How to deny a suspicious return

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If it’s an ID return just say you can lookup the receipt. Open receipt viewer on your mydevice and actually look for the receipt. Eventually they will just give up because the receipt doesn’t exist. Works every time. Then just tell AP. I have used this method like 10 times and has never failed the person always just leaves. If they still don’t leave after that just say unfortunately without the receipt or card you paid with there isn’t much I can do. I tried searching for the receipt but nothing came up. Just be careful.
 
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Any specifics???

Provide the guest any available option with receipt or lookup. If its a high value/shrink item, then have someone double check. If its something that was just pulled off the shelf, get leadership/AP.

If its a non-Target item, just say thank you for their visit but the item is not able to be returned at Target.

ID return best judgement.
 
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It's a hard call if it's an item pulled from the shelf. You know it, they know it but you can't call them on it. You have to do the ID return and give them a Merch card. It's really nice when it goes to the exchange only screen bc then you have a bit more power to deny bc a lot of time they don't want to exchange or they don't want to exchange from the same dept (usually electronics returns).
 
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DBZ said:
Why is the return suspicious? Ask someone at the SD who has been there a long time, if they are working at that time. If they aren't you should call the SETL. More than likely, you will have to attempt the return. We can't accuse people of doing anything wrong.
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The "guest" is a well known "receipt shopper.". They have a receipt from a purchase they never made.
 
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AutGotAlot said:
The "guest" is a well known "receipt shopper.". They have a receipt from a purchase they never made.
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Gotcha.
BurgerBob said:
Press the space bar to make the computer beep. Make it obnoxious but not obvious. Then call a lead / and hopefully your ap is noticeable enough to see what's going on.
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Yup. Make computer beep. Call an AP tm, ideally AP leader over walkie and tell them your computer is acting up and you need them at GS. They should know that means you need their help.
 
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Amanda Cantwell said:
Gotcha.

Yup. Make computer beep. Call an AP tm, ideally AP leader over walkie and tell them your computer is acting up and you need them at GS. They should know that means you need their help.
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Yup my code word is "hey *ap name* my registers acting up in tech your needed back here"

We all have headsets.

It makes one sided convos easy.
 
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Anelmi said:
It's a hard call if it's an item pulled from the shelf. You know it, they know it but you can't call them on it. You have to do the ID return and give them a Merch card. It's really nice when it goes to the exchange only screen bc then you have a bit more power to deny bc a lot of time they don't want to exchange or they don't want to exchange from the same dept (usually electronics returns).
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Put the item behind the desk.

"Sorry, I just need to get an override code, let me go grab my manager, I'm sorry for any inconvenience"

If you know for sure they're trying to con you, they'll probably just leave. If they want to play it out, go get your manager and let them sort it out. As the manager in this situation, if I knew for sure they were pulling a scam, I just told them to get lost. In over a decade I was wrong once, but even then I was right, because the kid who was trying the return stole the items from his parents. They came back in later, explained the situation, and I just gave them the items (sheet sets). Could the parents have been in on it? Maybe, but that was a long con for 100 bucks, they earned it.

I always taught my SD TMs to take all return items and place them behind the desk on any high shrink items. Prevents situations where some shitbag tries this exact scam, then just leaves with it. The scam isn't the return, that's a bonus. The scam is the front of the return adding legitimacy to the theft. They just walk out with it and you let them.
 
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AutGotAlot said:
Did anyone have guests coming in to buy "Christmas print" honest diapers. Saying they are 90% off because Christmas is over?
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“Sorry, these are not included in the clearance. I can give you target guest relations’s phone number if you’d like, as it’s corporate who decides what’s in the clearance and what’s not”
 
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buliSBI said:
I always thought SD registers needed an AP Call button. Press it and AP calls the Service Desk to watch the transaction or act like the Target Return Center.

If all else, act like you have to call the Target Corp offices to get authorization for the return. RETURN NOT APPROVED
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Corporate doesn’t want ap to get involved with returns because it just escalates the situation and just causes problems. If they have the receipt we are required to do the return. Just make sure everything is there and do the return. If a part is missing then you can deny it. If it’s a suspicious ID return just deny it. Make sure serial number match the one on the box.
 
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If it’s a receipt shopper just do the return and tell your AP and TL as soon as you can. If you can make an excuse to go behind the SD to let AP know. Say your new and need to check with your trainer on something. Then check with ap and they will probably just confirm to do the return. Even if you get your TL involved during the transaction eventually the return will happen and the guest will get the money. The TL can’t prove that it’s not there receipt and it will take AP a little to prove it’s not theirs either. Just do the return and tell AP. Always do the recommended refund option. If they ask for a gift card just say it has to go back to the original form of payment. You could also say something like “whenever the refund is over $50 we can’t put it on a gift card” It’s not often people buy expensive items with cash and lose the receipt. AP will build a case against the person and eventually once they have a good enough case they will be arrested.
 
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azure said:
Corporate doesn’t want ap to get involved with returns because it just escalates the situation and just causes problems. If they have the receipt we are required to do the return.
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Asants. Ap at my store will definitely get involved if needed. Sometimes they’ll warn us ahead of time, or just walk over and stand there to make the guest see we’re on to them.

target’s return policy actually gives us the right to deny any return for any reason, even if the receipt is present.
 
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Amanda Cantwell said:
Asants. Ap at my store will definitely get involved if needed. Sometimes they’ll warn us ahead of time, or just walk over and stand there to make the guest see we’re on to them.

target’s return policy actually gives us the right to deny any return for any reason, even if the receipt is present.
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I know we are allowed to but for us unless we can prove it’s a scam or something else then and there our ETL and AP ETL want us to just do the return. Our AP does not get involved with returns but they are incredible.
 
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60SecondsRemaining said:
The scam isn't the return, that's a bonus. The scam is the front of the return adding legitimacy to the theft. They just walk out with it and you let them.
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Ha, this part is a bit infuriating. Most of the scammers here seem to know the system well enough to insist on getting their stolen merch back. But sometimes holding the item away from them does work, especially on noob scammers who are too nervous to ask for the item back. "I'll be right back, I need to go to my car..."

On calling AP during a return, it's a double-edged sword. I tell service advocates they will never get in trouble for calling AP when they suspect a scam and I'm not around (or the other SETL and ETL), but it can backfire and create a big scene, especially if a guest claims some kind of prejudice like racism.
 
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