Amazon asking for date of birth

Rene 72... I would love to shop locally, etc..

we have no shops local to us... have to travel 6 miles.. public transport! nah! car? parking.. and fees etc....

wish we did have a shopping "high street"

I have had sharp knife delivered.. just handed it over..
and sharp shears!

mostly Amazon are just leaving on the doorstep now.. and other delivery company`s

only Royal Mail won`t just leave the parcel on the doorstep..

Whilst I agree that you should keep your data safe, have a thought for the companies who sell goods which are restricted by age and those that deliver those goods. If they get it wrong, it is them that face prosecution. People who look much younger than their age get very offended if they are asked for proof when others aren't and we get angry if alcohol, knives, etc are sold to those who are underage. How can the shops and delivery drivers protect themselves?
There was (is?) a card you could get that would give you the chance to prove you were over 18 without having to give your details every time. The trouble was it was easily forged. It seems to me that this would be an ideal time for this sort of service which could be extended for everybody but would have to be a very secure and unforgeable card. It could only be used as proof of age rather than identity which might give people peace of mind.

Have you tried not using Amazon? Because of companies like this our shops are closing and we have become a nation of lazy shoppers! I don’t use Amazon however my stepson does and they’ve left his parcels on the street before now! Our front door opens up on to the street, we don’t have a bit of garden or a porch so parcels do need to be handed over. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve got to the front door only to see them driving away and the parcel dumped on the public footpath!

Glad you got it sorted. It did seem odd.

Your date of birth might have been useful info for someone not entirely on the up and up.

I enter the odd competition or two and always put a date either side of my actual day of the month.

I am amazed how many people stand at the counter in banks and building societies reeling off all their personal details to the person behind the counter. The listening queue has no option except to do just that, listen.

Why are you so bothered about revealing your date of birth anyway? I know that’s not the point of your post, but lots of places ask for your date of birth as another security check! Don’t you want people to know how old you really are?

I ordered Gin for a Christmas present and they needed proof I was over 25. I said to him clearly I am but dems da rules apparently. Amazon do state this on the page but you can't see it on your phone, needs a bigger screen.

No never had to tell them date of birth but did have to show ID when had alcohol del

Buttonjugs Maybe they do it differently where you are. The Amazon deliveries here are by people in all kinds of different vans, some of them using their private cars. They seem to change very frequently.

Report to Amazon , I’ve had strange emails supposedly from Amazon recently and have forwarded info for them to look into

No never happened with Amazon yet but I'm always hesitant when DOB is required on a on line order. For instance when I started to have online delivery with a supermarket I was asked, also more recently when I ordered some OTC medication. Never sure whether I should put my actual date or a made up date.

I have been asked at the point of ordering if over 18/21 for certain items .
I'd guess that the system cannot differentiate between alcohol wipes and baby wipes (even some of those contain alcohol) .

This sounds rather suspicious to me, in you position I would be seriously thinking of reporting that delivery man! He has your name and address, all he needs is your date of birth and he can apply for a credit card etc...........

Oopsminty - I doubt he was taking your photo (!) just a photo to show the parcel at the door - that is common.
As for the times you are asked to prove your age in order to buy alcohol, I held up a supermarket queue once for that reason! I said 'don't I look over 18?' and the assistant said 'we have offended people by making assumptions so we have been told to ask everybody'. I said 'I'll just have to leave it then' when a voice piped up ' she's my nurse, so I know she's over 18!'. The poor assistant caved in - I apologised to the queue, who all said 'we thought it was quite funny'!

I try very hard to avoid buying from Amazon, I have heard many stories of how their warehouse staff and drivers are treated. My brother worked as a driver for them for about a week, he had issues with the van and the handheld device, he literally couldn’t do his job and they didn’t seem to want to help in any way. @Elegran he was working directly for Amazon, the van belonged to them.

I'd never give my DoB without due cause (delivery of alcohol or knives)- it's used as id in so many transactions, particularly my bank...

If asked for DoB I'd offer my bus pass, they can take a photo of that if they want! Or of course use a random date (of approximately the right year!

They are supposed to leave on doorstep and take a photo to prove delivery. I have never been asked my DOB and no way should a delivery driver be inside your house COVID 19 or not.

Maybe I'm paranoid, but I have two DOBs. My real one, which I give to people who really need it, banks, medics etc. My other fake DOB, same year but different, easily memorable day, is for companies or individuals who don't need it but may use it for security. In this case I can just give them the fake again. Keeping your data safe is as much your responsibility as the companies who hold it.

If it was hand gel with alcahol in it they were checking your age to be sure you were old enough to buy it.

Unless it's needed for legal reasons (ie a bank account) I NEVER give my correct d.o.b, especially for online forms. I just move the day and month but keep the correct year.

Does sound dodgy. Some such info can be used for scams. If it’s related to an age related item then give a dummy dob you can remember ie 1 jan 1980

Photo

Re above this is not for proof of age for buying goods but an identity thing. Eg if I phone my breakdown cover insurance I have to give my date of birth name address postcode too long much easier for them to get that 8 number code

At the moment delivery drivers aren’t allowed to get you to sign anything. Normal procedure is now to leave the parcel on the doorstep, ring the bell and walk away which is what your second driver did. Often they take a phot with their mobile so there is a record of where the parcel was left in case anything goes wrong.
I leave a delivery note when I order online detailing a safe place if needed.

What’s annoying by this date of birth thing as identity is that it is very convenient for programmers to identify you. These programmers are usually young men who have no thought that older people might not want to shout out their dob in public. None of their business.
It’s like your identity number so you can’t just change it st will and it is an important resource. You are rightly very annoyed and I often voice my annoyance to be met with bewilderment that anyone would care