Archived Your Weirdest Scam/Fraud Moment?

[6ryan4]

Working in electronics, I've gotten a lot of weird situations where people try to use a fake card to get really expensive stuff. I was wondering what everyone's weirdest situations were.

In my weirdest scam moment, I was approached by a friendly man looking to get an iPad. He was real nice so I assumed it was a regular transaction. But when I asked him what color and model, he asked "what kinds do you have?" A little tipped off, I told him we had one of every hard drive size. He asked to get the two highest, which were 64 and 128 gigabytes. I was immediately worried now. To make it worse, when I went to check him out, his friend showed up not only with two candles (he told me, direct quote, "I gotta have my candles"), but with $250 worth of Outback Steakhouse gift cards to add to the transaction. At this point, AP, who had been watching the cameras, called GSTL even before I did because he noticed the transaction had reached $1,000. The first man pulled out an incredibly fake-looking green card to try to pay, and it obviously didn't work. When my GSTL showed up, she went on the walkie to call our LoD when she was out of earshot, not realizing my walkie was still on. Having heard the initial call to go to another channel, the two men started chatting under their breath, but I heard something along the lines of, "What's an LoD?" "That's their manager..." They then told me they would go to the bank. They never came back. I found out later that the same guys pulled off a successful scam at our store a week or so ago, which is why they knew our lingo.

TL;DR, two guys tried to buy a 64gig iPad, a 128gig iPad, $250 in Outback gift cards, and two candles all on the same purchase with the fakest card I had ever seen, and they had already hit up our Target a week prior.

 

[redeye58]

That 'fake-looking green card' was probably loaded with stolen card info, a la the Target breach?

 

[NPC]

Man I hate these kinds of transactions the most because credit card fraud is basically impossible for us to control. All we can do is limit how much they buy. Like with the gift cards for example. Lucky they got scared enough to just leave it all.

I don't have many scammer stories that I would call "weird." But I do have a few regular scammers I feud with. There's this one guest in particular, whom has been unsuccessfully trying to return coupon fraud merchandise with me for months. Even though he KNOWS that I will not do his return without a receipt. Him and my LOD apparently got into it a while back, and it's my LOD that now requires that this specific guest have his receipt. (even then we've still denied the return) So this guest is actually scared of this LOD. (he's a young, socially awkward guy.) But he still comes in trying to return stuff! I change my hair color pretty frequently, so it's especially funny when he comes up ready to return stuff, and then I hassle him, and finally he recognizes me. "Oh, you used to have (x) hair color." Then he leaves.

He's tenacious though. I'm pretty confident his brother is in on it too now, because there's another guest whom comes in the same time he does, doing the same thing, and they look alike too. I'm going to start denying his returns now too. Currently we're only doing 3 of his cheapest items.

 

[HLEtm]

One time I had a guy try to buy over $20,000 in target giftcards claiming he was using a "company card" LOL

 

[oath2order]

I had two women try and give me $20 coupons that didn't have a picture on them or words for what it was, it was just $20 off.

They were trying to buy a shitton of groceries and two phones.

They also tried flirting with me. Which, y'know, being gay, doesn't really do much.

 

[dannyy315]

This isn't fraud, but it's an example of a guest trying to take advantage of the system. Today a guest saw these outdoor Christmas decorations that were $34.99, but the displays had a misprint saying $.01. So he tried to argue with me that I should change them from $34.99 to $.01. I told him we can't do a price change over a $20 difference, and he demanded to speak to a manager. So I called the GSTL over and she told him the same thing, and that the most we could do was a 10% discount (which is very generous). That wasn't good enough for him, so we called the LOD over and once again, she told him the same exact thing.

I would be more understanding if it was like a $2 difference, but use some common sense. We're not giving away an outdoor snoopy decoration for a penny.

 

[commiecorvus]

This isn't fraud, but it's an example of a guest trying to take advantage of the system. Today a guest saw these outdoor Christmas decorations that were $34.99, but the displays had a misprint saying $.01. So he tried to argue with me that I should change them from $34.99 to $.01. I told him we can't do a price change over a $20 difference, and he demanded to speak to a manager. So I called the GSTL over and she told him the same thing, and that the most we could do was a 10% discount (which is very generous). That wasn't good enough for him, so we called the LOD over and once again, she told him the same exact thing.

I would be more understanding if it was like a $2 difference, but use some common sense. We're not giving away an outdoor snoopy decoration for a penny.

Yeah, we've run into that bullshit before.
It's not a misprint, it's how they print off the labels so TMs know what they are where they go when the POG is set.
In order to print to label a price has to be set, so $.01.
The simple answer, "We don't sell fucking displays."

 

[daninnj]

I don't cashier or am at electronics much but a couple of weeks ago some dudes bought headphones and had three clothes (at electronics) with obviously switched clearance stickers on them (peeled off of something), sweaters that were obviously too new for clearance. I scan the barcodes and tell them "This is coming up $29.99." "I don't want that one." Scan next, pretty much the same thing. Last one they take even though it's full price. Instead of going the obvious way to the exit, they go around the store through the seasonal, market, and then stop at HBA while carrying the bag of one piece of clothes that they bought and then exit with the bag. I called AP after they left electronics but man if they didn't get my attention with all the switched tickets, I wouldn't have thought about them stopping at HBA and bagging some stuff there.

 

[queencat]

This is more like a weirdest fraud month but there was a time from April to June when we didn't have ANY TPS or AP, and scammers knew it. They also knew that we had upped our return limit to $250. This led to people bringing in $250 worth of batteries (like they were just pulled off the pegs) and bringing them up to guest service claiming they got them as a "gift". We knew they were lying, couldn't say no, but it was surreal as fuck with these people semi expecting us to believe someone bought them $250 in AAA batteries for their birthday.

 

[PeytonManning211]

Guests getting receipts from the trash and trying to return merchandise not on the old receipts.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

We have multi threads on this topic. You might want to use search function for additional info.

 

[NPC]

This is more like a weirdest fraud month but there was a time from April to June when we didn't have ANY TPS or AP, and scammers knew it. They also knew that we had upped our return limit to $250. This led to people bringing in $250 worth of batteries (like they were just pulled off the pegs) and bringing them up to guest service claiming they got them as a "gift". We knew they were lying, couldn't say no, but it was surreal as fuck with these people semi expecting us to believe someone bought them $250 in AAA batteries for their birthday.

I hate that! I've had guest do this with pillow cases. The Threshold/Feildcrest brand sells like $30 pillowcases. And they're small enough to be a theft item. So I've had guests come in with 6-8 packs, claiming they were gifts, and returning them with their ID. I even asked these guests, "You got a bunch of pillowcases as a gift?" You'd think they'd get flustered at this point, but they've all stuck to their guns. All I'd end up doing is returning 2, and then pretending they were over their ID return limit.

 

[OffYaPhone]

This is more like a weirdest fraud month but there was a time from April to June when we didn't have ANY TPS or AP, and scammers knew it. They also knew that we had upped our return limit to $250. This led to people bringing in $250 worth of batteries (like they were just pulled off the pegs) and bringing them up to guest service claiming they got them as a "gift". We knew they were lying, couldn't say no, but it was surreal as fuck with these people semi expecting us to believe someone bought them $250 in AAA batteries for their birthday.

Why couldn't you say no?

 

[queencat]

I hate that! I've had guest do this with pillow cases. The Threshold/Feildcrest brand sells like $30 pillowcases. And they're small enough to be a theft item. So I've had guests come in with 6-8 packs, claiming they were gifts, and returning them with their ID. I even asked these guests, "You got a bunch of pillowcases as a gift?" You'd think they'd get flustered at this point, but they've all stuck to their guns. All I'd end up doing is returning 2, and then pretending they were over their ID return limit.

Same here. Both with the pillow cases, and with the sticking to your guns. "Someone bought you $200 worth of watch batteries as a gift" "Oh yeah totally."

Why couldn't you say no?

GSA and GSTL told me I couldn't. We had no TSP, no ETL-GE, and ETL-AP wasn't always present. We were told to just take it and reprint the return reciept with a description.

 

[Circle9]

This is more like a weirdest fraud month but there was a time from April to June when we didn't have ANY TPS or AP, and scammers knew it. They also knew that we had upped our return limit to $250. This led to people bringing in $250 worth of batteries (like they were just pulled off the pegs) and bringing them up to guest service claiming they got them as a "gift". We knew they were lying, couldn't say no, but it was surreal as fuck with these people semi expecting us to believe someone bought them $250 in AAA batteries for their birthday.

Its stories like this that make me think I should just quit my job and move full time to bounty hunting and shoplifting.

 

[Firefox]

This is more like a weirdest fraud month but there was a time from April to June when we didn't have ANY TPS or AP, and scammers knew it. They also knew that we had upped our return limit to $250. This led to people bringing in $250 worth of batteries (like they were just pulled off the pegs) and bringing them up to guest service claiming they got them as a "gift". We knew they were lying, couldn't say no, but it was surreal as fuck with these people semi expecting us to believe someone bought them $250 in AAA batteries for their birthday.

I would've told the guest that they would need the original receipt for that. Same with any HBA/high ticket purchase. At our store, it's embarrassing just how often people just go out onto the sales floor, grab items, and return them as they are "a gift".

It doesn't help that our last TPS/APS leaves the store at 10:30 so we have nobody there until the next morning, and we go an hour and a half of store operation without anyone from AP in the building.

 

[3LetterDevil]

Today, I had a guest try and tell me I gave them an empty bottle of generic adderall....from AUGUST!!! She INSISTED that the bottle in her hand was the one I had JUST given her. Nice try, but it wasn't even the same strength & I also pointed out that I had taken the bottle out and shown her the green sticker that indicated it was a different manufacturer, which was conspicuously missing from the bottle she was claiming I JUST gave her.

 

[OffYaPhone]

GSA and GSTL told me I couldn't. We had no TSP, no ETL-GE, and ETL-AP wasn't always present. We were told to just take it and reprint the return reciept with a description.

Wow. I am so glad that my front end management (and store management as well) actually will stand up to scammers.

 

[thecabbage]

Had a lady that stuck a $5 clearance tag on a baby monitor that was over $200. At first she asked if we were supposed to honor it like our policy states (HAHA). Luckily she had no confidence in what she was doing and backed off as soon as I called the GSTL over.

 

[redeye58]

Easy enough for AP to pull video showing her putting the sticker on....

 

[HardlinesFour]

I've been debating rather or not to post this, because this will totally out me. But... last year while shopping at my old store no less, I was in One Spot.. and noticed this lady pushing up a shopping cart to Guest Service, with two comforters. (My store ALWAYS puts the Target Tape on the top, to carry them out.)

Once she's up at GS... I walk up, and just ask "What are you doing?" and she says "making a return". To which I respond, you didn't purchase that. You just walked up here. That's pretty bold.."

The GS TM... does the right thing, and says "I'm going to call over my manager, hold on a moment"... and the lady tries to backpedal with "I don't have time for this, and I'm leaving".

I grab her shopping cart with a tight grip, and just say "Your not leaving with this cart. I'm not going to let you". She literately just flipped the bird at me, and made a very hasty walk out the door.

So... I made a recovery at my old-store & accused a guest of stealing, off the clock. What can they do, Fire Me? LMFAO.

 

[HardlinesFour]

Guests getting receipts from the trash and trying to return merchandise not on the old receipts.

Your store's AP is supposed to be watching for that. The Cart attendant should also try to pickup random receipts he finds in the parking lot, for that exact reason.

 

[redeye58]

I've been debating rather or not to post this, because this will totally out me. But... last year while shopping at my old store no less, I was in One Spot.. and noticed this lady pushing up a shopping cart to Guest Service, with two comforters. (My store ALWAYS puts the Target Tape on the top, to carry them out.)

Once she's up at GS... I walk up, and just ask "What are you doing?" and she says "making a return". To which I respond, you didn't purchase that. You just walked up here. That's pretty bold.."

The GS TM... does the right thing, and says "I'm going to call over my manager, hold on a moment"... and the lady tries to backpedal with "I don't have time for this, and I'm leaving".

I grab her shopping cart with a tight grip, and just say "Your not leaving with this cart. I'm not going to let you". She literately just flipped the bird at me, and made a very hasty walk out the door.

So... I made a recovery at my old-store & accused a guest of stealing, off the clock. What can they do, Fire Me? LMFAO.

You're awesome

 

[Nauzhror]

GSA and GSTL told me I couldn't. We had no TSP, no ETL-GE, and ETL-AP wasn't always present. We were told to just take it and reprint the return reciept with a description.

I'd seriously hate to work at your store. I tell people no frequently. We don't have an ETL-AP, just an APTL, but I don't care if she's there, if a return seems shady I deny it.

Occasionally I have people try and argue, but most know better.

3-4 days ago a young girl comes up with a bag of razors, hands me the bag. There's a giftcard in it.

I told her I couldn't do the return without the original receipt.

She responded that she was pretty sure I just needed to scan the giftcard and then the items, and that they'd then come up.

I told her that wasn't an option. She didn't argue she just walked away, but her mother came up 20 minutes later or so and tried arguing.

She tried telling me that I had to do her return because I allowed some people to return items with a drivers license.

Then she kept repeating that she didn't have her receipt anymore, and that she didn't want the items, because apparently when you repeat the same thing five times I'm supposed to eventually cave.

I told her if she wanted to return items she purchased she should keep the receipt.

She asked to speak to the manager. I told her I was the manager. She asked to speak to the supervisor. I told her she was already doing so. She asked if I was the manager or the supervisor, and said I couldn't be both. I told her those were synonyms, and that no matter how many times she repeated herself she wasn't going to intimidate me into processing a return I'd already refused. She finally huffed and walked away then.

I would've told the guest that they would need the original receipt for that. Same with any HBA/high ticket purchase. At our store, it's embarrassing just how often people just go out onto the sales floor, grab items, and return them as they are "a gift".

It doesn't help that our last TPS/APS leaves the store at 10:30 so we have nobody there until the next morning, and we go an hour and a half of store operation without anyone from AP in the building.

Our APTL works 6 AM - 2:30 or 2:00 - 10:30. Also only five days a week, thus over 50% of the time, no AP in the store.

 

[LadyCynide]

She responded that she was pretty sure I just needed to scan the giftcard and then the items, and that they'd then come up.

Unless I'm missing something, she's right...You just scan the giftcard, and it will be exactly like she was returning with a credit card. The items would be linked to that card if that's the one she used to purchase them. Now, if they didn't come up on the giftcard, that's different, but you can absolutely do a return off of a giftcard.