This is why I rarely join those 'customer loyalty' programs that almost every store offers.

I say 'no thanks' when the cashier wants to know my phone number, even if I am paying cash.

It is almost impossible to remain anonymous in the consumer space, even if you are really trying.

Being anonymous is actually pretty expensive. The loyalty program is a price discrimination mechanism: going through the trouble of clicking through coupons, discovering deals, signals that you have a higher price sensitivity. The default of taking no action signals a higher willingness to pay. Also, by paying cash, you're subsidizing the card users, some of whom get a bit of that back.

the only place i have one is a grocery store where their loyalty program price is listed on the shelf tag and is lower, often by quite a bit (a third to half off is common). even then, i use one of the meme phone numbers (local area code + 867-5309, 678-999-8212, 281-330-8004, etc.).

The day I learned of ghost Facebook profiles, I realized fighting back was impossible.