Repco Asking to Take Licence Details, Not Signature

LSandraGomez on 08/03/2025 - 07:52
Last edited 08/03/2025 - 08:29 by 1 other user

Hi,

What are your thoughts on this and please let me know if it is legal and happens elsewhere?

Recently I had to pick up a click and collect.

I showed them my licence and my order number and the young girl wrote down my licence number and name on the docket where you usually have to sign for the item being taken.

I thought this was odd, questioned it but didn't really care as its just a number.

Then I thought later that is that legal and can businesses do that?

So I don't really care too much about any identity or data issues but just if its being done in businesses and if so if legal? Any ideas?

So the girl took my licence number and name instead of making me sign for the item having been collected.

She didn't type it in or anything, just scribbled it down on paper and said that the Repco manager of that store does this as a way to prevent theft, crime, fraud etc yet all my details matched my licence on the order so I'm curious about all of this.

Thanks heaps and have a great day.

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Comments

  • SBOB on 08/03/2025 - 08:09
    +5

    that is that legal and can businesses do that?

    Yes.

    • SandraGomez on 08/03/2025 - 08:12

      do you think its legit though scribbling it down on a piece of paper, like where does it go?

      • Settero on 08/03/2025 - 09:01
        +2

        If they had not copied it down and a fraud claim was placed, how would they show they sighted a dl and that dl matches the order details. It's probably only ever checked if a fraud claim is placed.

      • elgrande on 08/03/2025 - 09:26
        +13

        It will go on the nomination form for her next speeding offence.

      • apple2016 on 09/03/2025 - 13:00

        It is legal! But not a great practise.

        If you dont want to disclose your id details or uncomfortable with the practise , choose another store and move on.

        • SandraGomez on 09/03/2025 - 19:21

          bit hard when i have done a click and collect and only discover this when I go to actually collect the item i.e I have no idea they were gonna do this mate.

  • 82norm on 08/03/2025 - 08:11

    What happens if u don’t drive?

    • SandraGomez on 08/03/2025 - 08:12
      +1

      guess you have to show another form of ID? and maybe they take that number?

    • roguescholar on 08/03/2025 - 13:19
      +1

      You can get a Photo-ID.

    • wordplay on 08/03/2025 - 17:49
      +4

      repco mainly a store for automotive products, can't imagine too many non-drivers shopping there

      • tenpercent on 08/03/2025 - 21:39
        +3

        they sell tools too. so probably a few tools shopping there.

        • wordplay on 09/03/2025 - 21:19

          oh whoops, yeah didn't think of that, can imagine a large amount of tools who don't drive buying tools.

          • eug on 09/03/2025 - 23:15

            @wordplay: username doesn't check out.

  • Fredfloresjr on 08/03/2025 - 08:23
    +3

    Mr White needs runners

  • tenpercent on 08/03/2025 - 09:01
    -2

    please let me know if it is legal

    You agreed to it, so I can't see why not.

    Can they insist? Probably not unless it's cigarettes, alcohol or knives (in certain states).

    Providing your license number doesn't confirm anything or prevent crime unless you supplied your license details when you made the purchase but I doubt that was the case.

    This is not a method to prevent crime or theft. It's an unnecessary intrusion of privacy. Why would you accept that?

    If the license numbers and corresponding name, email, phone, etc get stored digitally it is creating a nice hacking target for criminals. If anything, this Repco manager is unwittingly encoraging crime.

    • Settero on 08/03/2025 - 09:07
      +4

      It 100% would assist in preventing charge backs for theft and scams , as evidence of a dl sighted, can also be provided to law enforcement if it ends up being fraud/stolen card used.

      You accept it because they can refuse service.

      Just to add I am not saying I agree with the practice or that its risk free to you, I am saying there is a logical reason for them to do it.

      • tenpercent on 08/03/2025 - 09:38
        +1

        The only info about photo id on their website is:

        It is helpful to have your order confirmation email available. If this information is not available when you collect your order, you will need to provide photo identification or details about your order (including your name and the products) to our store staff and they will locate your order for you.

        So I'm guessing OP just didn't have his order confirmation email. But the Repco policy offers two alternative options either show your photo ID or give your name and details of the products. So I am doubtful it is Repco policy to record the sensitive details on your photo ID.

        For all we know the store manager or just that one checkout chick is using those details to comit identity theft.
        Customers have no idea what safeguards (if any) they have for storing those details. My money is on a lowly store manager having an ego trip.

        I'd report that particular store to Repco head office because they're potentially putting the whole company (and who knows how many customers) at risk by creating a lucrative hacking or physical theft target for identity thieves.

        • SandraGomez on 08/03/2025 - 13:43

          No I provided my ID both physical and then digital on phone- the girl said the manager just wanted to always get peoples drivers licence numbers down….i found it odd. She threw away the paper and scribbled it out when I said I didn't want it kept on file and that they can just use my order email and my licence details….so yeah they threw it in the bin

  • Malik Nasser on 08/03/2025 - 09:05

    Did you use your licence details when placing the order?
    If not, then how do they reconcile your licence identification to the identification of the person placing the order?
    Is this only to report to police if there is later a dispute about wrongful collection by a third party?
    Is this a requirement by the police for them to pursue further (if they will even pursue at all)?
    It does seem a bit strange to me.

    I don't really care too much about any identity or data issues

    What? Why? You should be very concerned about identity theft and fraud. Do you find it fun to be putting your accounts on-hold, closing accounts, and setting up new accounts?
    Spend some time educating yourself about the dangers of identity theft.

    • plmko on 08/03/2025 - 09:30
      +1

      Licence number is useless if they don't have the card number.

      Someone scribbling down the licence number would be useful for anti-fraud but not for ID theft.

      • tenpercent on 08/03/2025 - 09:42

        Specifically what kind of fraud would this be preventing and how would it do that?

        I would guess CCTV (presumably there is CCTV at the registers and entry at least) of someone picking up a click and collect order would be more useful if for example a sophisticated fraudster managed to hack into your emails or your repco website account and find out your click and collect order details.

        • Jetstream on 08/03/2025 - 09:53
          +1

          It probably seems pretty easy.

          If the dl wasn’t used as part of the order, then now they can say, I wrote down the dl number of the person that picked it up.

          I confirmed that the picture matched that of the person that picked up the items, I also confirmed that name on the licence matched the order.

          I kinda feel sorry for Repco, they are trying not to get scammed themselves and hit this brick wall.

          Next week will be the comment, Repco gave my order to someone else, because they don’t even check a licence anymore.

          • Malik Nasser on 08/03/2025 - 10:15
            +3

            @Jetstream: I can understand and empathise why companies do this, but they are opening up a whole can of worms when they go down this path.
            There are so many unintended consequences to doing this. The companies are trying to cover their own backsides without taking into consideration why it is bad for the consumer.
            There really needs to be a standardised way for all companies to follow (best practice), so they don't then decide to create their own systems which most likely will be negative for the consumer.

            They still need to check the drivers licence (responsibility of the store employee), but they should not record it.

            • eug on 08/03/2025 - 10:34
              +1

              @Malik Nasser:

              They still need to check the drivers licence (responsibility of the store employee), but they should not record it.

              Couldn't every store employee then just say "yes I saw it" making it a pointless exercise?

              • Malik Nasser on 08/03/2025 - 13:03
                -1

                @eug: No system is perfect, but by having some checks and balances, you should be able to filter out a lot of the straight forward issues.

                Employee's have some responsibility, and you are always going to get those that really don't care and will do anything to get out of doing any work.
                To flip your question back on you: Couldn't every store employee then just make up a drivers licence number, making it a pointless exercise?

                • Jetstream on 08/03/2025 - 13:09
                  +1

                  @Malik Nasser: No. They couldn’t.

                  If I said, yeah yeah I saw Malik’s licence. How could anyone prove otherwise? I’m sure you wouldn’t be satisfied with the staff member saying ‘they saw it’

                  On the other hand, if they wrote it down, you could challenge them - Mr Malik, is your licence number 059220105? (That’s the length of a vic dl)

                  If it matched, I’m siding with them, that they saw your licence and they didn’t just happen to guess the combination to match your dl

                  • Malik Nasser on 08/03/2025 - 13:36

                    @Jetstream: As a consumer, if a random person from Repco gives you a call and asks you if '059220105' is your licence number, what would you think of that company? Would you continue to use their services?
                    To me this would be doing a lot of damage to the companies image.

                    Further to this, would they be doing this with every employee of the company that is responsible for taking down customer licence numbers for click and collect? I wouldn't think so.

                    Furthermore, the employee could make up any number of excuses to try and cover themselves: 'hmmm maybe that was the licence number of the previous customer, and I just mixed them up', or 'maybe I misread their licence number'.

                    Yes if you really wanted to target a specific employee, sure you could try to verify that everything they do is proper, but on a large scale, and with the number of employees that Repco has, good luck with that.

                    • eug on 08/03/2025 - 13:40
                      +1

                      @Malik Nasser:

                      As a consumer, if a random person from Repco gives you a call and asks you if '059220105' is your licence number, what would you think of that company?

                      If I bought something from Repco and I went to pick it up and they tell me I have already picked it up, I would have no qualms about confirming whether or not the number they quoted is correct. After all someone just impersonated me so I would gladly assist their investigations.

    • SandraGomez on 08/03/2025 - 13:44

      No did not have to, never have had to do that at repco or anywhere plus the order was under $50 not like 1000

    • SandraGomez on 08/03/2025 - 13:46

      No, i did not use my licence details when placing the $49 click and collect order. It wasn't $1000 or even $100 just $49. I showed the confirmation email, matched my physical and digital id

    • SandraGomez on 08/03/2025 - 13:46

      Yeah I know mate

  • askbargain on 08/03/2025 - 10:30
    +1

    Is using a fake licence here legal hmm

    • SandraGomez on 08/03/2025 - 13:45

      wasnt fake. I had order email confirmation on phone, showed both physical and digital ids

  • Dollar General on 08/03/2025 - 11:12
    +1

    Yes it’s legal

    You have the right to request a copy of their privacy policy too so you can read what they do with your details

  • freefall101 on 08/03/2025 - 12:39
    +1

    Sounds like the local manager has had a problem with staff just glancing at a card and handing over whatever, so introduced this.

    It's not a bad idea from a compliance standpoint. It's not like license numbers are private anymore anyway. The real problem is drivers license number being used to identify a person at banks, which is just crazy.

    It's probably not the brightest idea though if each receipt contains your name, address, last 4 digits of your credit card and now your drivers license number. Not sure if that's enough data to do any damage (or any more data than the average large company data leak).

    • SandraGomez on 08/03/2025 - 13:44

      Good point

    • outlander on 08/03/2025 - 14:02

      Sounds like the local manager has had a problem with staff just glancing at a card and handing over whatever, so introduced this.

      I doubt it's anything so rational. What usually happens is that some twit wants to feel important, so he pipes up "HEy! What if x happens? We should demand customers give us as much data as possible, so we are 1% more protected. And if it makes the customer 99% more vulnerable? Not our problem"

      I mean don't get it wrong, fraud exists, but there's no need to record license details. Just sighting ID should be enough.

      What I do now is buy things online so the stock gets held, and then when I go to pick it up I request they cancel the order and I rebuy it in store. It's a bit of a roundabout way of doing it, but better to spend an extra 5 minutes than to risk finding out in 3 years that several loans have been taken out in my name

  • Protractor on 08/03/2025 - 18:39
    +1

    Next time take a picture of the staff member for security reasons.Take their name down too.

  • werdnanostaw on 09/03/2025 - 10:17

    Privacy as a concept is great but that horse has bolted long ago.

    When you stay at hotels or B&Bs in many countries in EU you have to send them a photo of your passport or DL before they will email you door PIN. Ditto the round hotel in Glenelg SA.

    In Spain hotels swipe your passport through a reader at top of keyboard.

    I wondered how any of this was compliant with GDPR. I asked about this but no-one was able to tell me if their data storage of my ID details met GDPR requirements.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regula…

    While we were in EU in Dec last year there was a news story saying that in Italy (Croatia?) this would no longer be permitted. Guests will have to be physically sighted and photos of all guests and ID docs will be required.

    I asked one proprietor, who we only contacted via WhatsApp, about this. He said that video calls may be accepted.

  • iamgeoffyboy on 09/03/2025 - 10:30

    If you are using a digital licence in Vic you can just select ID and it doesn't show your licence number.
    Just your name and address.

    • tenpercent on 09/03/2025 - 13:33

      If you are using your physical licence in any state and have a thumb, you just select the license number with your thumb and it's hidden.

  • bamzero on 09/03/2025 - 15:54

    I had the same thing at Autobarn (this was over a year ago). The order value was tiny too, like $10 or $20 worth so I was surprised.
    Don't remember if they wrote it down though.

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