American Onslaught

I recently cashed a check at Bank of America. Being the holidays this is not an unusual thing to do this time of year. While I do have a business account at Bank of America I do not have a personal account. The check was from the bank, so no problem there. However when it came time to ask me for my ID, the teller asked me for something else as well.

Now one might think a social security number would be an appropriate precaution. After all, in the world we live in businesses cannot do enough to protect against fraud. Well the teller did not ask me for my social security number, a second form of ID, or anything like that. She asked me for my fingerprint. Now this raises some interesting questions.

At first I was taken back. I was not sure what to do. It struck me as an odd thing to ask for. 

I initially thought this was a prying request, which may be the case. But then I didn’t think giving up my print could hurt me, could it? I have to admit it did cross my mind. Oh you know, the wild fantasy, what if they took it and used it to frame me for a crime I didn’t commit. 

But let’s be real. Things like that don’t happen, in general. I will stipulate that it may happen, but realistically I doubt it will ever happen to me or it is even something that I ever have to worry about. Still, the thought crossed my mind.

The real concern is the questions this raises about my privacy. What happened to my privacy? What is next DNA. Where is that line, or is there one. Not so when it comes to private companies. There really is no privacy when it comes to corporations. Face it, they track what is bought, where you shop, etc. But is this as bad as some might make it out to be?

Let’s look at this. First let’s examine the paranoia of some. They have this information, but Companies have no incentive to turn any of your information over to the government. If they did, consumers would certainly stop doing business with them, profits would drop, and their doors would close forever. So unless compelled they wouldn’t turn anything over.

From a shareholders point of view (of which I am for Bank of America) this adds a level of protection. Bank of America is defrauded less, the company looses less, and I get more money back as a result. How can that be bad?

The question really then becomes, what is the harm suffered? Was I harmed for giving up my fingerprint? No, but I could be someday. Possibly. Maybe. 

But forget everything I have said before, because in the end I gave up my fingerprint. Not because I was ok with it or I thought it was a necessary evil, but I did it because I wanted the money. That is what it comes down to. $Money$.