Like many Americans, finding a great deal is always a solid win. By taking advantage of loyalty programs, you can unlock a world of benefits including discounts, freebies, and exclusive offers from your favorite stores, coffee shops, and phone service providers. But have you ever stopped to consider the potential privacy trade-off involved?
The companies offering these programs collect and store your data without clear explanations, leaving it vulnerable to being sold by data brokers or exposed to data breaches. According to recent research from Incogni, a data removal service, savings from loyalty programs are minimal—just a single sock or four espresso shots per $100 spent for example. Safeguarding your personal information becomes crucial to mitigate the risks associated with potential data exploitation.
These findings raise concerns, especially when you consider the alarming statistics of 23.5 million compromised accounts and 1 million identity theft cases in the U.S. alone in 2022.
On average, it takes a person around 304 hours to manually request the removal of all their data for privacy purposes. Incogni automates this process and eliminates your personal information from various platforms. Deleting your data from job search sites, people finder services, financial and marketing databases, and risk mitigation sites allows you to take back control over your information and lowers the risk of data misuse.
So, before you reach for your loyalty card next time, think about what you're giving up for those savings. Keep in mind that these deals often favor companies more than they do you, and weigh the trade-off accordingly. Learn more about Incogni's data protection service and find the plan that's right for you.
