Dear Editor:

On March 9, I went to the CVS at 7915 Florence Ave. to return a $7.69 item.

When I presented the item along with original purchase receipt to the clerk, he stated an ID was required. Why, I had no idea but obligingly I removed my California driver’s license and placed it on the counter for him to view. Instantly the clerk snatched my license from the counter and swiped it through his register reader.

I was not asked permission nor forewarned in any way that my most valuable private driver’s license identity/data would be stolen from me in this manner. Aghast, stunned, incredulous, infuriated and violated best describe my feelings upon this outrageous theft of my identity.

When I sufficiently recovered from my shock to speak to the manager, he told me, “Since November this has been CVS policy.”

If I was told my license must be scanned to make the return, I would have emphatically declined since my license data privacy is vastly more important to me than a $7.69 return.

Who knows in what data bank my driver’s license data now resides? Who knows what can or will be done with it? Who knows if the data bank is breached or sold or rented, what nefarious acts may ensue using my identity? Who knows how many CVS customers everywhere are victims of this identity theft scheme?

It’s too late for me but I hope others will be aware of this (what should be illegal) CVS policy before they also become victims.

Barbara Sterling
Downey