Canadian Privacy Decisions

A member of a not-for-profit association complained that he was required to present a second piece of identification, in addition to his membership card, to receive member discounts. The association implemented this policy to prevent non-members from misusing membership privileges, which violated agreements with vendors and resulted in lost revenue. The complainant was satisfied with the explanation and the complaint was settled.

• Necessity of collecting supplementary identification
• Verification of membership eligibility
• Prevention of misuse of membership privileges

A complainant raised concerns about a retail chain printing customer names, credit card numbers, and expiry dates on receipts, and requiring a driver's licence and credit card information for refunds. The retail chain subsequently updated its systems to mask personal information on receipts and changed its refund policy to no longer record identification details, only collecting name, address, and telephone number. Both the complainant and the OPC were satisfied with these changes.

• Collection of personal information on receipts
• Collection of personal information for refunds
• Necessity of collecting personal information

An individual complained that a bank employee improperly disclosed her account balance to her estranged husband. The bank acknowledged that its employee likely contravened PIPEDA by disclosing the information without consent. The matter was settled between the complainant and the bank, and the OPC agreed to consider the complaint settled, as no systemic issues were found.

• Improper disclosure of personal information by a bank employee.
• Lack of knowledge and consent for disclosure of personal information.
• Adequacy of bank's privacy policies and training.

An individual complained that a retail store inappropriately collected her personal information and disclosed it to a financial institution, and that the financial institution used and disclosed her information without consent. The retail store's salesperson processed the credit application before obtaining the customer's signature, leading to an approved credit card despite the customer's decision not to proceed. The financial institution stated it did not share information with third parties and took corrective actions, including removing an inquiry from the customer's credit file. The retail store also implemented new procedures.

• Inappropriate collection of personal information by a retail store
• Unauthorized disclosure of personal information to a financial institution
• Use and disclosure of personal information by a financial institution without consent
• Failure to obtain customer signature before processing credit application

An individual complained about receiving an unsolicited commercial email from a company's sales agent. The company was unaware of this practice, which it does not approve of. The company instructed the agent to cease using email for marketing, and the agent confirmed compliance. The complainant was satisfied, and the matter was settled.

• Use of unsolicited commercial email for marketing
• Company's awareness and control over agent practices
• Company's privacy policy and officer appointment