Neilson Holidays Ad requires disclosure of real name/address plus mumsnet user name - please sort!

[neilsonholidaysad]

I've got a skiing holiday with Neilson on hold. I went through the booking process - obviously disclosing my full name and address. Then I was supposed to tell them my mumsnet user name to qualify for the discount mentioned in their ad!
I have not even told the man I've been with for 20 years my mumsnet user name. But I have discussed intimate details of my children's additional needs under this name on this forum. So I had no intention of disclosing it to a stranger over the phone - especially not a stranger in an office full of staff with nothing better to do if bored than to amuse themselves by looking up the usernames of the mugs to fail to name-change before disclosing the user name.

Mumsnet - this is pretty serious - please sort asap.

[HelenMumsnet]

Thanks for letting us know about this. We'll find out what's going on.

[HelenMumsnet]

OK. right.

This was an enormous error on our part and we are really sorry.

You should not have been asked to reveal your MN nickname in connection with this offer.

We have been in contact with Neilson and the requirement for obtaining the discount now is simply to quote "MUMS12" when you book.

We have also sought - and been given - an assurance from Neilson that any record of MN nicknames that have been disclosed by MNers claiming the discount will be destroyed and not used or passed on by them in any way.

[neilsonholidaysad]

Helen. My faith in you is restored :)

[Wearsuncream]

Lots of the competitions ask for your .mumsnet user name and email address (which often 'outs' me - I agree with this op and would like to know why they need both ? One other the other is surely enough ?

[HelenMumsnet]

@Wearsuncream

Lots of the competitions ask for your .mumsnet user name and email address (which often 'outs' me - I agree with this op and would like to know why they need both ? One other the other is surely enough ?

The comps are different because there is clear signposting that this is happening and also because the data is fed into double-blind software and not passed on to third parties without your express permission.

[AnnMumsnet]

Wearsuncream - also for surveys and product tests etc - we ask for both but your mn nickname is never passed on - it's just so we can look you up on the mn database if needed (sometimes folks make typos on their email address)