Archived Cashing out gift cards

[sunshineyellow]

I'm in California, where guests can cash out their Target gift cards if the amount is under $10.

At times, I will have guests come to cash out gift cards that have exactly $9.99 on them. It seems like an odd, unnatural amount to happen to have on a gift card. Does anyone know if there's some sort of scam or fraud related to this?

 

[On6]

Could be legit. Could be return fraud previously. Hard to really tell.

 

[Sacramento]

That looks as if they may have been purchased with a stolen credit card that was used to purchase one or more large Dollar gift cards and subsequently broken down into "cashable" cards. I've seen a team of three buying multiple gift cards at SCO. Now we shut them down if they arouse suspicion. Amazing the lengths people go to, to avoid doing a proper day's work like we do.

 

[BlueSide]

Yea they like to buy the 30 packs of giftcards and ask for 9.99 on each. They'll pay with a fishy credit card and say that it's for church, or charity or something. Then they cash them out at another store.

 

[go ahead]

A lot of times low income in help centers people are given $10 - 15 Target gift cards to buy basics like deoderant, feminine hygiene, etc. but they would rather buy something inexpensive like a banana and cash out the rest to spend elsewhere.

 

[sunshineyellow]

Yea they like to buy the 30 packs of giftcards and ask for 9.99 on each. They'll pay with a fishy credit card and say that it's for church, or charity or something. Then they cash them out at another store.

Ah that's what I was thinking was going on. I've never seen anyone buying them like that but I've seen lots come in to cash them out. I wonder what recourse we have?

A lot of times low income in help centers people are given $10 - 15 Target gift cards to buy basics like deoderant, feminine hygiene, etc. but they would rather buy something inexpensive like a banana and cash out the rest to spend elsewhere.

Yeah I see that happen too, where they will buy items under $5 (which when returned will default to cash), then cash in the remainder of the gift card. That's a whole different can of worms though- what are the chances they bought something that got their gift card down to exactly $9.99, which just happens to be the maximum for cashing out?

 

[sunshineyellow]

That looks as if they may have been purchased with a stolen credit card that was used to purchase one or more large Dollar gift cards and subsequently broken down into "cashable" cards. I've seen a team of three buying multiple gift cards at SCO. Now we shut them down if they arouse suspicion. Amazing the lengths people go to, to avoid doing a proper day's work like we do.

It truly is amazing. Having never stolen in my life, I was shocked when I started working in Target by the amount of scammers, fraudsters, and thieves that there are, and the vast number of ways they try to pull one over on us. No wonder our AP staff is so large

 

[OrangeFire]

I'm in California too, is there a limit to how many of these giftcards they're allowed to cash out in a day, or is it a asants thing? I've been unable to get a straight answer from our GSTLs or AP ETL. We get loads of people cashing out these gift cards in my store.

 

[sunshineyellow]

I'm in California too, is there a limit to how many of these giftcards they're allowed to cash out in a day, or is it a asants thing? I've been unable to get a straight answer from our GSTLs or AP ETL. We get loads of people cashing out these gift cards in my store.

I don't know if it's all California Targets, but ours (and others, I've heard), limits it to one gift card cash out per day. Now getting them to actually inform all the people who work in guest services about this policy is another matter altogether...

I don't know why your GSTLs/AP haven't let you know whether there's a limit, I guess they're content to play it by ear. If I were you, I'd call them over every time someone wanted to cash out multiples. It seems so obvious to me there's some sort of scam going on there.

 

[SFSFun]

Semi-related question- Do they offer a penny to round up their change to a ten dollar bill? Or do they always take all of those coins and one dollar bills that comes with $9.99?

 

[sunshineyellow]

It varies. Some will offer the penny, most seem to just take all the coins unless I ask.

 

[NPC]

This is always a common occurrence in my store. We limit to one gift card cash out per person. However, there have been times where we've said "One per family" because then they'll try and have their spouse and children cash them out.

The oddest cash out I've had, was when a group of about 6-7 kids, all under 12, with one gift card each, cashed them all out. They were obviously all together, but claimed not to be. They were sent in by an adult to get them all cashed out. It was pretty sad.

 

[Kaitii]

This is always a common occurrence in my store. We limit to one gift card cash out per person. However, there have been times where we've said "One per family" because then they'll try and have their spouse and children cash them out.

The oddest cash out I've had, was when a group of about 6-7 kids, all under 12, with one gift card each, cashed them all out. They were obviously all together, but claimed not to be. They were sent in by an adult to get them all cashed out. It was pretty sad.

Love love love it when couponers do the same

Oh, that man you're with holding a small baby isn't your husband? You don't live together? Mhm yeah I'm so sure that's the truth. Oh he's going to pay for his own? With money coming out of YOUR pocket? Oh? You were holding it for him? MHM. SURE.

 

[desertcoyote]

My bosses are pretty good about limiting gift card cash outs and no receipt returns. There's been more than one occasion that a guest calling corpotate to complain was told returns or coupon usage was at the discretion of the LOD.

 

[RedRXTech]

Since the cash out is required by a state law, and not simply a Target policy, limiting the number of cards cashed out could be a violation of the law and Target could get into trouble if they are limiting them. The dishonest people probably won't do anything, in fear of being caught, but you refuse one honest person who has mind enough to report it...

 

[dani346]

not in california and we don't cash out gift cards where i am but i did have a guest use a gift card that had $9.99 left on it today.

 

[NPC]

Since the cash out is required by a state law, and not simply a Target policy, limiting the number of cards cashed out could be a violation of the law and Target could get into trouble if they are limiting them. The dishonest people probably won't do anything, in fear of being caught, but you refuse one honest person who has mind enough to report it...

Fortunately, the law doesn't prohibit retailers from limiting cash outs. As long as we do one, we're following the law.

 

[monkeyman90]

Fortunately, the law doesn't prohibit retailers from limiting cash outs. As long as we do one, we're following the law.

the law states we have to. its ambiguous but spirit of the law is all. this is the problem with putting restricted returns on a gift card and not store credit. the laws were intended for gifts.

the reason people buy 9.99 gift cards are they stole something, or buy things with coupons and get restricted on returns on gift card. they want cash. so they split that gift card into cash. at my store everything we drill into cashiers, no gift cards with gift cards.

 

[NPC]

the law states we have to. its ambiguous but spirit of the law is all. this is the problem with putting restricted returns on a gift card and not store credit. the laws were intended for gifts.

the reason people buy 9.99 gift cards are they stole something, or buy things with coupons and get restricted on returns on gift card. they want cash. so they split that gift card into cash. at my store everything we drill into cashiers, no gift cards with gift cards.

Yes, the law states that we have to cash out gift cards $9.99 and below. It does NOT say anything about the quantity of gifts cards per person. Retailers have every right to make their own policies until it says otherwise.

 

[h8guests]

I'm in California too, is there a limit to how many of these giftcards they're allowed to cash out in a day, or is it a asants thing? I've been unable to get a straight answer from our GSTLs or AP ETL. We get loads of people cashing out these gift cards in my store.

California Guest Service TM here...Depends on the store discretion. I've worked in two different districts in SoCal with return fraud issues (mainly coupon or HBA return fraud) and we limit cashing out 2 gift cards only. I've had shady guests come in with literally a stack of 10+ gift cards trying to cash them out...HEEEEELLLLLLL NAH. Usually they don't fight it too much because they know they are comminting fraud, and I end up reprinting the receipt and passing it on to AP.

 

[RedRXTech]

Fortunately, the law doesn't prohibit retailers from limiting cash outs. As long as we do one, we're following the law.

But does it say they can restrict them? If not, has a judge ruled that you can? If the law says you have to cash out the card, and does not say you can restrict them, then you are in violation since the law says you have to cash it out and does not provide you exceptions to the law.... which your store policy is trying to do. someone committing fraud isn't going to fight much, but one who has them honestly could.

 

[NPC]

But does it say they can restrict them? If not, has a judge ruled that you can? If the law says you have to cash out the card, and does not say you can restrict them, then you are in violation since the law says you have to cash it out and does not provide you exceptions to the law.... which your store policy is trying to do. someone committing fraud isn't going to fight much, but one who has them honestly could.

Yeah I don't think that is correct at all. Until someone fights it to get it specified, we're completely within our rights.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

I had a guest last month who was doing something similar. He had five GC in the amounts of $9 exactly. We knew he was committing fraud somehow but were unable to stop him. They know how to work the system.

 

[Ashley Jude]

I know here in Ohio we cannot cash gift cards out