Home Depot And Lowe’s Accused Of Scanning Millions Of Customers Faces

I work for Lowe's in an important in store role. Back around 2012 ALL stores swapped out the cameras at the entrances and exits of the building. Soon afterwards management could then get reporting on unique customer count. It would tell us how many people entered the building and would give us a spill rate on how many people left the building without buying anything. At that time I was in a much less important role .

When I asked a senior manager how they knew the percentage of people who didn't make a purchase he simply couldn't answer.

I was promoted to a very important role in these stores and learned that unique "IDs" are given to customers who enter the stores. Thats the facial recognition. I have forgotten more about Lowe's operations than many people even know.

So that happened around early 2000's...right? What if I told you that in some stores they are retrofitting ALL cameras and even have some on tracks that will physically follow individuals around without their knowing. You cannot tell they are moving because they are hidden within the track.

Several years ago they replaced ALL the cameras over the customer service / returns desks with upgraded cameras. Very high tech cameras for fraudulent returns. "ORC" Organized Retail Crime - These are even more powerful cameras to scan faces of potential criminals... but guess what..? They scan honest people too!

Next time you come into a Lowe's store please wave "hi" to yourself on that little tv you see yourself on. If you can see you then you've been scanned and are now known.

Ask me anything about this.