Rakuten Inc., operator of the online retail site Rakuten-ichiba, has been selling customers’ credit card numbers and e-mail addresses–at a charge of 10 yen per name–to retailers selling items to those people, it was learned Friday.
Companies that bought the numbers include Joshin Denki Co., an electrical appliance store based in Naniwa Ward, Osaka, that is listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Rakuten said it had not acted improperly because it makes clear in its privacy policy that the personal data of customers who make purchases may be provided to retailers that appear on the site.
