Digital coupon scammers

J

JustTapNotNow

Joined
Oct 22, 2021
Messages
73
So long back story sorry

the scammers who make a purchase with digital coupons came in to do the return to get the cash as usual. At my store we make sure to give them the return back on a gift card ONLY even if it says some it is cash since they just show the barcode and they have to prove that they paid with cash to get it back in cash etc. tonight they show the receipt, it says digital coupon and a TM says that it says Cash so they process it and give them cash. The other scammers they were with come to my register and my TL register. Their receipt says cash but doesn’t say the amount and says digital coupons. They say they’re going to call corporate and they do, minutes later while on the phone they pass the phone to my TL and “corporate” tells my TL to process it thus they process the returns and tell me do so as well. I want to note that this TL is very nice and probably the sweetest person ever!

my question is, if they supposedly called corporate can I tell them that who ever they called has to call the store directly to ensure that they are indeed corporate and not just a scammers friend helping them out? I hope that makes sense but these scammers come in every night
 
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No one should take the Guest’s word for it for who’s on the other end of the phone.

If the TL is involved at that point, I wouldn’t interject - it’s out of your hands.

But yes you’re very well within your right to decline to speak to anyone on the Guest’s phone and ask that they tell the “Guest Relations” rep to call the store. That is their practice anyway — they ask the Guest to hold while they call the store and ask for a TL or ETL.
They have never in my time here asked to speak to a store TM/TL/ETL even when the Guest is showboating and puts it on speaker. They call the store.
 
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starmaster1000 said:
No one should take the Guest’s word for it for who’s on the other end of the phone.

If the TL is involved at that point, I wouldn’t interject - it’s out of your hands.

But yes you’re very well within your right to decline to speak to anyone on the Guest’s phone and ask that they tell the “Guest Relations” rep to call the store. That is their practice anyway — they ask the Guest to hold while they call the store and ask for a TL or ETL.
They have never in my time here asked to speak to a store TM/TL/ETL even when the Guest is showboating and puts it on speaker. They call the store.
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And is there a way that if they call the store to know they are a guest relations rep? Cause if they just call the store saying they’re a rep wouldn’t it just be the same result
 
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TMnoob said:
And is there a way that if they call the store to know they are a guest relations rep? Cause if they just call the store saying they’re a rep wouldn’t it just be the same result
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I mean, if the scammers are that dedicated, they could technically use Caller ID spoofing to make it look like the call is coming from Target Corporation (that’s what the caller ID says and it is usually a 612 number).

But you could also just go along with it, ask the “rep” on their phone for the Case ID# and tell them you’ll call GR yourself. Trust me, they can’t spoof the case number and at that point they’d just back off.

TMnoob said:
Maybe this is just above my pay grade to even care at that point right? 😅
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Lol yeah if the TL feels like getting scammed then let them. “mAkE iT rIgHt fOr tHe gUesT,” etc
 
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Even better, get out your phone and call corporate.
When she was teaching, my wife used to do that to the kids who would threaten to call Children's Services.
She would hold up her phone and show them she had the number on speed dial, along with a couple of the kids Probation Officers.
I'm sure it's pushing the boundaries but I'd love to see their faces when you put them on with real corporate.
 
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Our return policy states “We have the right to refuse, or limit the use of any coupon and/or the subsequent return for any reason, including if guests' reoccurring behavior becomes disruptive or the items are deemed not to be for the purpose of using or gifting.” All you have to say is that you deem the items weren’t for using or gifting and the return can be denied. Search the receipt on your my device as well so you can see and show all the coupons. Also search target coupon return policy and click the first link and zoom into the that message above. All this makes it look like you have more evidence to deny the return. You just have to say “unfortunately I am going to have to deny this return because it does go directly against our return policy (show the return policy). In our return policy it states if we deem items that were bought using manufacture coupons aren’t for using or gifting we can deny the return. I am really sorry but I just won’t be able to do the return. As you can see here every item on this receipt was bought with a manufacturer coupon and is now being returned. If you would like I can have a manager come up but I will just explain my reasoning to them and they will also deny it because it goes against our return policy. I am sorry but I just won’t be able to do this return.” If they do call “corporate” explain how it goes against our return policy and they shouldn’t ever say to still do it. I would also call the return support number “718” not any other numbers. Do it from a target phone obviously. They will always agree with the team member.
 
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If a guest hands you the phone with "corporate" demanding you do a refund, you can say "Hi! I can't process this return in store because it's coupon fraud and against policy. If you would like to process the return on your end, you can do that, but I'm not able to".

Corporate will NEVER force you to complete the return if it's against policy
 
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st34 said:
Did anyone see something in the April Monthly Planner about accepting all coupons unless POS declines them? That seems like not a good idea.

Me no like.
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New POS has more advanced fraud detection. For popular MFRs, like P&G, it will only accept their own validated coupons. it's not just "oh this brand matches, let's take it" anymore.

the key will be if POS declines, we have to stick by it and not override. there is a reason it's being declined.

Fraudulent coupons can now be reported in myday.
 
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azure said:
Our return policy states “We have the right to refuse, or limit the use of any coupon and/or the subsequent return for any reason, including if guests' reoccurring behavior becomes disruptive or the items are deemed not to be for the purpose of using or gifting.” All you have to say is that you deem the items weren’t for using or gifting and the return can be denied. Search the receipt on your my device as well so you can see and show all the coupons. Also search target coupon return policy and click the first link and zoom into the that message above. All this makes it look like you have more evidence to deny the return. You just have to say “unfortunately I am going to have to deny this return because it does go directly against our return policy (show the return policy). In our return policy it states if we deem items that were bought using manufacture coupons aren’t for using or gifting we can deny the return. I am really sorry but I just won’t be able to do the return. As you can see here every item on this receipt was bought with a manufacturer coupon and is now being returned. If you would like I can have a manager come up but I will just explain my reasoning to them and they will also deny it because it goes against our return policy. I am sorry but I just won’t be able to do this return.” If they do call “corporate” explain how it goes against our return policy and they shouldn’t ever say to still do it. I would also call the return support number “718” not any other numbers. Do it from a target phone obviously. They will always agree with the team member.
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How do I search the receipt on the my device?
 
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An update if anyone cares, my stores ETL-AP says we have to give them the cash and gift card return since they have the receipt. I told them that even if they have the receipt it says paid with coupons and I told them the policy, apparently they don’t care (or hopefully they are building a case) 🤷‍♀️If they come to my register, I will be logging off and handing it over to a TL. I have heard that other TM’s will be doing the same.
 
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Amanda Cantwell said:
New POS has more advanced fraud detection. For popular MFRs, like P&G, it will only accept their own validated coupons. it's not just "oh this brand matches, let's take it" anymore.
Click to expand...
Yea there's this thing that comes up that says this coupon isn't accepted by target. That's because the mfr sends a list of valid coupons that they want target to accept. New pos checks the coupons off that list.
 
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