867-5309 – Save big with Jenny’s Number

My friend Kirk strikes again….

He sent this to me earlier today and I wanted to share it- especially after we discussed this on Facebook recently…

I never would have thought of this….

From Yahoo! News:

If the phone number 867-5309 sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Tommy Tutone’s 1982 hit single “8675309/Jenny” emblazoned the iconic phone number in our minds (and in our ears, thanks to its catchy chorus), and as it turns out, the number can save you some money.

Increasingly, large retailers are offering loyalty programs that are tied into your phone number: just key it in and get a discount on certain items. But if you don’t want to sign up for a new card or loyalty program and don’t want to give up your real number, just give the cashier Jenny’s number: Your local area code + 867-5309.

Why Does it work?

Many people are hesitant to give their real phone number to marketers when they sign up for an account, so they use a fake number. What fake phone number comes to mind first? You got it: good-old Jenny! Since the 80s Billboard chart topper had such a contagious hook, odds are someone else has already used it to sign up for an account — and that means you can borrow their discount.

As mentioned in the video, Becky tested this trick from New York to Hawaii, and it worked like a charm every time. Of course, we wouldn’t recommend redeeming someone else’s hard-earned membership points or freebies, but using 867-5309 for a “member’s only” break on your receipt will save you time — and money, of course.

Beyond Discounts: Serious reasons to protect your phone number

Giving your phone number out freely can be annoying down the road, but it can also be dangerous. All personal information is vulnerable to potential hackers and identity thieves — even those innocuous 10 digits we so readily hand out to friends and family.

According to security researchers and “white hat hackers” Nick DePetrillo and Don Bailey, that simple, harmless seeming string of digits can unlock a world of your personal data. With your 10 digits in tow, a hacker could use software to ferret out your full name and even track your location via GPS over a mobile network — more than enough information for a deft identity thief to wreak havoc on your accounts.

via Upgrade Your Life: Save big with Jenny’s number | Upgrade Your Life – Yahoo! News.