Archived Cartwheel scam?

[cashier baby]

Ive been seeing guests use cartwheel to add insane discounts to their purchases and I honestly don't know what to do. It pretty much began with a regular who would come into my store and she was quite nice, she ALWAYS bought bulk amounts of baby diapers, shampoos, laundry detergents and just heavy things like that. She would always have these great coupons that would knock off like 10$ and she would have like maybe 5 of those. Then she would load up her "cartwheel" but it looks really different and kind of grainy. It's obvious that it's a screenshot and it still has the barcode on it so I would scan it, and it takes off 25$. She's even had me scan it more than once and the first 2-3 scans will take off 25$, then the last scan takes off like maybe 9$. She ends up getting target promotional gift cards from the things that she buys, plus she ends up only paying like 6$ for her originally 200$+ order. She would come in very frequently and only to certain cashiers, (probably the ones who don't seem suspicious). She even asked me what my schedule was so that she would know when to come in to see me. She isn't the only one to have that screenshot. A LOT of guests have it and it pretty much looks the same every time and it always takes off 25$. My first store told me to accept her "cartwheel" because "if the computer takes it then we have to take it." but my current store is saying to decline it because they need to show the actual app, no screenshots. But I don't know how to call the GSTL over discreetly without causing a scene with the guest. I also don't want the GSTL to end up saying, "oh its okay we'll just let them have it!!!" and make me look stupid for bringing the manager into this. I even once asked a guest how she got it, but I tried to do it in a friendly way, like I scanned it and it took off 25$ and so I just said, "oh wow that was a nice coupon!!" and the guest just said that she complained to corporate about a purchase and thats how she got it. I think that the guests who have that screenshot have to keep quiet about where they get it from because I just can't imagine corporate texting guests a sketchy, grainy photo of cartwheel that takes off 25$ without any minimum purchase or anything. I was just wondering if anyone has had any encounter with the fake cartwheel screenshot and what is to be done.

 

[Hazza43]

The screen shot is fake... never accept it, if your GSTL has a brain they should know that. Target never has a "$25 off whole store" everrrrr... never accept the cartwheel if it looks fake.. like if you can't see the time and battery on the top it's a screen shot. With being discreet.. if your gstl has myalerts on on their mydevices just click help and "get gstl/GSA" then "guest waiting" and they should head over if they pay attention to it.. but be careful as help could crash the system if you are not careful.. oh and if I see it I scan it and instantly void it saying it didn't go through...

Long story but I had this happen to me awhile ago during rush hour so a lot of guests were waiting. The guest came up saying "oh I have cartwheel and some perks" when perks first started and wasn't at me store so I was like... alright... so at the end I scanned it and saw a coupon for $20 off and $25 off so I quickly voided it saying "can I see it again it didn't go through" I kept doing that until got really scared and started to shake.. so then she was like "oh can we speed this up I need to go home my daughter just had brain surgery" and I was like "I understand you are in a rush but I can call my manager over to help out" so I called our Sr.gstl over quickly and on the time from when she came I saw the lady quickly close out of the screen shots... THAT WERE IN A SKYPE CHAT... and quickly open the real cartwheel app while shaking before she came... I looked dumb to my gstl but I told them after that I saved them $45 lol

 

[cashier baby]

That seems like a good idea!! But would the guest see their total go down and then watch it go back up after you void it? 99% of the ones who have that screenshot watch you and the screen like a HAWK. I just don't want the guest to feel like I'm accusing them even though I kind of am but it's for a reason, the cartwheel is fake. And we don't have perks here but I've heard about it. I personally haven't had anyone come up to my line with perks, but now that I think about it, I think the screenshot says perks on it lol. I can't really remember how it looks like because I try to not stare at the guests' phone too much cause I dont want them to get suspicious but I mean????? they're getting things practically for free and they could easily return the expensive items and get cash for things they never bought. the only thing I'm SURE about is that its definitely a screenshot because it's cropped and it doesn't fit the whole screen. it doesn't show the battery or time info. it looks grainy and thats all I can remember but it looks different from cartwheel, but similar enough to where any TM won't really question it if they aren't paying attention.

 

[SFSFun]

Flip your light as you get towards the last few items to scan if you recognize the guest is going to try it. Take your time putting stuff in their cart until the GSTL gets there, and then just ask. Doesn't really matter what anyone thinks of you, just find out if your store is ok with it or not. It's a legitimate question.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

That seems like a good idea!! But would the guest see their total go down and then watch it go back up after you void it? 99% of the ones who have that screenshot watch you and the screen like a HAWK. I just don't want the guest to feel like I'm accusing them even though I kind of am but it's for a reason, the cartwheel is fake. And we don't have perks here but I've heard about it. I personally haven't had anyone come up to my line with perks, but now that I think about it, I think the screenshot says perks on it lol. I can't really remember how it looks like because I try to not stare at the guests' phone too much cause I dont want them to get suspicious but I mean????? they're getting things practically for free and they could easily return the expensive items and get cash for things they never bought. the only thing I'm SURE about is that its definitely a screenshot because it's cropped and it doesn't fit the whole screen. it doesn't show the battery or time info. it looks grainy and thats all I can remember but it looks different from cartwheel, but similar enough to where any TM won't really question it if they aren't paying attention.

CARTWHEEL WILL NEVER SHOW AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN CARTWHEEL OR CRTWHL MANF. ANYTHING ELSE IS A SCAM. If it comes up as manufacturers coupon which is probably does, say oh I’m sorry we don’t take electronic manfacterers coupons, let me call over my manager. They’ll get scared. Or if you’re suspicious hit a random k button and look super confused and be like I’ve never seen this screen before let me call a amanager

DO NOT ACCEPT THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Or just say “oh for any coupon over $20 I have to call over my manager” which you should be doing anyways. They’ll try to convince you not to. Point is you should NOT do the coupon. Don’t worry if the guest gets suspucious or whatever. They’re scammers.

 

[Anelmi]

Anything that says Perks is a con bc perks is gone....not even guests in Perks areas can get them anymore.

Plus cartwheel is now only available on the Target app...the standalone app doesn't work anymore so pay attention to what they are showing you and you can speak w more authority about it not being legit.

 

[cashier baby]

Thank you all for your advice!! I'll definitely call over my GSTL if that happens again. My current store is serious about people who steal and scam, etc. so if anything I'll just ask like the AP or the LOD. I also heard from my GSA that we can deny purchases that are in "bulk", like guests who buy like 5 laundry detergent jugs or 10 shampoo/conditioners for coupons, because they're taking away products for the other guests. I don't know how I could deny them their purchase without making them mad.

 

[Anelmi]

The thing is: guests get mad over all sorts of stuff and you need a thick skin. Many times the loudest guests are the ones who are trying to make you so uncomfortable that you cave. 9/10 they are scammers.

 

[shortstuffishere]

We had to ban one gal and her group of girls because they would try and coupon stuff down..

Summer before last we had the baby registry scam happen so be on the look out for that.

What they do is they will add a bunch of stuff on a baby registry that isn't baby stuff.. shampoo, deoderant, dry shampoo, degertant, stuff like that.. coupon it all down.. and then when the "baby is almost due they will do it again and use the regular coupons and then use the 15% off and try and return it.

 

[GoodyNN]

Plus cartwheel is now only available on the Target app...the standalone app doesn't work anymore so pay attention to what they are showing you and you can speak w more authority about it not being legit.

Nope. I've still got guests (as of last night's close) using the Cartwheel app because they haven't gotten around to upgrading to Target.

 

[Anelmi]

Really? Because here it won't let you...maybe bc we were a Perks area?

 

[PackAndCry]

Both still work for me, and my area was never Perks. You just can't download the standalone Cartwheel app from the Play Store anymore.

 

[HRZone]

You had me at screenshot.

This is a known scam. If you don't want to he confrontational call over your gstl or ap. Your APTL etl ap will love you

 

[HRZone]

Thank you all for your advice!! I'll definitely call over my GSTL if that happens again. My current store is serious about people who steal and scam, etc. so if anything I'll just ask like the AP or the LOD. I also heard from my GSA that we can deny purchases that are in "bulk", like guests who buy like 5 laundry detergent jugs or 10 shampoo/conditioners for coupons, because they're taking away products for the other guests. I don't know how I could deny them their purchase without making them mad.

Who cares if they get mad. Our policy is posted we have a right to limit quantities.

 

[signingminion]

Both still work for me, and my area was never Perks. You just can't download the standalone Cartwheel app from the Play Store anymore.

The cartwheel app will start limiting how many times it can be used supposedly.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

The cartwheel app will start limiting how many times it can be used supposedly.

It has already. I miss the badges.
I love the cool badges we used to get on it.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Who cares if they get mad. Our policy is posted we have a right to limit quantities.

this this this. who cares if they get mad?

 

[cashier baby]

this this this. who cares if they get mad?

Lol I guess every store is different!!! Because the 2 stores I've worked at don't really follow a lot of the policies. They seem to put more of a priority over guest experience than the rules, which is annoying because I always follow the rules especially when it comes to the promotions and coupons that we have. A lot of my managers end up letting them have their discounts just to make them happy but it ends up making me look like bad. But on the other hand, I feel like if I just let guests get the promotions and discounts without calling over the GSTL, I'd look bad for making the company lose money or something.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

to be clear i'm not saying you should never "vibe" anything and always follow the policy to a t. like obviously exceptions happen. but if someone is scamming you, you need to stop the scammer, and if that means they leave unhappy, then oh well.

(by you I don't mean you specifically just people in general)

 

[SFSFun]

The cartwheel app will start limiting how many times it can be used supposedly.

 

[AJH212]

Anything that contains a barcode from a screenshot cannot be used. That is a company policy. It's become very easy to scam these days. It's the same with $20 bills in my area. We have to check every single one. Never be afraid to use the lane light to get help.

 

[BeelzeBecky]

I had a "guest" try that today, using a screenshot of an old coupon from Cartwheel. DENIED!