Safeway shopper card leads to arson arrest

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms () computerbytesman com>
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 18:40:18 -0500
To: <dave () farber net>
Subject: Safeway shopper card leads to arson arrest

Hello,

Tukwila, Washington firefighter, Philip Scott Lyons found out the hard way
that supermarket loyalty cards come with a huge price.  Lyons was arrested
last August and charged with attempted arson.  Police alleged at the time
that Lyons tried to set fire to his own house while his wife and children
were inside.  According to the KOMO-TV and the Seattle Times, a major piece
of evidence used against Lyons in his arrest was the record of his
supermarket purchases that he made with his Safeway Club Card.  Police
investigators had discovered that his Club Card was used to buy fire
starters of the same type used in the arson attempt.

For Lyons, the story did have a happy ending.  All charges were dropped
against him in January 2005 because another person stepped forward saying he
set the fire and not Lyons.  Lyons is now back at work after more than 5
months of being on administrative leave from his firefighter job.

The moral of this story is that even the most innocent database can be used
against a person in a criminal investigation turning their lives completely
upside down. 

Safeway needs to more up-front with customers about the potential downsides
of shopper cards.  They should also provide the details of their role in the
arrest or Mr. Lyons and other criminal cases in which the company provided
Club Card purchase information to police investigators.

Here is how Safeway currently describes their Club Card program in the Club
Card application:

   http://www.safeway.com/app.pdf

   We respect your privacy. Safeway does not sell
   or lease personally identifying information (i.e.,
   your name, address, telephone number, and bank and
   credit card account numbers) to non-affiliated
   companies or entities. We do record information
   regarding the purchases made with your Safeway
   Club Card to help us provide you with special offers
   and other information.  Safeway also may use this
   information to provide you with personally tailored
   coupons, offers or other information that may be
   provided to Safeway by other companies.  If you do
   not wish to receive personally tailored coupons,
   offers or other information, please check the box
   below. Must be at least 18 years of age.

Richard M. Smith
http://www.ComputerBytesMan.com

Links

http://www.komotv.com/stories/32785.htm
Firefighter Arrested For Attempted Arson
August 28, 2004 

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002055245_arson06m.html
Fireman attempted to set fire to house, charges say
   
http://www.komotv.com/news/story.asp?ID=35019
Tukwila Firefighter Cleared Of Arson Charges
January 28, 2005 

http://www.safeway.com/club_card.asp
Safeway Club Card

 



 


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