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Monday, October 26, 2009

Store Scams - Undeclared Cash Back

Image: from clipartheaven

Beware of this new scam that's come to our attention courtesy of a T.I., who asked not to be named.

It happened at Wal-Mart (Supercenter Store #1279, 10411 N Freeway 45, Houston, TX 77037 a month ago. I bought a bunch of stuff, over $150. I glanced at my receipt as the cashier was handing me the bags. I saw a cash-back of $40. I told her I didn't request a cash back and to delete it. She said I'd have to take the $40 because she couldn't delete it. I told her to call a supervisor.

Supervisor came and said I'd have to take it. I said, "NO!"

Taking the $40 would be a cash advance against my credit card and I wasn't paying interest on a cash advance! If they couldn't delete it then they would have to delete the whole order. So the supervisor had the cashier delete the whole order and re-scan everything!

The second time I looked at the electronic pad before I signed and this time a cash-back of $20 popped up. At that point I told the cashier and she deleted it. The total came out right. The cashier agreed that the electronic pad must be defective. Obviously the cashier knew the electronic pad was defective because she NEVER offered me the $40 at the beginning. Can you imagine how many people went through before me and at the end of her shift how much money she pocketed?

Just to alert everyone. My co-worker went to Milford, DE Wal-Mart last week. She had her items rung up by the cashier. The cashier hurried her along and didn't give her a receipt. She asked the cashier for a receipt and the cashier was annoyed and gave it to her. My co-worker didn't look at her receipt until later that night. The receipt showed that she asked for $20 cash back. SHE DID NOT ASK FOR CASH BACK! My co-worker called Wal-Mart who investigated but could not see the cashier pocket the money.

She then called her niece who works for the bank and her niece told her this. This is a new scam going on. The cashier will key in that you asked for cash back and then hand it to her friend who is the next person in line, and who pays for her merchandise with a large denomination bill.


Please, please, please check your receipts right away when using credit or debit cards!

This is NOT limited to Wal-Mart, although they are the largest retailer so they have the most incidents

I am adding to this. My husband and I were in Wal-Mart North Salisbury and paying with credit card when my husband went to sign the credit card signer he just happen to notice there was a $20 cash back added. He told the cashier that he did not ask nor want cash back and she said this machine has been messing up and she cancelled it. We really didn't think anything of it until we read this email.

I wonder how many "seniors" have been, or will be, "stung" by this one?

To make matters worse ...THIS SCAM CAN BE DONE ANYWHERE, AT ANY RETAIL OR WHOLESALE LOCATION!


So, before you move away from the cashier, check your receipt. Here's hoping that
A Word to the Wise T.I. has been sufficient.