How I caught Ticketmaster selling my email to Groupon

#1

Post by martindaniel4 » Mon, Oct 09, 2017, 10:46 PM UTC

To track the source of unsolicited emails I receive, I use a small trick. Every time I sign up on a website I add a + domain to my gmail address (you still receive the email).

Today I received a spam email from Groupon to email+ticketmaster@gmail.com. (screenshot - https://twitter.com/martindaniel4/status/917454181094453248)

That basically means that Ticketmaster sold my email to Groupon.

They both lost at least one customer.

Re: How I caught Ticketmaster selling my email to Groupon

#2

Post by DrScump » Mon, Oct 09, 2017, 10:53 PM UTC

Have you also checked their Privacy Policy to see if this is an outright violation?

(I do the exact same strategy, BTW).

Re: How I caught Ticketmaster selling my email to Groupon

#3

Post by masonic » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 4:14 AM UTC

It could be worse. When you sell a PDF ticket on Stubhub, they actually send your original PDF to the buyer with your full name still on it! This has always been the case and continues to this day.

Re: How I caught Ticketmaster selling my email to Groupon

#4

Post by jetti » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 6:45 PM UTC

DrScump wrote: post #2

Have you also checked their Privacy Policy to see if this is an outright violation? (I do the exact same strategy, BTW).

I just checked the privacy policy and while I'm not a lawyer I would imagine that the following one of the following two clauses would protect them:

"We will share information with third parties who perform services on our behalf. For example, we share information with vendors who help us manage our online registration process or who fulfill your purchases. Some vendors may be located outside of the United States.

We will share information with our business partners. This includes a third party who provides or sponsors an event, or who operates a venue where we hold events. Our partners use the information we give them as described in their privacy policies, which may include sending you marketing communications. You should read those polices to learn how they treat your information."

Re: How I caught Ticketmaster selling my email to Groupon

#5

Post by Rjevski » Wed, Oct 11, 2017, 10:59 AM UTC

I wish Groupon would just die. They are not solving any problems, just creating them.