Thwarted a scammer!

[Dave1982]

Once again, I get thrown on to a register, and something interesting happens. Woman approaches and asks to return two very expensive leather-bound day planners, sans receipt. Strike one.

I ask her how she paid for these originally. A combination of "another return" and cash. Strike two (can't look up return info for that without a receipt).

She asked if she can get a store credit for them. I say yes, but I'll need to see some ID.

She hands me a driver's license. I look at the picture, glance up at her, then back at the picture.

The picture was of a reasonably attractive woman, but the person in front of me was a clearly much older than that. Perfectly smooth skin in the picture, but a mass of wrinkles in front of me. But the thing was....they looked similar, as if the ID photo was of the same woman when she was younger, or she was related to the person in the picture, so for a moment it threw me.

Then I checked the date of birth, xx/yy/1982.

OK, there is NO WAY this woman is the same age as me. this isn't her ID, I'm sure of it. Strike 3.

Me: Ma'am, I don't mean to sound rude, but is this your ID?

SC: It's my daughter's; she's the one who bought these. She's in a wheelchair and it's very difficult for her to get around. I didn't want to have to load her in the car to and bring her here just to return this stuff.

(A sob story! Sorry, still strike 3!)

Me: Well I can't accept a return on her ID unless she is present. May I see YOUR ID, please?

SC: No, I'll just bring her in, then. *takes ID and planners back and leaves*

Shortly after I got high-fives from the Customer Service Lead and from the Ops Manager. Apparently this woman has been in before and managed to con other cashiers into issuing credit for stuff she has (probably) stolen from other stores.

And - now that I'm typing this up - is also occurs to me that if her daughter was disabled in such a way that she couldn't easily get around, then how the hell does she have a DRIVER'S license as opposed to a state-issued photo ID? Total, total scam.

[Imogene]

*not a customer service lead, or an LP person, but*
...
*high fives anyway*

[Misanthropical]

I did have a cashier try to tell me my ID was not my ID. In the picture my hair looked black (it always comes out looking darker in pictures), I was 20 pounds heavier when it was taken and I was wearing contact at the time.

Plus, I always look a lot younger in pictures taken of me.

So, she is looking me over, with my light brown hair, wearing glasses and much thinner and told me it wasn't my ID. I couldn't convince her it was actually me in the picture.

A manager came over and looked at it, while I'm explaining why I look so different from my ID and he accepted it as valid.

[Mr Hero]

It always feels good to read stories where scammers are thwarted. WTG!

[taxguykarl]

Nice collar.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

One time I grew my hair pretty long and during that stretch had an ID card pic done. I've since cut it short and have had some difficulty with that card because sometimes people don't think long haired guy on the card and the short haired guy in front of them are the same person. I've been given some good look overs, but never refused anything because of it.

[rerant]

Nice catch!


Although in regards to the license thing depending on the nature of the disability some people can still drive even though they are wheelchair-bound.

[Gurndigarn]

And - now that I'm typing this up - is also occurs to me that if her daughter was disabled in such a way that she couldn't easily get around, then how the hell does she have a DRIVER'S license as opposed to a state-issued photo ID? Total, total scam.

They make cars that can deal with a number of disabilities. Doesn't make it less than strike three, though.

[Anakah]

In AZ License's don't expire until you are sixty five years old. Lets say you're born in 1984 your freaking license won't expire until 2049. It makes it REALLY hard sometimes because they could've been 24 on their ID but are now like thirty five. I am in no way suggesting this was your case cuz clearly it was not but what genius thought of the almost never expiring thing? I believe its every ten years you CAN update your ID if you want...

I've had to take quite a few double takes on people because they look completely different than what they do in person. I'm glad you caught the scammer chick though. I hate scammers!

[AccountingDrone]

And - now that I'm typing this up - is also occurs to me that if her daughter was disabled in such a way that she couldn't easily get around, then how the hell does she have a DRIVER'S license as opposed to a state-issued photo ID? Total, total scam.

I have a valid license, I also have calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease [pseudogout] in the joints in my feet. Both feet.

On a really *really* good day, I use canadian crutches. on an ok day, i might walk, i might use a wheelchair if it is going to be more than a get out of the car and get gas and a soda. On bad days, I have 3 cm of edema, and the weight of air on my feet is intense agony. Then I take poison for 3 days until the mouth sores show up and I stop, depending on pain meds to make me marginally functional if the colchicine doesnt reduce the inflammation.

mrAccountingDrone and AccountingDroneRoomie run my errands for me unless it is something I absolutely have to do myself.

Though from the way you describe it, she was a scammer. Though I might have seen what she would do if I asked her to take me to the car to ID her daughter so I could complete the transaction.

[cawaker]

my ID picture is 12 years old, I was 17, 29 now and much heavier nowadays than my picture.

it cracks me up because people do a double take all the time they ask "is this really you?" "no i use a fake ID to make myself younger than 21 so i cant buy the booze in front of me"

[depechemodefan]

I did have a cashier try to tell me my ID was not my ID. In the picture my hair looked black (it always comes out looking darker in pictures), I was 20 pounds heavier when it was taken and I was wearing contact at the time.

Plus, I always look a lot younger in pictures taken of me.

So, she is looking me over, with my light brown hair, wearing glasses and much thinner and told me it wasn't my ID. I couldn't convince her it was actually me in the picture.

A manager came over and looked at it, while I'm explaining why I look so different from my ID and he accepted it as valid.

that reminds me of somthing in "New of the World" or some type of tabloid rag back in the 80's about a woman going to the USSR on vacation, and her hair in her passport was short, and in real life it was long. So the passport control person made her cut her hair to match the photo.

Though this same rag also said in the USSR they killed dogs and cats to make gloves and mittens.

Back to the OP, how did the daughter get out in the first place to buy stuff. Granted, lot of times I go for my mom to make returns when she isn't well.

[Dave1982]

Yes, I am aware that people in wheelchairs can drive. However, this woman spoke of hiving to "load her daughter into the car" and how "difficult" it is to bring her anywhere. That and the fact that she was so quick to back off when I wouldn't accept her ID is what makes me think that.

[prb]

In AZ License's don't expire until you are sixty five years old. Lets say you're born in 1984 your freaking license won't expire until 2049. It makes it REALLY hard sometimes because they could've been 24 on their ID but are now like thirty five. I am in no way suggesting this was your case cuz clearly it was not but what genius thought of the almost never expiring thing? I believe its every ten years you CAN update your ID if you want...

I've had to take quite a few double takes on people because they look completely different than what they do in person. I'm glad you caught the scammer chick though. I hate scammers!

Here they're good for 4 or 5 years. Now, my photo looks very different. It was a bad photo, I'm older now (and look it) and have lost weight. I go in, pay $10 for a new licence, they refuse to take the photo saying the existing one is still on file.

It was okay because I had lost my old licence, but when I turn 19 and start drinking and gambling it'll be interesting (probably will give 2 pieces of id)

Plus I hope to order a citizenship card for use as ID. Never expires. Wish I did it a few years ago though. Someone I know is 20 and uses it when drinking, has a photo from when he was 5

[Broomjockey]

On a really *really* good day, I use canadian crutches.

Pardon my curiosity, but I've never heard of those. How are these different from normal crutches?