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  • sell gift cards? scam warning

    http://www.reddit.com/r/TalesFromRet...lly_impressed/

    Basically, customer makes large purchase including large gift card, then delays while colleague goes to another aisle and uses it before the transaction is completed.

  • #2
    Interesting comments on that page. I always thought you couldn't use the cards right away. Every gift card I ever bought had a 24 hour waiting period on it. Maybe they aren't that way everywhere.
    When you start at zero, everything's progress.

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    • #3
      There's not a waiting period on the mart of wall's cards. I go in and put a dollar amount on it and then head straight out to their fuel pumps (we save 10 cents per gallon using a store gift card to pay at pump). I've done that ever since they started that promotion. Other stores, I can't speak for.

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      • #4
        The gift cards I used to sell didn't have waiting periods on them. I was always told to never hand the gift card over until the payment had gone through.
        "Man, having a conversation with you is like walking through a salvador dali painting." - Mac Hall

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        • #5
          I thought the cards had no value until the transaction was over....huh.
          My Guide to Oblivion

          "I resent the implication that I've gone mad, Sprocket."

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          • #6
            it would depend on the system, if the dollar amount was stored on the card then it could work this way but if it's stored on a server then this shouldn't work.
            Interviewer: What is your greatest weakness?
            Me: I expect competence from my coworkers.

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            • #7
              Our old systems had us activate store GCs by swiping them at the customer-facing pinpad. Other cards were scannable, and I would assume not activated until the confirmation receipt prints out (but I never tested this).

              The new systems are set up so that swipe-to-activate cards are done on the cashier side, and the screen says "PENDING" for gift cards until everything is tendered. I hold gift cards on my side until everything is finalized anyway.
              "I am quite confident that I do exist."
              "Excuse me, I'm making perfect sense. You're just not keeping up." The Doctor

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              • #8
                The system used when I was in retail was a two stage system. When scanned and the amount entered the card was processed but not activated. Essentially a spot was reserved in the database for the card 's details but the card couldn't be used. The activation occurred after the payment was fully processed.

                It worked wonders on preventing this scam but if there transmission errors on the activation side it could cause problems. A number of times a card would be unactivated despite the receipt (which has the card number on it) saying it was.
                I AM the evil bastard!
                A+ Certified IT Technician

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                • #9
                  Quoth Dreamstalker View Post
                  Our old systems had us activate store GCs by swiping them at the customer-facing pinpad. Other cards were scannable, and I would assume not activated until the confirmation receipt prints out (but I never tested this).
                  It was activated at the end after tender, as sometimes it took awhile and said "Processing..."

                  The new systems are set up so that swipe-to-activate cards are done on the cashier side, and the screen says "PENDING" for gift cards until everything is tendered. I hold gift cards on my side until everything is finalized anyway.
                  Isn't that the only thing the cashier's card-swiper is even used for now?

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