Google and Your Privacy

So I recently had a client request to pay me with Google checkout instead of Paypal.  I said ok and signed up for a Google checkout sellers account.  Seems like a standard procedure ala Paypal.  They do the bank deposit verification, add credit/debit card, ssn/ein etc very much like paypal.  This took 3 business days to complete.  Of which, 99% of that time encompassed waiting for the verification deposits to arrive in my account so I could be authenticated and ACTUALLY receive payments.  This finally happened and I thought I was ready to collect my payment until I learned they go slightly further than PayPal and also physically mailed me a document with a verification code to enter online.  On Google’s site it said this would take approximately 5 business days *sigh*.  Ok, looks like I wasn’t going to receive my money this week.  So I wait, and wait, and wait, finally after 9 business days my verification code arrives.  I quickly enter it online and it authenticates me!  Woohoo!  Money in the bank… or so I thought.

Five more business days go by and no deposit into my account.  Finally, today, I receive the following from Google via email:

———————
Google Checkout was unable to verify the account information you provided during the sign-up process. Although you may still accept and charge new orders at this time, you are required to complete the form below to receive any future payouts.

Note: The account verification process is not related to the bank verification you completed during sign up.

1. Collect all of the following documents, and write your Google Checkout Merchant ID number at the top   of each document:
* The front of the credit/debit card you used to sign up. Conceal the first 12 digits, leaving only the last 4  visible. For American Express cards, you’re also required to conceal the 4-digit Card Verification Code on the card’s front.
* The front of your driver’s license.
* Proof of address for each address entered in your Google Checkout merchant account. Acceptable forms include:
o Driver’s license with matching address
o Bank statement
o Credit card bill (please black out the first 12 digits of your card number)
o Water, phone or other utility bill
o Business license
* The original supplier invoices/receipts for your previous order(s). Invoices must contain order details and your supplier’s phone number.
* To help us better understand your business, information on the services or items you’re providing, the nature of your business, and how you acquire your customers.
2. Scan or copy each document, making sure the copies are clear and legible.
3. Submit the documents to Google within five business days using the form below. Alternatively, you may fax the information to 650 887 1640, Attn: ‘Google Account Verification’.

We’ll contact you by email once we’ve received and verified your information.
———————

Are you kidding me????  Am I applying for a business loan or a Google checkout account?  I don’t even think lenders ask for this much information!  Talk about an intrusion into my life and spending habits.  I am beginning to wonder about Google’s “do no evil” slogan/policy.  The amount of data and information that this company is amassing is astonishing and also somewhat scary.  With vast amounts of information, comes power and money.

…and as Stan Lee taught us very well, “with great power, comes great responsibility.”

It just depends what Google plans on doing with this great power…  I guess time will tell.

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This entry was posted on Monday, October 13th, 2008 at 6:08 pm and is filed under IT News, Internet Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.