Apparently, Belk doesn't want to talk to me.

[dalesys]

I've used that myself. Or, if I'm really fed up with the policy, 382-5968. I'd hate to be someone that actually has that number. (And in my area code, it's apparently a fax number. Oops...)

That number is used by The Sister Wives in their song "Don't Call"

Sister Wives MySpace page

[joe hx]

Maybe you could just give one of those "date rejection" numbers?

Also - why is it that the cashiers get in trouble for not selling these cards, but the management reaps the reward when they do? (Yeah, I know. Stupid question.)

[Andara Bledin]

My suggestion: Don't just leave.

If you leave, it sucks for the cashier, who doesn't have any control whatsoever.

No, make them get you a supervisor. And if they can't do it, make them get the manager for you.

You've already wasted your time if you have to go to another store, so you might as well waste as much of their time as possible to push the point home that harrassing their customers and bullying them into giving up what should be private information is not a good way to make money.

^-.-^

[Sheldonrs]

If they ask for a phone number, you could always just give them a sex line number. :-)

[sprocket79]

The phone number thing works almost like the zipcode thing in telling the company where they should spend their money on advertising. They look at the first 3 #s to determine where you live. Then they spam those areas with coupons in the weekly crap the post office delivers.

This method is really dumb and outdated now because of the ubiquity of cell phones. My cellphone's first 3 numbers say that I live in a town next to the one I actually live in. Plus, as people move, they don't change their numbers.

[joe hx]

This method is really dumb and outdated now because of the ubiquity of cell phones. My cellphone's first 3 numbers say that I live in a town next to the one I actually live in. Plus, as people move, they don't change their numbers.

And, if you're a college student, that might be a state or two away.

[Jack7957]

Depending on what type of store it is, you could always find their local competitor number and use that.

[Imogene]

My cellphone's first 3 numbers say that I live in a town next to the one I actually live in

My cellphone says I live ten hours away. Of course, I'd love to move back there, it's so much better than here.

[LadyAndreca]

*nod* The local radio shack won't sell anything without a phone number. I refuse to shop there unless it's something I can't get anywhere else. And Michael's wants a zip code for every purchase, but I actually don't mind THAT so much. It's not so intrusive, plus the store is actually in my zip code.

[Chromatix]

In Europe, most phone systems have put mobiles on their own code, away from the geographic numbers. For example, in Britain geographic numbers start 01/02/03, mobiles start 07, non-geographic landlines are 08, and premium-rate is 09. (It used to be arranged differently, but that's what we have today.)

But I think most of you are missing the real reason I think they're asking for numbers: telemarketing. Because they got your number as part of a business transaction, they would consider themselves exempt from the DNC list. *shudder*

[Pezzle]

And Michael's wants a zip code for every purchase, but I actually don't mind THAT so much. It's not so intrusive, plus the store is actually in my zip code.

It's for zoning newspaper inserts for their flyers, if I'm not mistaken. When I delivered, some areas got a michaels insert an some didn't depending on the target audience of that ad.

[Kogarashi]

*nod* The local radio shack won't sell anything without a phone number. I refuse to shop there unless it's something I can't get anywhere else. And Michael's wants a zip code for every purchase, but I actually don't mind THAT so much. It's not so intrusive, plus the store is actually in my zip code.

I'm more inclined to cooperate with that, mostly because there's little they can do with just a zip code.

Phone numbers on the other hand.... If I ever get telemarketing calls that I did not initiate (which is incredibly rare, thankfully), I'd be sure to inform them that they called a cell phone and make sure to mention "do not call" when I tell them to leave me alone. I've heard of the telemarketers who claim that you didn't say "do not call" (instead saying "not interested"), and thus put you back in the call queue.

[draftermatt]

Discover card now asks for a Zip code I've noticed when paying at the pump for gas.

So if you're paying with Discover and they ask don't be shocked.

[Crossbow]

Discover card now asks for a Zip code I've noticed when paying at the pump for gas.

So if you're paying with Discover and they ask don't be shocked.

Not just Discover. I get it with MC as well, but not always. It depends on the fuel vendor, apparently.

[Geek King]

Not just Discover. I get it with MC as well, but not always. It depends on the fuel vendor, apparently.

And I can confirm Visa being asked, as well. The only one in my area that does it is Sunoko, though. I think it's more of a minor theft protection, though.