Blimey, where does it end ? GameStop, is now requiring its customers in Philadelphia, but not in the suburbs, to provide a fingerprint scan on certain transactions. When GameStop buys used video games from customers, the chain says it is following a local law that allows the store to collect thumb prints reports cbs.

The  fingerprints go into a database to help law enforcement track down thieves who fence stolen goods. City Solicitor Shelley Smith says, however, the city is not requiring GameStop to abide by the pawnbroker’s ordinance:

“What GameStop does doesn’t meet any of the elements of the definition in the code, so the pawnbreaker ordinance doesn’t apply to GameStop.”

Folks outside a GameStop in Center City tell KYW Newsradio they were not thrilled with the company policy for anyone selling used games to the store:

“I really don’t appreciate it. You fingerprinted me like I’m in a police district. No, I’m at a game store.”

“That is a little absurd, it’s just a video game.”

“I think it’s an overreach. It’s going too far.”

“I know that it only happens to people who go to jail, they get fingerprinted.”

“When I went, I got my finger scanned when he broke it out and said ‘I need your fingerprint,’ I said, ‘for what’?'”

The Philadelphia Police Department says the company is being proactive by storing fingerprints in a secure database – LeadsOnline – which is the nation’s largest online investigation system.

A GameStop representative said, “It’s a process that we’ve recently implemented (starting in early July) in Philadelphia area stores at the request of the Philadelphia police department. [It] is a practice we’ve also put into place in other parts of the U.S., depending on local or statewide second-hand dealer or pawn broker laws. However, at this time we are reviewing the process to determine if it’s one which should be continued in Philadelphia.”

GameStop Philadelphia Demands FingerPrint When Trading In Games