Had equipment unexplainably stolen? Talk to Musician's Friend.

[Mike E.]

If you're a musician living in Salt Lake City and sourrounding areas, several hundred people know EXACTLY what you bought, how much it cost, and where your address is (i.e where all your expensive equipment is located).

Ok, this is not an attack on Musician's Friend per say, because I don't believe they're the only company that does this (ZZOUNDS is another):

We were placing an order by phone last month through Musician's Friend, and the call center representative happened to mentioned that he knew right where we were located, and had driven by our house many times. It turns out that, like us, the Musician's Friend call center is located near Salt Lake City. It also turns out that this representative could see not only the $1600 purchase that we were about to make, but could also go back in time INDEFINITELY, to see EVERYTHING we had ever ordered through Musician's Friend for over ten years.

To avoid being irresponsible, I won't go as far as to say that this fact accounts for the nearly ten thousand dollars worth of equipment that was stolen from us (never to be recovered, and putting an abrupt halt to our musical endeavors for over three years). But it's an OBVIOUS invasion of privacy and security, and Musician's Friend has lost our business forever.

I think we musicians should lobby the company, and others like it, to be far more resonsible with our data.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

[GravityRobert]

Woah man, I this pretty much is 1+1=2 for me. But lets not crucify them all at once, it might be a bypasser. You need to find the person with the "smoking gun" tho to get an eviction.

Im very sorry on the equipment deal tho

[pulse_divider]

I would imagine there's not a company on the planet in which a customer service representative could not access your address and order history... how else would they be able to help you if they don't have your information?

[Glynn]

Originally Posted by pulse_divider

I would imagine there's not a company on the planet in which a customer service representative could not access your address and order history... how else would they be able to help you if they don't have your information?

+1. The shipping company, your bank, and anyone paying attention to the packages delivered to your front door, people you may have talked to about your new stuff...its a long list to be sure.

[lomky]

Or posting messages on Gearslutz

[TheReal7]

Having a mailing address in a different town and gear delivered to my work has its benefits

[warhead]

I don't get it. The person on the phone said they had driven by your place numerous times, this equates to stealing how? Or even possible stealing? Yes they have your info, so does your bank...your friends...possible shitty friends of some of your friends...your credit card company...the magazine companies who send you magazines...Uncle Sam...Google...

but just because Musicians Friend knows where you are doesn't mean they are somehow even remotely responsible for anything getting stolen (I am also sorry to hear about this). I'm not trying to rag on you, I'm saying that unless you live as a hermit and don't tell anyone where you are...tons of people know who you are and likely...what you own.

I don't understand how you are exactly pointing the finger here though.

War

[pan60]

Originally Posted by Mike E.

If you're a musician living in Salt Lake City and sourrounding areas, several hundred people know EXACTLY what you bought, how much it cost, and where your address is (i.e where all your expensive equipment is located).

Ok, this is not an attack on Musician's Friend per say, because I don't believe they're the only company that does this (ZZOUNDS is another):

We were placing an order by phone last month through Musician's Friend, and the call center representative happened to mentioned that he knew right where we were located, and had driven by our house many times. It turns out that, like us, the Musician's Friend call center is located near Salt Lake City. It also turns out that this representative could see not only the $1600 purchase that we were about to make, but could also go back in time INDEFINITELY, to see EVERYTHING we had ever ordered through Musician's Friend for over ten years.

To avoid being irresponsible, I won't go as far as to say that this fact accounts for the nearly ten thousand dollars worth of equipment that was stolen from us (never to be recovered, and putting an abrupt halt to our musical endeavors for over three years). But it's an OBVIOUS invasion of privacy and security, and Musician's Friend has lost our business forever.

I think we musicians should lobby the company, and others like it, to be far more resonsible with our data.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

the world as we know it.

[Dopamine]

This is the craziest, most paranoid thing I've ever read here on GS! Are you saying that any company that knows the address of your home studio is a potential thief?

[joeq]

Originally Posted by Mike E.

To avoid being irresponsible, I won't go as far as to say that this fact accounts for the nearly ten thousand dollars worth of equipment that was stolen from us

That would be irresponsible.

Is there a pattern of robberies targeted to people who have ordered from Musician's Friend?

[Jules]

I think a healthy level of caution about your studio gear is a good thing.

I have been a little paranoid myself in the past,

[Rufuss Sewell]

That's why they sell dead bolts, insurance, alarm systems, video surveillance and bars for windows.

I'm assuming that YOU gave MF your address right? What were you thinking they would do with it?

[Shandy]

I would have thought that outfitting your studio with MF gear would be kinda anti-theft in itself...

[pan60]

they maybe watching you now?

it is a conspiracy designed to kill the music industry as we know it!
do not trust anyone!

[LoopQuantum]

Mike E.
Studio near Salt Lake City
Gear Purchased from MF

Could probably find you through some clever use of Anywho and Google.

FYI, posting your info on a forum can sometimes be much less safe than giving it to a reputable establishment. (I use the term "reputable" loosely when referring to MF, but you get the point.)

I'm not interested in seeking you out, just making a point. This is why I've never disclosed my location on this forum or any other, or shown pics of my studio, disclosed my entire gear list, etc.

When you give your info to any establishment, chances are it's saved, as is an invoice history. Come on.

[foldback]

Besides my alarm system I have another anti theft deterant, he's 135 pounds, black and hates most people. His bite is much worse than his bark.

[4stringerfinger]

I don't have anything delivered to my home or studio. My billing and banking is done with a different address 30 miles across town. I still get my gear in a timely manner. All my gear is insured too. All my doors have alarms on them. I sleep easy.

[BeerHunter]

I think it is a pretty big stretch to think that MF is some how responsible for this. I mean what about the UPS guy, the passer by, the pissed off client, the crackhead the....

Well you get the point.

Insurance and some common sense will go along way.

If you ordered online then perhaps your computer has been compromised and you've sent off all your info to some black hat dude.

Pretty difficult to have stuff delivered if you don't give them your address.

[TREMORS]

Originally Posted by Shandy

I would have thought that outfitting your studio with MF gear would be kinda anti-theft in itself...

They do sell a lot of cheap junk, but they are starting to add better stuff like a-designs products.
Though, oddly, the sell the 500 series pre, but no api boxes to fit them in.
About the same as sweetwater, minus the candy.
I have good experience with them, mostly.
The never robbed me, except for maybe when they charged me two shipping and then sent it USPS.
-D

[Mike E.]

I appreciate the comments. I probably should make it more clear that I'm NOT saying the employees at Musicians Friend were definitely responsible. I AM saying that there is NO WAY ON EARTH that the company can justify not only keeping your information around FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS, but also making ALL ten year's worth of it available to ANY customer service rep, at the push of a button. Yes, it's true that a small number of people among my friends and relatives knew about the equipment before it was stolen. But why add a couple hundred people more to the list? It's surprising that a few of you don't get the point; but thanks for your time. I've said all of this not for my own benefit, because my equipment is GONE, and I won't be dealing with Musician's Friend any more. I did want to give a heads up to others, because I wish it had been brought to my attention ten years ago.

aloha!

[PhilRanger]

About 13 years ago, Drums of the band we were recording were stolen in the weekend at the studio where I worked. Police came, asked few things, left. Hopefully, the drum tracks were recordedby that time. Almost nothing else was stolen: drums, a VCR, some cd's and a TV. The drummer had an insurance. We were shocked, but took it ok.

Few weeks later, police came to see us again: the drummer asked his friend to steal his drums for insurance claim. Was I surprised when we had trouble getting paid for the last part of the studio time? I discovered after that they stole a dat copy of the almost finished mixes, and stole time at another studio trying to "master" their "old demo"!

The ones you don't trust can't fool you. Beware of the ones you trust!tutt

[Mikem]

Originally Posted by Mike E.

I appreciate the comments. I probably should make it more clear that I'm NOT saying the employees at Musicians Friend were definitely responsible.

Well, as a public defender in SLC, I can tell you that a lot of my clients tend to find work at call centers (we seem to have a lot of those around here for some reason) when no one else will hire someone with a criminal record. I'm just sayin'....

But I doubt even my clients would be dumb enough to say something like "I've driven past your house a lot" and then come steal your gear.

[Jonboy79]

Originally Posted by Mike E.

I appreciate the comments. I probably should make it more clear that I'm NOT saying the employees at Musicians Friend were definitely responsible. I AM saying that there is NO WAY ON EARTH that the company can justify not only keeping your information around FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS, but also making ALL ten year's worth of it available to ANY customer service rep, at the push of a button. Yes, it's true that a small number of people among my friends and relatives knew about the equipment before it was stolen. But why add a couple hundred people more to the list? It's surprising that a few of you don't get the point; but thanks for your time. I've said all of this not for my own benefit, because my equipment is GONE, and I won't be dealing with Musician's Friend any more. I did want to give a heads up to others, because I wish it had been brought to my attention ten years ago.

aloha!

Dude if you're seriously worried about customer service reps having your information then you better just kill yourself. When I worked for Macy's credit card customer service I could at anytime access just about all your information. So anywhere you order from, have credit with, have any type of account with will have service reps that will be able to access almost all the information you gave when you signed up or whatever. As a service rep can't access your info you as a customer would be screwed.

[Labs]

Originally Posted by foldback

Besides my alarm system I have another anti theft deterant, he's 135 pounds, black and hates most people. His bite is much worse than his bark.

Gary Coleman?

Gustav

[illynoise]

Originally Posted by Labs

Gary Coleman?

Gustav

lol

[GYMusic]

Weak

[seaneldon]

OOOOH SHIT!

it's been a long time since a gary coleman joke was funny. thanks for that image of him barking before he attacks something.

[snappydad]

Originally Posted by Rufuss Sewell

That's why they sell dead bolts, insurance, alarm systems, video surveillance and bars for windows.

and GUNS.

[Mike E.]

I posted my original blurb about Musician's Friend on the CD Baby forum also, and got this response from someone saying he was a former Guitar Center employee:

"Guitar Center owns Musicians friend. They have all the info on the green screen computers at every store. You can look up every purchase that ANYONE has made over the past 10 years. It also gives phone numbers and addresses to everyone, even celebrities. That's why they call to "check up on your equipment".. They get all the info so they can call and talk you into buying more. I was forced to call 25 people everyday and still made minimum wage.. "

I think this is PREPOSTEROUS, and I think every musician on earth should call the corporate headquarters of Musician's Friend, Guitar Center, (and even ZZounds, if anyone can spare an extra dime) and tell them that unless they change their policy and make purchase information UNAVAILABLE to front line reps after a reasonable period of time, we will simply stop buying anything at their stores. To that end, I'm posting, below, the corporate phone numbers of all three companies:

Musician's Friend: (800) 391-8762 (Ask for the CEO's office, and you'll be transered. I've done it myself.)

Guitar Center: (Investor relations Department, since they don't list the main corporate number on their Web site Karen Lenehan, Phone: 818-735-8800 x 2237

ZZounds: 800.996.8637 (Again, ask for the CEO's office, so that the person who can actually DO something about it KNOWS about it.)

...And to those who don't seem to get my point whithout clarification: When I say "every musician on earth", I'm speaking figuratively.

Thanks.

[treymonfauntre]

ever had somebody come over and eat some food from your house? blame that rewards/discount card you use at the grocery store! it tracks all your purchases too!