Do pawn shops keep databases? It’s an odd question, find out the answer inside!
You know, there are a lot of questions that I really love answering here, but then… there are some that I really wonder about when it comes to why people are asking them.
One of those questions is this: Do pawn shops keep databases?
Well folks, I have to asked why someone would want to know this to begin with and how I see it, there’s only two real reasons that this might be a topic of discussion.
The first is that someone has had something stolen from them and they think that it may have ended up in a local pawn shop.
On its face, this is completely okay. Of course, I disagree with the sentiment that when things are stolen “They must be in pawn shops” but that’s a discussion better had at another time.
The second reason that someone might be curious about this however is one that I have a much larger problem with overall and that this that they are worried about someone knowing about their previous business conducted at a pawn shop.
Why would someone be worried about that?
Probably only if they had done something that they shouldn’t have – like take something stolen into a pawn shop to try to sell it or make a loan on it.
Some people have asked if pawn shops keep databases on their customers and the transactions conducted in their business and the answer is almost always, YES!
Isn’t This Common Sense Anymore – Of Course Pawn Shops Keep Databases
Look around us. Everywhere we look, everywhere we turn, someone is asking for our email addresses or asking for our phone numbers.
When you go to a pawn shop they take your ID and put it into a computer.
When you come back to make a payment on a loan, what do they do? They go to their computer and look you up.
The only way that they could do that is if they had some kind of database that stored your information, your pawns, what you owed, how much you owed, what you pawned, etc.
So yes, of course pawn shops keep databases.
Does That Have You Worried
If you are worried about pawn shops having databases, then you are probably using pawn shops for the wrong reasons.
It’s in these cases that I’m happy to let you know that not only do they have databases but typically, use those databases to report to their local police departments and law enforcement officials on a daily or sometimes, weekly basis.
If you do something that you shouldn’t be doing in a pawn shop to begin with, you will almost always get caught, which is of course the point of the whole thing.
Does That Have You Relieved
If you’ve recently had something stolen, then this might have you very relieved and I’m happy to report that this is the case.
Pawn shops use the contents of their database to track the activities in their stores and will share that information with law enforcement if they are conducting an investigation on the theft of your items.
That having been said, don’t expect that you, as a private citizen, will have the right or access to the information in their database.
Pawn Shops Typically Don’t Share The Information In Their Database With Anyone Outside Of Those In Law Enforcement
Just because you suspect (or maybe even know) that your items were pawned by someone at a certain pawn shop doesn’t mean that the pawn shop will tell you what that person has done or what has been brought in on a particular day or in a given time period.
The information is considered trade secret and is protected by pawnbrokers, for many reasons.
Let me paint a picture for you:
Jim takes Bob’s necklace. Jim then sells Bob’s necklace to a pawn shop illegally. Bob goes to the pawn shop and asks in Jim brought it in.
Most of the time a pawn shop won’t tell people this information. Why? Keep reading.
If the pawn shop tells Bob that yes, Jim did bring the necklace in to sell it and Bob finds Kim to beat the tar out of him, the pawn shop is now liable for Jim’s medical bills and more.
Why? Because the reason that Bob beat up Jim was because the pawn shop told Bob about the transaction.
They didn’t protect their customer’s information, divulged information outside of legal channels and as a result, Jim was hurt.
Even though Jim is a thief and doing illegal things – a pawn shop has no protection if they start divulging their customer’s private information or transaction history, so they don’t.
What’s The Bottom Line
Of course pawn shops keep databases.
In part, it’s to track possible criminal activity, as well as streamline their operations.
Pawn shops will share the information in their database with lawn enforcement when requested, but not private citizens because of the liability it creates for them.
