Would-be scammers

[edible_hat]

A few scammers who didn't get away with it:

SC: "I bought this phone credit voucher here and it doesn't work! I want my money back!"
Me: "I'm sorry, [phone company] says that's a valid code so if it's not working you have to take it up with them."
SC: "It doesn't work! Give me my money back!"
Me: "I can't do that. Look, on the voucher there's a number to call if there's a problem..."
SC: "I'm never coming here again!" (stomps away. Returns 30 seconds later to retrieve car keys that she left on the counter)


SC: "I was robbed, can you lend me $100 until tomorrow?"
Me: "If you were robbed we should tell the police..." (picks up phone)
SC: "No I don't want to bother them" (runs away)
(my co-worker called the police anyway, and the guy was picked up trying the same thing at another store)


One would-be scammer with a stolen credit card went to the trouble of forging a letter from the bank saying that the card was valid and to process it manually. When the CSR said he'd have to call the bank anyway "just to double-check", the scammer tried to run away. The quick-thinking CSR pressed the button to lock the automatic door. Scammer bounced off the automatic door and required an ambulance.

[Boochan]

SC: "I bought this phone credit voucher here and it doesn't work! I want my money back!"
Me: "I'm sorry, [phone company] says that's a valid code so if it's not working you have to take it up with them."
SC: "It doesn't work! Give me my money back!"
Me: "I can't do that. Look, on the voucher there's a number to call if there's a problem..."
SC: "I'm never coming here again!" (stomps away. Returns 30 seconds later to retrieve car keys that she left on the counter)

I'd guess we sell probably more credit then anyone in my mall (Various discounts and such we offer on it), and I'm really surprised that we don't get anyone trying this considering we get our fair share of dodgy types and random scammers here and there. Just have to show them the clearly marked "NO REFUNDS on [Voucher Company] Vouchers" on every single one of our receipts if they ever complain mind you. The only scammers we've had before was a round of printer cartridge scammers this time last year. They'd purchase a printer cartridge, put their old one back in the box and claim it "didn't work" or "was the wrong one" despite it been obvious that it had been used, and that it says clearly (and we mention with every sale) that opened printer cartridges are not returned under any circumstances. We had quite a few people attempting it at one stage, one refusal ended up in a screaming match, then the guy sneaking in just as we were about to close that came right up to my colleague, and was just about to punch him after going on about his cartridge for about 5mins (He had come in twice before during the day, and mysteriously reappeared at the end). He was literally pushed out of the store by myself and my colleague at the time, and both doors shut as quick as possible in his face. Hasn't been seen since thankfully..

That second one.. thats a bit unusual. Who would be sucked into that that works in retail.. I don't think even the n00biest trainee would get suckered in on that.

On the third one, how dodgy was the letter? Was it dead obvious that it was fabricated? Things like that wouldn't work at my store, as we refuse to do credit card transactions manually.. we have the thing there, but we would never use it, nor do we even know how to. Good work @ co-worker for getting the automatic door, that would have been interesting for him to see him knocked flat on his face by the door. Deserves every bit of it too.

[crazylegs]

Scammer bounced off the automatic door and required an ambulance.

Instant Karma, any security footage perchance?

[lordlundar]

SC: "I was robbed, can you lend me $100 until tomorrow?"
Me: "If you were robbed we should tell the police..." (picks up phone)
SC: "No I don't want to bother them" (runs away)
(my co-worker called the police anyway, and the guy was picked up trying the same thing at another store)

I give points for creativity, too bad I had to deduct double the points for intelligence.

[Nekojin]

On the third one, how dodgy was the letter? Was it dead obvious that it was fabricated? Things like that wouldn't work at my store, as we refuse to do credit card transactions manually.. we have the thing there, but we would never use it, nor do we even know how to. Good work @ co-worker for getting the automatic door, that would have been interesting for him to see him knocked flat on his face by the door. Deserves every bit of it too.

Unless he's talking about using an imprint machine, which many places aren't even equipped with any more, doing it "manually" (IE, keying in the numbers instead of swiping the card) will result in exactly the same result - refused card.

I don't know of a business anywhere that will use the imprint machine for anything less than a full-scale power outage. And sometimes not even then, because of the huge potential for scamming.

[fish3k1]

One would-be scammer with a stolen credit card went to the trouble of forging a letter from the bank saying that the card was valid and to process it manually. When the CSR said he'd have to call the bank anyway "just to double-check", the scammer tried to run away. The quick-thinking CSR pressed the button to lock the automatic door. Scammer bounced off the automatic door and required an ambulance.

I know that when most people type 'lol' on the internet, they actually mean 'that's funny' rather than indicating they were laughing out loud... but that actually did have me cracking up in my seat

[Kyree]

Unless he's talking about using an imprint machine, which many places aren't even equipped with any more, doing it "manually" (IE, keying in the numbers instead of swiping the card) will result in exactly the same result - refused card.

I don't know of a business anywhere that will use the imprint machine for anything less than a full-scale power outage. And sometimes not even then, because of the huge potential for scamming.

Don't most people who do the imprint machine thing call up some number to make sure that the card is good anyways? I know when I go to the Ren-fest they take my card and call someone, then imprint it.

[Rivulatus]

SC: "I bought this phone credit voucher here and it doesn't work! I want my money back!"
Me: "I'm sorry, [phone company] says that's a valid code so if it's not working you have to take it up with them."
SC: "It doesn't work! Give me my money back!"
Me: "I can't do that. Look, on the voucher there's a number to call if there's a problem..."
SC: "I'm never coming here again!" (stomps away. Returns 30 seconds later to retrieve car keys that she left on the counter)

At least once every couple of days we'll get one come in and ask for a [Company A] mobile voucher. The girls at the counter are very good at always verifying the company and the amount before they print the voucher. The machine actually prompts twice to verify also! Customer collects the voucher and returns a few minutes later saying they need a [Company B] voucher. Potential Scammer?
If we try to enforce the "no refunds" it turns into a screaming match. Yes I understand you have just spent $100 on something that is of no use to you, but we did verify twice with you that it was what you wanted, and you agreed on both occasions. So why should my store owner have to lose $100 because of your mistake?

Fortunately they have recently introduced a system where we can call the phone company to verify that the code is unused (usually after 10-20 minutes hold). Then we can call the company that issues the vouchers and have the voucher credited to us (another 10-20 minutes on hold). Still 40 minutes of one of my staff members time wasted.

At first I thought people trying this were scammers, but since they introduced the return system, I have done once every few days, so probably close to 100 by now, and not once have we had anyone try to return a used voucher. No, they are not scammers, they are just STUPID!

[edible_hat]

It was the imprinting machine one, the letter was on bankletter head and contained the name of the actual person in charge of issuing new cards. It said something along the lines of "don't bother calling for verification, they'll just tell you the same thing". Apparently she got away with it twice and by the time she got to my store we had a police advisory warning is to look for her. No security footage unfortunately, it was a few years ago.


One that happened at my current store - occasionally we have trouble with the do-it-yourself car washes, so we do offer refunds in those cases. But we check first.

People come into the store claiming they put $10 or $20 in there (of $1 and $2 coins) and it didn't work. As soon as we grab a handful of tokens and say "I'll come and have a look at it" they say "no it's OK" and leave. The dumbest guy to try it tried it when we'd run out of soap and so all three DIY wash bays were blocked off with traffic cones.