I bought some blueberries at Walmart and the next day I got spam offering blueberry plants for sale. How?

mike: I bought some blueberries at Walmart and the next day I got spam offering blueberry plants for sale. How?
I keep getting some curious looking spam. The names are often family members or friends (coincidence?). I bought some blueberries at Walmart and the next day I got a spam for some blueberry plants. I paid at Walmart using my debit card. Is Walmart giving away my personal info or is someone hacking Walmart’s computers?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Josué Artaud
In this case u can talk to Walmart about, and if they ignore you or u still geting spam sue them

Answer by heartbrokee
The same thing happened to me when my computer got a virus, the next day i got a flyer at my door about someone who fixes computers and what not. When people ask for your number and say your info is private don’t believe them. They sell your number to creditors and that’s how suff like that starts to happen.

Answer by The Phlebob
Sounds more like a coincidence. We sometimes hear about someone who had a premonition and didn’t get on a flight that later crashed, but we never hear about the people who had premonitions and didn’t get on flights that landed safely.

Walmart would have to have some way getting your email address from your debit card number. It’s not likely your bank would give it out even if they have it, and it’s even less likely Walmart could hack it any other way.

Hope that helps.

Answer by Computer Tech
That is very strange. I buy a lot of stuff at wal-mart, and always pay with credit card. I have never got any spam in return. I don’t know what to tell on that one. I don’t believe wal-mart gives out your information.

Answer by Azhar A
coincedence

Answer by Dunbar Pappy ϟϟ
Wal-Mart, as with so many other mega-conglomerates, has a ‘privacy policy’ (here: https://corporate.walmart.com/privacy-security/walmart-privacy-policy ) that is nebulous, and confusing.
Specifically:
“Walmart does not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your personal information, whether you are a current or former customer, only under the following limited circumstances.
Service Providers
We may share information about you with service providers or suppliers that help with our business operations. Examples are shipping vendors, billing and refund vendors, credit card processors, ► and companies that help us improve our product and service offerings and our websites. We require these service providers and suppliers to keep the information secure. We also prohibit them from using your information for any purposes other than those requested by us.”

Not perfectly luminous with meaning, is it?
It does have an “opt out” section for some things, but because of the nearly incoherent ‘policy’ it’s hard to say exactly what’s private and what’s sold/conveyed to 3rd parties.

With millions of customers, and a ready-made data base, it’s hard to conceive they wouldn’t let this out to someone with enough money…privacy is dead anymore.

ADDED: Bruce Schneier (well known in security circles) has an new article on Internet privacy; with some threads to astonishing practices that directly violate the public’s perceived ‘privacy’: check it out: https://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram-1004.html

Answer by Mat
When they get your information they get your email and spam you according to what you bought and your liked goods. Sue, Sue, Sue, if they don’t stop.