Archived Starbucks giftcard scams

[very salty mocha]

Hey guys, lately we’ve been having so many people coming to do the giftcard scam at my Starbucks and lately we’ve been getting a lot of people with stacks of $9 gift cards to cash out. Is there a limit to how many I can cash out? Gstl s won’t help since its SB cards. In California if that helps

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

You can say no. Spot reserves the right to limit the quantities. I would say you need to buy something & 2 card limit.
Hey @TallAPGuy or @no nix nein, we need some info please.

 

[Llamanatee]

You can say no. Spot reserves the right to limit the quantities. I would say you need to buy something & 2 card limit.
Hey @TallAPGuy or @no nix nein, we need some info please.

Wish I had some incite but I do not live in a state that cashes out giftcards. I probably would tell them since I'm not at an actual Starbucks that I can't cash out their giftcards. If they argued, I'd let them hold up my line, feel uncomfortable, and probably find a leader that I know would back me up. Your GSTL has the wrong mindset. Yes it's Starbucks giftcards but you're giving them Target's money.

 

[IcePeasant]

In CA too.

The guest we had said that they called Guest Relations and they said it was okay.

As LOD I limited it to 2 GCs for the one guest, then another person came back with like 20+, but our AP made the decision to tell the guests we can’t cash it out. Not sure what they dug into.

 

[TallAPGuy]

We have had a huge problem with this too, and Ive5reached out to the AP National Investigations Center and they've given us this direction:
Per California State law, we cannot quantity limit the number of $9.99 or less gift cards people cash out. We are legally obligated to cash out as many as the "guest" wants.

However, when people come in to load a huge amount of money onto a gift card, DO NOT LOAD THEIR CARD! Load a new card and hand them that AFTER they pay. What these people are doing are having Starbucks load hundreds of dollars onto a card that they already have the numbers for, immediately transferring the money to other cards, and then having the transaction voided so they end up not paying for the hundreds of dollars they just got on their cards. If your GSTL isn't supporting you at Starbucks (which they should be), partner with your store's AP Leader and have them contact the NIC or their APBP and get specific direction from them that way you womt be hung out to dry.