Acidus wrote:
] ] As more personal information is collected into databases,
] ] computers have been handed increasing power to make
] ] decisions about our everyday lives. The technological
] ] systems intend to solve costly and important business
] ] problems, but the proliferation of these so-called
] ] electronic blacklists has alarmed consumer and privacy
] ] advocacy groups who say many databases have incomplete,
] ] incorrect or misleading information.
] ]
] ] "Technology has made it cheap to do all kinds of
] ] surveillance and watch over people and make sure they
] ] obey the rules. But when a system makes a mistake, what
] ] can you do?" said Richard Smith, an Internet security and
] ] privacy consultant.

Gosh I thought I'd posted this - hell yeah! A lot of people that I know sell a lot on eBay. Now I do too, but I mostly sell previously owned items. Some people actually go to stores and buy items that they think are priced low - many sale items, and they then list them on eBay. After a 5-7 day run, if they do not sell on eBay for a profit, then take them back to the stores. This is especially true of designer clothing items.

Also, for years women have been buying something, wearing it once, leaving the tags in it if possible, and then returning it. Instant expensive wardrobe at the price of the retailer.

Many, especially in California, were supprised one day when they took their stuff back and were told they could not make any more returns.

Now, I don''t have a problem with stores limiting returns, but it should be posted so that I know that I might have to deal with this before I buy something - especially if I am buying it as a gift so trying it on is not an option.

RE: Databases used by companies to blacklist consumers