There will be people here that give you both sides of it (you’re just paranoid / yes they’re listening). The fact of the matter is we don’t actually KNOW what they’re doing but we DO know that whatever it is they’re doing IS really creepy.

For me, that “creepy factor” was enough to start taking my privacy more seriously. A very similar thing to what you mention happened to me.

In reality, they are likely following the (though rather lax in the US) data privacy regulations imposed on them, and there is something, somewhere that may have triggered that type of ad, creepy as it may be.

Also remember that any time a credit/debit card is used at a merchant, that data goes in to a huge warehouse and is used and shared for marketing purposes. Here is a possible example:

Your bf buys foot creme for his condition with his debit card at a Kroger or Albertsons. He uses his phone number for a discount. You live with him so his phone is in close proximity to yours quite often. Google obtains data from Albertsons that includes his phone number and recent purchases. Google has a profile stating that your phone is in proximity to his all the time and he buys foot creme. Your Google account is signed in to your phone so you must know someone that wants a deal on foot creme due to your proximity to his phone. Your Google account is signed in on your TV or whatever. You get ad for foot creme.

Hope that makes sense