]

You might change your mind after having a few guns run off as soon as you hand them over. Just saying, perhaps instead of getting upset at the store, try to put yourself in that situation.

 

Those two guys aren't scamming anything. There are two internet vendors that have scanned pictures of my drivers license. One is Aim Surplus. I may be crazy for giving it, but then again, I'm not paying a dollar a round for 223 either. Still have a couple thousand left from my last Aim purchase.

[Defender]

Those two guys aren't scamming anything. There are two internet vendors that have scanned pictures of my drivers license. One is Aim Surplus. I may be crazy for giving it, but then again, I'm not paying a dollar a round for 223 either. Still have a couple thousand left from my last Aim purchase.

I agree...only real problem I see is that they should have told the OP what and why first, instead of just doing it, so he would have had the option of allowing that or not.

[Jonnin]

You might change your mind after having a few guns run off as soon as you hand them over. Just saying, perhaps instead of getting upset at the store, try to put yourself in that situation.

 

Maybe.

 

"How much is that glock"

- $600

"can I look at it"

- yes, but we need  a deposit because people run off with them

"how much"

-$600 ...

 

Seriously, I dunno what to say about a store that is having that kind of issues except to move away, not always possible.

I would, if it were my store,  shoving a difficult to remove RFID or other tracking device down the barrels (to be removed and reused when sold).  Run off with it?  I know where you are, here come the cops...

 

But that would be a pricy fix.  Maybe the scanner is the best thing.  But in that case, post the policy loud and clear.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Jonnin

[TMF]

Maybe.
 
"How much is that glock"
- $600
"can I look at it"
- yes, but we need  a deposit because people run off with them
"how much"
-$600 ...

Well, over 99% of people don't walk around with $600 cash on them, so nearly every customer would need to have the deposit put against a credit card. I'm gonna take a wild ass guess and say that most people would rather just exchange their driver's license than have their card run. I mean, you have to do it when you test drive a car. I don't see people boycotting every car dealership ever over that rule.

[Jonnin]

yea the deposit was a joke, not a real fix. 

Its a difficult issue