Privacy issues with Good Sam Club

Good Sam Network wrote:

4X4Dodger wrote:
Finding myself with no place to stay near Yellowstone I called a nearby city with an RV Park listed in Good Sam. It was listed as a Good Sam Park.

While on the phone immediately after I had given the person on the telephone my name, they said: "I see you are a Good Sam member"

I thought this is odd I havnt mentioned GS at all. But since I was driving and talking on the phone I let it go.

At check in the same person asked me if my address: 111xxx Easy Street, Minot, was my current address!

This is when I asked them how they got this information.

I was told they had access to it from Good Sam.

This is completely unacceptable to let every RV park owner who happens to be a Good Sam Park member have access to this level of information about the members.

The ONLY information they should be able to access is my NAME and MEMBERSHIP NUMBER and if I am current as a member. Giving them access to any other information about me ESPECIALLY my address is a very poor decision.

While an address is often, but not always required, to register at a park or hotel it is up to ME to decide which address to give or whether to give it at all...NOT Good Sam Club.

Lets say I decide to give a park a really bad review, they could with my address cause me innumerable problems and may become a danger to my safety. Let me hasten to add I think this unlikely. But is GS willing to take responsibility to assure that all employees and owners of Good Sam Parks are Sane, non violent, and not criminal?

I think this policy needs to be reviewed and changed to better protect the privacy of the members.

And please don't come back to me with an answer that it is meant to "Serve You Better". It does nothing to help serve me at all. It is an intrusion I really do not appreciate.

Hello 4X4Dodger,

My name is Dawn Watanabe, Sales Director for Good Sam RV Travel Guide and Good Sam Park Network. I have read your post regarding your recent experience and would very much like the opportunity to hear your concerns. Please feel free to reach me via private message at dawn.watanabe@goodsam.com and we can exchange contact information to discuss your thoughts.

Sincerely,
Dawn Watanabe