Service & Engagement What would you of done?

[TechNix]

I have been cross-training on the front-end, so I can pick up shifts, etc.. etc..

I picked up a shift today on the front end and just 15 mins before the end if it, someone comes up and asks for about $1,000 worth of gift cards. I was like, sure - and I rung them up and wrote the amounts on each of them. They then ask... do you take cash? I was like... yes?

They then hand me about $1,000 in 20s, 10s, 5s and 1s.

What would you do at this point?

 

[seasonaldude]

I have been cross-training on the front-end, so I can pick up shifts, etc.. etc..

I picked up a shift today on the front end and just 15 mins before the end if it, someone comes up and asks for about $1,000 worth of gift cards. I was like, sure - and I rung them up and wrote the amounts on each of them. They then ask... do you take cash? I was like... yes?

They then hand me about $1,000 in 20s, 10s, 5s and 1s.

What would you do at this point?

Call AP and apologize profusely. Gift cards are limited to $500 per day/per person to prevent scams.

 

[TechNix]

Call AP and apologize profusely. Gift cards are limited to $500 per day/per person to prevent scams.

I didn't know about any limit, I'll have to ask about that.

What I did was 1) call over someone from guest services since the TL went home. They referred me to the LOD, they punted it to the service desk, until they found out they told me to call them (they apparently were in the middle of picking an order. I didn't know how to bring attention to why I needed them without alerting anyone near a walkie about it. I continued counting and when I seen AP, I asked them to get the LOD. A person from GS came over and took over and took them to the service desk and then I clocked out.

I'm just surprised. I had so much cash just sitting on my registers as I try to go through it all. I was super nervous about having that much out and also counting it myself. It wasn't just like a bunch of 20s, or 100s, it was 20s, 10s, 5s and 1s. This was only my second time on register, but I felt super bad.

 

[Black Sheep 214]

Call AP and apologize profusely. Gift cards are limited to $500 per day/per person to prevent scams

You did what you thought was right at the time, but next time call AP. Don't beat yourself up over it, you can’t act on what you don’t know or haven’t been trained for. There are a lot of gift card scams out there, AP might be able to alert the guest and save them from being victimized.😁

 

[TechNix]

You did what you thought was right at the time, but next time call AP. Don't beat yourself up over it, you can’t act on what you don’t know or haven’t been trained for. There are a lot of gift card scams out there, AP might be able to alert the guest and save them from being victimized.😁

I had causally asked them who the lucky person was, they said they were sending it back home.

 

[seasonaldude]

I didn't know about any limit, I'll have to ask about that.

What I did was 1) call over someone from guest services since the TL went home. They referred me to the LOD, they punted it to the service desk, until they found out they told me to call them (they apparently were in the middle of picking an order. I didn't know how to bring attention to why I needed them without alerting anyone near a walkie about it. I continued counting and when I seen AP, I asked them to get the LOD. A person from GS came over and took over and took them to the service desk and then I clocked out.

I'm just surprised. I had so much cash just sitting on my registers as I try to go through it all. I was super nervous about having that much out and also counting it myself. It wasn't just like a bunch of 20s, or 100s, it was 20s, 10s, 5s and 1s. This was only my second time on register, but I felt super bad.

No worries. You aren't going to be in trouble. You didn't know. (But, this is in the onboarding training.) For future reference, there are scammers who call people, especially the elderly. They tell the victims that they are from the IRS or some other government agency. To avoid GOING TO JAIL immediately, or to get a family member out of GOING TO JAIL IMMEDIATELY, they need pay charges IMMEDIATELY. Payment must be provided by gift cards.

These are large scale fraud rings and part of an international money laundering scheme.

Anytime a guest wants a large dollar amount of gift cards, especially an elderly guest, you need to call over AP or a TL. The guest is being scammed by major criminals.

 

[TechNix]

No worries. You aren't going to be in trouble. You didn't know. (But, this is in the onboarding training.) For future reference, there are scammers who call people, especially the elderly. They tell the victims that they are from the IRS or some other government agency. To avoid GOING TO JAIL immediately, or to get a family member out of GOING TO JAIL IMMEDIATELY, they need pay charges IMMEDIATELY. Payment must be provided by gift cards.

These are large scale fraud rings and part of an international money laundering scheme.

Anytime a guest wants a large dollar amount of gift cards, especially an elderly guest, you need to call over AP or a TL. The guest is being scammed by major criminals.

I don't have any onboard training for the front end. Everything I have is GM, I was just trained on the FE and picked up a shift. I was mega worried about the money laundering aspect, since my previous work at Wal-Mart (15 years ago) it was a thing to monitor, especially with money orders. The service desk person (who had been there five+ years) didn't have a single concern, other then getting the count right, because I asked for a cash counter.

 

[seasonaldude]

I don't have any onboard training for the front end. Everything I have is GM, I was just trained on the FE and picked up a shift. I was mega worried about the money laundering aspect, since my previous work at Wal-Mart (15 years ago) it was a thing to monitor, especially with money orders. The service desk person (who had been there five+ years) didn't have a single concern, other then getting the count right, because I asked for a cash counter.

It's in the GM training too. It''s in the building GM expertise training or something like that. I know as I just took it today. I had to do all that beginner training again because I changed work centers. You might not be long enough in role that you've had it yet. It comes 2-3 months in.

But. Don't worry. You're not going to get in trouble. Fucking up is how you learn at Target.

 

[TechNix]

It's in the GM training too. It''s in the building GM expertise training or something like that. I know as I just took it today. I had to do all that beginner training again because I changed work centers. You might not be long enough in role that you've had it yet. It comes 2-3 months in.

But. Don't worry. You're not going to get in trouble. Fucking up is how you learn at Target.

This was my third day after orientation. There is a lot of e-training I need to do! haha. and thanks, I didn't actually think I would get in trouble, I was more worried that I may of miscounted, BUT - I wasn't concerned overall, just curious what people would of done.

 

[DBZ]

You totally did the right thing in asking for help.

 

[Dream Baby]

Were they Target gift cards?

 

[SallyHoover]

I've cashiered for years. The rules change all of the time and if the POS let me sell those in a single transaction, (which I would think would only happen with Target gift cards) I wouldn't have a problem with it. I would just carefully count the cash and run any bills that looked of felt suspicious through the machine. If I was uncomfortable or something seemed suspicious I would call someone over. I do know if they tried to make separate transactions to avoid the POS max, they can't get around max daily limit by making separate transactions and they would have to come back tomorrow to purchase when the limit is reached. The other day I had someone reach the apple gift card limit when buying several $20 cards. It was no where near $500 but the system said no more so that is that. They asked if there was a way around it and I said no.

If someone comes in saying they are buying for some kind of corporate holiday give away, I've had in other years where they can go through an ETL during the day and get some kind of pre authorization for say 200 $20 target gift cards. Otherwise they have to abide by the daily limits.

 

[TechNix]

Were they Target gift cards?

Food locations and visa gift cards

 

[TechNix]

I've cashiered for years. The rules change all of the time and if the POS let me sell those in a single transaction, (which I would think would only happen with Target gift cards) I wouldn't have a problem with it. I would just carefully count the cash and run any bills that looked of felt suspicious through the machine. If I was uncomfortable or something seemed suspicious I would call someone over. I do know if they tried to make separate transactions to avoid the POS max, they can't get around max daily limit by making separate transactions and they would have to come back tomorrow to purchase when the limit is reached. The other day I had someone reach the apple gift card limit when buying several $20 cards. It was no where near $500 but the system said no more so that is that. They asked if there was a way around it and I said no.

If someone comes in saying they are buying for some kind of corporate holiday give away, I've had in other years where they can go through an ETL during the day and get some kind of pre authorization for say 200 $20 target gift cards. Otherwise they have to abide by the daily limits.

Ah OK! I will have to make sure I get those trainings done then.

 

[IWishIKnew]

The service desk person (who had been there five+ years) didn't have a single concern, other then getting the count right, because I asked for a cash counter.

WTF? Seriously? You have nothing to worry about, but a veteran service desk person without a single concern? I'd let AP know that, if I were you (or their ETL), because WTF?

Even as a GM TM AP has made us aware of such things (though that was back when we had huddles), so for a service desk TM not to call AP first thing? SMDH

 

[TechNix]

WTF? Seriously? You have nothing to worry about, but a veteran service desk person without a single concern? I'd let AP know that, if I were you (or their ETL), because WTF?

Even as a GM TM AP has made us aware of such things (though that was back when we had huddles), so for a service desk TM not to call AP first thing? SMDH

I flagged down AP when they were walking by and asked for them to get someone, but they flagged down the GSA and they took over the transaction, but when following up with them, they said there was nothing to be concerned about.

I asked the closing TL the next day and they said that I should of rang the customer out and then addressed it. I had a major concern about cash accuracy with it being my second time on register (this time around in retail) and regarding any limits I didn't know about. They didn't seem to know what the limit was and said if the POS allowed you to do it...

It was a CF.

 

[Fluttervale]

I would have done it if they were paying in small bills, but I would have made it difficult by “asking for help” and “double checking with someone who’s up here more.” If they’re paying in ones and fives and tens it’s probably not counterfeit money so the biggest concern is them being scammed, not Target being scammed. If there was a scam stalling makes them mad and they’ll themselves that way.

The food cards also are a sign that it’s not a scam. It was probably 100% legit with someone buying Christmas presents.

 

[TheClopen]

I have been cross-training on the front-end, so I can pick up shifts, etc.. etc..

I picked up a shift today on the front end and just 15 mins before the end if it, someone comes up and asks for about $1,000 worth of gift cards. I was like, sure - and I rung them up and wrote the amounts on each of them. They then ask... do you take cash? I was like... yes?

They then hand me about $1,000 in 20s, 10s, 5s and 1s.

What would you do at this point?

That's nothing, I had one guy come to buy a few 65in TV's and a 70in TV in Tech once.
All Samsung and LG TVs, then he dropped 3 stacks of cash on the counter for me to count. It was great.

Each stack had that little tiny rubber band holding it together, you know like the little rubber bands that get used in drug deals.
But I don't ask questions if I count it and it's all real that's all I'm concerned about, don't really care where you got it.

 

[TechNix]

That's nothing, I had one guy come to buy a few 65in TV's and a 70in TV in Tech once.
All Samsung and LG TVs, then he dropped 3 stacks of cash on the counter for me to count. It was great.

Each stack had that little tiny rubber band holding it together, you know like the little rubber bands that get used in drug deals.
But I don't ask questions if I count it and it's all real that's all I'm concerned about, don't really care where you got it.

Oh man. I had someone pay with a band of cash today. I knew where it came from, but who am I to judge.

I did end up asking the ETL-SE and they if it is less then like $1000, then I shouldn't be concerned. They said the POS will prompt for any GC limits.

 

[DBZ]

Oh man. I had someone pay with a band of cash today. I knew where it came from, but who am I to judge.

I did end up asking the ETL-SE and they if it is less then like $1000, then I shouldn't be concerned. They said the POS will prompt for any GC limits.

I hope you counted what was in that band. A guest paid one of my TMs with a band of $1 bills. It should equal a 100. I did cash office that day and I'm pretty sure there was more like 80 in that band. Maybe even 70.

 

[TechNix]

I hope you counted what was in that band. A guest paid one of my TMs with a band of $1 bills. It should equal a 100. I did cash office that day and I'm pretty sure there was more like 80 in that band. Maybe even 70.

Of course, I count it always and tend to verbalize the count just so we are on the same page.

 

[Captain Orca]

What would I HAVE done? I would have summoned the front end manager then maybe AP if he/she thought it would facilitate matters. The scenario sounds fishy.

 

[TheClopen]

I had causally asked them who the lucky person was, they said they were sending it back home.

I'm the lucky person.

 

[NotCynicalYet]

Hmm I don't want to give details in public, but you can't go wrong by pausing and calling a leader on this.

 

[TechNix]

I ended up asking the APETL the next day and they were able to flag it for review.