Priceline.com Groceries

I started a priceline.com grocery account for my father. He doesn't own a computer, but still wanted to try out the service. I own my own domain name, so I made up a unique email address (xx@xx.com) just for him and the priceline account. I have the email from xx@xx.com forwarded to my regular email address, but the header clearly includes that the email was originally sent to 'xx'.

No one else ever had that email address.

When I registered at priceline, I used my father's name, Peter, obviously because it was his acount. Priceline has a privacy policy which states that they never reveal any personal information to other companies. Well, they violated that policy. The 'xx@ixx.com' address received unsolicited "spam" from JCPenney. The only way that JCPenney could have gotten that address is from priceline.

Of course I could not get anything close to a straight answer from priceline regarding the problem. I have all of the emails from their oh-so-helpful customer service representatives, which are safely stored on my hard drive.

What are my rights as a consumer? If a company clearly states that they don't give out your personal information, but they DO, what course of action can be taken against them?

It's very unethical for companies to gather this kind of information with the promise that it won't be sold ... and then to sell it anyway. If, in fact, Priceline has done this it could be prosecuted under for fraud. We referred Michelle to the Federal Trade Commission, which has gotten rather aggressive about this kind of thing.

I bid on grocery items thru priceline.com.   They charged my credit card $34.43 for these items knowing that there was no way that I could redeem these items, because they had my mailing address, zip code, and area code, showing that I lived at least 1,500 miles from any participating store.  

They also have house dollars that can be purchased, according to them for cash, yet they charged my credit card an additional $80 for the house dollars, which are not legal tender and can only be redeemed on 1/2 price items at participating stores. 

Their policy says that they will credit any unused house dollars back to the customers credit card; I called their 1 800 number and asked them to remove the charge of $34.43-price of grocery items and $80.00-price of house dollars, because I will not be able to receive the grocery items or use the house dollars. 

The person that I spoke with, said he would have these charges removed from my credit card. So far they have refused to honor my request. I have sent several e-mail letters to them requesting credit for unredeemable items, still no satisfaction.    I am out $114.00 for services or merchandise that I will never see.