Alright so I'm a cashier and today, a lady came in trying to buy about a dozen or so Philips hair trimmers or something, some clothes, and a few $25 gift cards to a restaurant. After I rang everything up she handed me about 10 $25 off coupons for the products. I started scanning them and the computer asked me to pick the item that matches the coupon.. The problem was the products only cost $21.99 and some even $12.99. I went on to pick the items but stopped because it didn't make sense. I flipped on my light for help and the lady insisted I keep scanning and picking the items and that it was fine. Before my gstl came the lady collected the coupons and told me to void everything and just left the items in the bags with me. Was she trying to scam us? Her total probably would've came out to next to nothing. Yesterday my gstl told me to flip on my light if a lady came through my lane trying to buy electric toothbrushes with $25 off coupons. I think she was talking about the same person. I have no idea what was going on honestly, the whole situation was weird.
Archived Coupon scammer?
- Thread starter dani346
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We get them all the time. Yes it sounds like you were being scammed. Though picking the item can be common depending on the brand. I haven't seen it in Awhile, but it does happen.
We always have the cashiers flip on their lights if they have any question about a coupon. When the scammers see us coming they often do the same thing - say forget it.
I hate coupon scammers very much!!!!!!
We always have the cashiers flip on their lights if they have any question about a coupon. When the scammers see us coming they often do the same thing - say forget it.
I hate coupon scammers very much!!!!!!
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Yes she was attempting to scam your store and you did exactly as you should. If you feel uncomfortable with a transaction always hit your light and let someone more experienced with these things handle it.
redeye58
Hasta Ba Rista, Baby!
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She was hoping you'd accept the coupons without looking too closely. If you had, the coupons would've taken off more than the item going into a negative amt due. The negative would've then come off items like the restaurant gift cards, etc.
You did the right thing alerting your GSTL.
Another thing to watch out for is guests telling you how to process their coupons, even telling you which K keys to use.
As the Dude says, call someone over if you feel uncomfortable.
You did the right thing alerting your GSTL.
Another thing to watch out for is guests telling you how to process their coupons, even telling you which K keys to use.
As the Dude says, call someone over if you feel uncomfortable.
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Yes. an extra pair of eyes is always good when in doubt.
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those phillips and norelco trimmers are the worst. i bet that coupon specified it had to be over $70. i get those scammers all the time in electronics.
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Additionally those coupons are a problem with returns too. The guest will come in with a whole bag full of them and demand they be returned off of giftcard look up. Which means they are getting $10-25 off each of those and getting it put back on the giftcard. Each trip is netting them like $600-1000 in profit.
Thankfully our AP and leadership team at my store refuses those returns now, but in the past they were telling us to do them.
Thankfully our AP and leadership team at my store refuses those returns now, but in the past they were telling us to do them.
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If they have a valid receipt dated within 90 days, and the product is unopened, we have to take it back, no matter how much we dislike it. The scammers are getting smart to that fact, as well.
But remember, Spot is closing 2/3 of their investigations centers, slashing ap as fast as they can, and insisting we do these returns at all costs.
If corporate doesn't care, then it really does us no good to do anything else than just do it and move on. Sure, they'll keep coming back, but if that's what corporate wants, then why get stressed out over trying to fight it?
But remember, Spot is closing 2/3 of their investigations centers, slashing ap as fast as they can, and insisting we do these returns at all costs.
If corporate doesn't care, then it really does us no good to do anything else than just do it and move on. Sure, they'll keep coming back, but if that's what corporate wants, then why get stressed out over trying to fight it?
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If they have a receipt we take the amount of the coupons used out of the return. If they are trying to return without a receipt we will not do it.
If they try with a gift receipt we won't do it. Most seasoned guest service tm's and gstl/gsa's know most of the scams. I'm sure some sneak by us but we are making it harder for them.
If they try with a gift receipt we won't do it. Most seasoned guest service tm's and gstl/gsa's know most of the scams. I'm sure some sneak by us but we are making it harder for them.
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The problem is, Spot can get in big trouble for you all deducting the amount of the coupon off, because the assumption is that we got reminbursed for those coupons. So we would be getting reimbursed for the coupons as well as pocketing the coupon money by not refunding it...a big no-no in the eyes of the manufacturers. And I'm guessing someone could sue and win over that if they wanted.
And we are technically supposed to attempt every return with a receipt...gift receipt or not...so agwin, if we refuse to attempt it, then they can call the guest service number who will tell us to do it.
Believe me, I want to shut them down, but Spot is not on our side.
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In my district at least we have had enough issues with them to be told from above to squash it.
We don't out and out refuse the return, we just tell the scammers that the gift card lookup was unsuccessful. This is the exact instructions given to me by my APTL and STL who were told this by our DTL and APBP.
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