Gift card scam at checkout line?

[Zoidberg Jesus]

I was at the grocery store yesterday checking out at a regular line (not do it yourself) and 2 kids (maybe 12 or 13 years old) got in line behind me and just had a gift card in hand, nothing else. They kept getting real close behind me, to the point that I told them to back off. They just stood there and didn't say anything. What I didn't notice was that they put the gift card right next to my items. When I walked away, the cashier said I forgot something, and gave me a bag. I didn't think anything of it at the time, because I was angry at the kids invading my personal space.

When I got to the parking lot, I looked in the bag and saw the gift card. I tried to return it by going back in the store, at which point one of the kids walked up to me and tried to say that their gift card got mixed up with my items. I told the kid off that I paid for it, now I'm returning it, go get another one, finally getting rid of them.

The store clerk said all gift card sales are final, so I called the customer service line, they told me to call Amazon. Amazon said they couldn't refund it, so I had no choice but to redeem the $50 gift card, which thankfully was active, but still, the whole thing really pissed me off.

I realize now that they were trying to get me to pay for the card, leave it there, and then they would take it. Thankfully the cashier at least gave me the card, but it would have been better if she noticed the kids putting the gift card there and separated it.

Has anyone here ever encountered anything like this? From now on, I'm using the do it yourself line. Damn kids.

 

[BasilZero]

You dont check what is going through the register and dont check again after paying?

I always do that - never experienced anything like that but if I did , would raise hell.

 

[EssBeeVee]

nope. never seen anything. but with how i shop i know the prices of things so if my price is off i'll scan the list of items i scan to see if anything got overcharged or suspicious.

 

[nsilvias]

how do you miss a 50 dollar addition to your bill?

 

[DrForester]

Least it's an Amazon card. You'll inevitably find something to use it on.

Certainly a scam, and they were pretty daring to do it even after you noticed them being too close.

How did you not notice the extra $50 when the total came up though?

 

[Dest]

how do you miss a 50 dollar addition to your bill?

Click to shrink...

this

 

[Lulu]

seems weird. How didn't you know you paid for it? How did they know you'd come back, what? Doesn't really seem like a scam maybe and probably just kids fucking with you if anything

 

[Walter White Walker]

You didn't notice you were paying $50 more than you should have been?
I've never had anything like that.

 

[ScaleboundGOTY]

Even 12 year olds spotted you as a mark, be more careful in your day to day lol

 

[linkboy]

I was working at a Wal-Mart in 2017 and had an older gentleman approach the electronics register with 6 $100 iTunes gift cards.

As I was logging into the register, he told me that Apple instructed him to buy these because his iPhone was hacked and his imei number was changed, and that Apple needed the gift cards in order to change it back.

Both me and the Straight Talk rep had our eyes light up and we informed him that it was a scam and that his imei wasn't changed.

Thankfully, he believed us and didn't buy the cards.

 

[Zoidberg Jesus]

I should have noticed the high amount, but I was buying groceries for 3 people after a week, so I'm used to the total being above $150-$200 at times. That, combined with me being annoyed at the kids distracted me enough, I guess. I'll just be more careful in the future.

 

[boxter432]

"that'll be $58.50"
"ok sounds good" zoidberg jesus swipes card, takes single grocery bag home.

edit: dammit it was a larger bill, in OP he just mentioned bag so thought it would be a few items.

 

[Disco Infernal]

The scam I know about is people recording codes from gift cards and then waiting for someone to buy and have them activated by the cashier and then they use the codes before the consumer can.

 

[RecLib]

I realize now that they were trying to get me to pay for the card, leave it there, and then they would take it. Thankfully the cashier at least gave me the card, but it would have been better if she noticed the kids putting the gift card there and separated it.

Click to shrink...

Cashier did nothing wrong, you knew the kids were being annoying and suspicious and you didn't even notice it, why would the cashier? It is really on you to make sure other customers aren't mixing their shit in with yours.

 

[Syriel]

How did you not notice the extra $50 when the total came up though?

Click to shrink...

This. If an item rings up for 50 cents more than it should, I'm asking for a price correction immediately.

I can't imagine missing 50 dollars.

 

[MrCibb]

I get the not checking, I barely do, but I'd at least have a rough idea of how much I'm spending. Don't think someone could sneak in £50 extra. So I think maybe just try and keep note of your spend. That's a big chunk to have added on and not notice.

 

[Dodongo]

It sounds like those kids are really bad at this, and still almost succeeded lol

 

[bananab]

I'd have put the bar down, though I imagine they'd have just moved it thereafter.

 

[ItIsOkBro]

if this were a scam it would have a pretty bad success rate, i would think. so many things would have to align for it to work.

 

[xxracerxx]

Thankfully the cashier at least gave me the card, but it would have been better if she noticed the kids putting the gift card there and separated it.

Click to shrink...

Yes, her and her personal periscope she uses to watch the end of the grocery belt while she is scanning items. Be more aware worker!

 

[jph139]

Seems less like a scam, per se, and more like a dumbass idea from a couple of dumbass kids who wanted a gift card. Can't imagine it working that often.

 

[Citizencope]

Let's all shame the OP for not noticing the extra $50 at first. Shame! 🙄

 

[Pet]

I probably wouldn't have noticed the $50 at the end, but I hope that I'd notice it when it was being scanned.

However, in my experience, every time I buy a gift card, the cashier carefully tells me where my activation code is on the receipt, so I would be aware if someone tried to sneak a gift card into my groceries.

 

[Dan-o]

I imagine kids like this will always try this on someone with lots of groceries. When your bill is in the $150-$250 range regularly, I could see how it could be missed.
Sneaky fucks.

 

[xxracerxx]

Let's all shame the OP for not noticing the extra $50 at first. Shame! 🙄

Click to shrink...

Let's shame the worker for not noticing the kids putting it on the belt.

I imagine kids like this will always try this on someone with lots of groceries. When your bill is in the $150-$250 range regularly, I could see how it could be missed.
Sneaky fucks.

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They also get super close to look like they are with the buyer.

 

[Kolx]

The scam I know about is people recording codes from gift cards and then waiting for someone to buy and have them activated by the cashier and then they use the codes before the consumer can.

Click to shrink...

That's why cards with the code visible that you only need to activate is the dumbest idea ever.

 

[Friskykillface]

You rich OP
I legit hawkeye the total on the screen when I'm shopping in case I get charged extra or if my discount goes through

The scam I saw was mentioned by it being scratched off then when they finished the person immediately puts the code in to get the gift card

 

[jleo]

Seems strange. Were they trying to get you to pay for the giftcard so they could then take it themselves?

 

[xxracerxx]

Seems strange. Were they trying to get you to pay for the giftcard so they could then take it themselves?

Click to shrink...

Yes

 

[Pendas]

This is the first I've heard of it. Judging by the execution it seems more like two kids came up with a spur of the moment idea than some kind of well-coordinated scam.

 

[DrScruffleton]

I do not pay attention to prices and totals at all when I buy stuff, id probably be in the same boat until I got home and noticed I have something i didnt buy. I only really notice prices when I am specifically buying something thats on sale.

Seems like a terrible plan though if they were trying to scam.

 

[jwk94]

Let's all shame the OP for not noticing the extra $50 at first. Shame! 🙄

Click to shrink...

When the op almost blames the worker, sure.

 

[lunarworks]

Gotta say, one of the benefits of pandemic social distancing measures is not having people crowding you at the cash.

 

[Airegin]

This. If an item rings up for 50 cents more than it should, I'm asking for a price correction immediately.

I can't imagine missing 50 dollars.

Click to shrink...

 

[Regiruler]

This seems like a win for self checkout, the scam is impossible there.

 

[Radd Redd]

This is on you. People generally know the price range of their goods before buying. I'm shocked this got past you. 50 dollars extra on a bill would raise my alarm.

 

[Baked Pigeon]

It's possible to peel those gray stickers off that cover the code, and reapply them. Maybe they were planning on redeeming the code before you did or realized what had happened.

 

[Syriel]

Click to shrink...

Safeway ain't cheating me!!! ;)

 

[Soundscream]

Let's all shame the OP for not noticing the extra $50 at first. Shame! 🙄

Click to shrink...

Reminds me of all the people who defended the poster whose car was stolen because they went into the store while leaving the car running with keys in the ignition.

I must live in a different world because that wouldn't happen to me.

 

[skeezx]

one scam i keep running into is where the cards are already scratched off, once rung up you just paid for somebody else's shit

luckily the cashier catches it every time

 

[Stencil]

I don't think I'd notice an extra $50 when stocking up on groceries for my family, so whatever on that front, but I would definitely notice a gift card sitting at the very end of all my items. Especially after the kids were acting suspicious to begin with. I mean, if you were alone, what else would you have to do besides stare at your items go through the scanner?

 

[TheCthultist]

I was at the grocery store yesterday checking out at a regular line (not do it yourself) and 2 kids (maybe 12 or 13 years old) got in line behind me and just had a gift card in hand, nothing else. They kept getting real close behind me, to the point that I told them to back off. They just stood there and didn't say anything. What I didn't notice was that they put the gift card right next to my items. When I walked away, the cashier said I forgot something, and gave me a bag. I didn't think anything of it at the time, because I was angry at the kids invading my personal space.

When I got to the parking lot, I looked in the bag and saw the gift card. I tried to return it by going back in the store, at which point one of the kids walked up to me and tried to say that their gift card got mixed up with my items. I told the kid off that I paid for it, now I'm returning it, go get another one, finally getting rid of them.

The store clerk said all gift card sales are final, so I called the customer service line, they told me to call Amazon. Amazon said they couldn't refund it, so I had no choice but to redeem the $50 gift card, which thankfully was active, but still, the whole thing really pissed me off.

I realize now that they were trying to get me to pay for the card, leave it there, and then they would take it. Thankfully the cashier at least gave me the card, but it would have been better if she noticed the kids putting the gift card there and separated it.

Has anyone here ever encountered anything like this? From now on, I'm using the do it yourself line. Damn kids.

Click to shrink...

….how did you miss $50 additional charge on your purchase?!