A family member of mine used me as a reference at Aaron's Rent to Own. When they called me, I was honest with them after asking if that family member would be made aware of what I say. I was told that the only person that would have to be told was that employee's supervisor. Later that same day, the family member contacted me and wanted to know why I said the things I said to the store. The family member stated they showed a paper with all the references names and what they were told by each one. I did not say anything that was not true and I was thinking that I was helping their business by knowing what kind of risk they would be taking. Now there is friction between myself and the family member that should have never happened.

How was any ones privacy violated, you had no privacy in this to start with.

If you did not want the person knowing what you said, you should have refused to give any reference. Your family member should have asked you first and made sure you were going to say something good.

Normally most people would expect a person to say nothing or to give a fair opinion anywayl

It sounds like you said he could not be trusted with the time of day.

You trusted the person you spoke to that your comments would be private. That was your mistake. Without a written statement of how the comments you were giving would be used, there was no provable contract.

I'll agree with you that your privacy was violated because you relied on a verbal promise. But you have no legal recourse to do anything about it.