Mid-Atlantic Convenience Store Chain Begins Scanning ID Cards

Shortly after New Years I visited the Wawa Convenience Store located at 2954 Virginia Beach Blvd in Virginia Beach, VA. I was purchasing beer and cigarettes so I was asked to present my ID for proof of age by the Cashier. No big deal I thought, so I pulled out my Driver's License and showed it to him. But instead of looking at it, he held it up to the Bar Code Scanner and scanned the back of it. This was something new to me, but with the way technology is advancing it didn't surprise me.

I went back to that same store the next day to purchase beer and cigarettes again. Once again I was asked for ID and they scanned it. This time I inquired about the new procedure, with a Manager happening to be standing by the Cashier. I asked them if their system was now tied into a National Database, already knowing that it must have been for them to be able to confirm my age by scanning my ID. The Manager confirmed that it was.

Databases exchange information. It does not just work one-way. If Wawa can confirm my age by scanning my ID, that means that a record of my purchases are is by the National DB.

It is basically the same type of thing as those Supermarket Discount Cards that you need to have to get the discount price on Sale Items. They scan those at the register when you check out to keep statistics on what you purchase and how often. They also offer contests and sweepstakes to ensure you offer your real name and address when you apply for the Discount Card. But you can still lie about your name and address and remain anonymous if you prefer.

Wawa also seems to be attempting to keep stats by using this method, only by using you Driver's License or ID Card. The difference is that they are apparently sharing the information with the Government.

They claim that their new policy is to ID any customers purchasing alcohol of tobacco who appear to be under the age of 40. However, I have observed them carding people in front of me in line who are obviously over 40. Even 50 or 60.

Now when I visit that store and they ask for my ID, I simply tell them that they may see it but they may not scan it. So far they have respected that and did not scan my ID. But I have taken the extra precaution of placing a piece of black Electrical Tape over the back of my Driver's License just in case.

I am not a conspiracy-nut by any means, but I really do not think that the Government needs to monitor my alcohol and tobacco purchases. It just makes me feel like I am being watched.

Blog Post Link: http://mjhmobilemedia.ning.com/profiles/blogs/midatlantic-convenience-store

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Big Brother
• Homeland Security
• Political Opinion
• wawa
• convenience stores

[rollercoastersrock]

I work at Target and even though we don't sell cigarettes or alcohol, we have to scan ID's for M rated games, cough medicine and a few other things or the computer won't allow us to complete the transaction. I'm pretty sure it's only done to make sure each cashier is carding for items that require the customer to be a certain age.

[mjhmobilemedia]

@rollercoastersrock There is an ingredient in cold medicine called pseudoephedrine that can be extracted to make Crystal Meth. It's illegal for one person to purchase more than a certain quantity of cold medicine for that reason. That's why you are required to scan ID cards when people purchase it. Now, if the government can track who buys too much cold medicine, isn't it safe to assume that there is more to scanning ID's than just making sure the cashier is doing their job?

[shamwow929]

it doesnt record or report or show us any info all it does is make sure its a real card.....so actually theres nothing wrong with it......if only dumb pricks like u knew anything fucking retarded

[mjhmobilemedia]

@shamwow929 You said "show us any info". Do you work for Wawa, or someplace else that uses an ID Scanner? Because what you see on the screen of your cash register isn't where it ends. The data the scanner pulls your info from is on the back of your ID. It doesn't actually pull the info directly from a server. But your info (name, address, age, etc...) is saved to a database, and often shared and/or sold to larger databases collecting consumer info and statistics... (Con't)

[mjhmobilemedia]

@shamwow929 These databases keep track of what you buy, how often, where and when. And this info is not anonymous. This information can also be shared to the web or by email. And if you don't think that the Government can access these databases, you have another thing coming.

[tomothy81]

The reason IDs are scanned are so the company can track whether or not an associate is carding a customer who is attempting to purchase cigarettes. In addition, it is able to tell if the ID is valid, and whether or not it is expired. Nothing more, nothing less.

[bengativo6]

as well its kind of funny when i saw this guy saying that he wasnot going to show i.d because the government were in conspiracy with aliens and he wanted to keep an underground kind of existance .lol people are fucking retarded.i work for a convinience store, there is no track of that shit this idiot talks about .the only thing they check is if your i.d is expired .or not .and if you are over the age,you might not be tampering them if you are good.but bot everyone is as honest as you can be

[bengativo6]

@mjhmobilemedia do you have any clue why your i.d is scaned in some convinience stores when you buy cigarrretes? is just not to verify you are just the age ,but imagine how many people have fake i.d's put it on the scanner showing it is expired ,or costumer is underage ,well the main point is in order to buy restrcicted products your i'd has to be valid ,meaning=not expired ,if its expired ,guess what is no longer a valid document .and the laws requires every citizen to have a valid i.d

[NHRHS2010]

Use a passport next time. I don't think there is a direct barcode although technology advances might allow passports and passport cards to have barcodes. But it doesn't show personal address, just name, birth date, place of birth...

[ptc9687]

So because the scanner takes digits from your ID, logically, your ID gives them information? Wha?

And you expect that a retail store doesn't keep records of what that particulary transaction was anyways?

Take your tinfoil hats off. If you don't hand me your license for age restricted items, you can get them somewhere else. And in most states around me, that means trying quite a few times.

[CampEpsilon]

I'm glad your protest had some effect on Wawa, or at least that your local store's manager demonstrated a little humanity in revoking the bullshit policy. I'm training for a job at a grocery store right now and just found out it's corporate policy to scan everyone's ID who tries to buy beer and cigs who's obviously under 40. The registers are monitored and keystroke info sent to a central database which is shared w/ the gov't. They have auditors who make sure that cashiers have been scanning.