Archived Theft and fraud ... stories and what to look for

[oath2order]

Few days ago I was on the lanes for back-up when a 20-ish girl came through with several clothing items. Every single one had a clearance sticker stuck over the bar code. I could see that the DPCIs & orig price on the stickers didn't match what was on the tag & the girl started fidgeting when I peeled the stickers back to scan the bar codes. When none of the items came up clearance, the girl said it wasn't her fault that 'our people' didn't know what they were doing. I told her she must have intercepted a ticket-switcher because OUR people wouldn't put stickers ON TOP of the scan code & they would CERTAINLY make sure the DPCIs MATCH.
She left without buying anything (surpise! not!).

Call me naive, but people actually go through the hassle to switch around clearance tickets?

 

[watchdog9000]

Few days ago I was on the lanes for back-up when a 20-ish girl came through with several clothing items. Every single one had a clearance sticker stuck over the bar code. I could see that the DPCIs & orig price on the stickers didn't match what was on the tag & the girl started fidgeting when I peeled the stickers back to scan the bar codes. When none of the items came up clearance, the girl said it wasn't her fault that 'our people' didn't know what they were doing. I told her she must have intercepted a ticket-switcher because OUR people wouldn't put stickers ON TOP of the scan code & they would CERTAINLY make sure the DPCIs MATCH.
She left without buying anything (surpise! not!).

Call me naive, but people actually go through the hassle to switch around clearance tickets?

Yarp, and they will generally cover up the barcode hoping the cashier won't know any better and just key in the dpci.

Even worse than that is when people switch physical tags, barcode and all. We had people returning clearanced out sweaters with the tags of a full price sweater that they just kept for themselves at Guest Services. If you're in a hurry at G.S. it's not always easy to catch that one. I'm guessing either they had one of the "tag reattacher" guns like we have or they wiggled the cardboard tag off enough to be able to switch them.

It never ceased to amaze me the lengths people would go just to steal from Target.

 

[Producer]

Around two years ago when I first started, I was pushing the pfresh truck with the rest of my team when a lady came by, grabbed a gallon of alta dena milk, tore off the price label and switched it with a MP label that was half the price. One of our TM's waited for her to walk away, then walkied our PA in the backroom to print out a new strip. The PA raced from the back and replaced the strip. Moments later, the guest walks back with the GSTL to get her milk price adjusted, and to her surprise, the label mysteriously had returned.

Productive use of our time? Probably not. But I've never seen my team hustle like that before, or since.

 

[HardlinesFour]

Call me naive, but people actually go through the hassle to switch around clearance tickets?

Some so called "Guests" (I prefer the term, Thieves") will actually bring in lighters, to melt the adhesive off Clearance Stickers, and re-apply 'em to other boxes.

Than they get all upset, and suddenly have to leave, when you walk up to 'em and ask what there doing.

 

[looseseal]

Around two years ago when I first started, I was pushing the pfresh truck with the rest of my team when a lady came by, grabbed a gallon of alta dena milk, tore off the price label and switched it with a MP label that was half the price. One of our TM's waited for her to walk away, then walkied our PA in the backroom to print out a new strip. The PA raced from the back and replaced the strip. Moments later, the guest walks back with the GSTL to get her milk price adjusted, and to her surprise, the label mysteriously had returned.

Productive use of our time? Probably not. But I've never seen my team hustle like that before, or since.

I've never seen anyone tear label strips (besides our bread vendors anyways...) but I do see a mysterious amount of sale signs switched around every so often. Or sometimes a sign a few weeks old will magically rematerialize in front of the item. Thats awfully bold/stupid of her to try and pull that with so many people around!

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Around two years ago when I first started, I was pushing the pfresh truck with the rest of my team when a lady came by, grabbed a gallon of alta dena milk, tore off the price label and switched it with a MP label that was half the price. One of our TM's waited for her to walk away, then walkied our PA in the backroom to print out a new strip. The PA raced from the back and replaced the strip. Moments later, the guest walks back with the GSTL to get her milk price adjusted, and to her surprise, the label mysteriously had returned.

Productive use of our time? Probably not. But I've never seen my team hustle like that before, or since.

I've never seen anyone tear label strips (besides our bread vendors anyways...) but I do see a mysterious amount of sale signs switched around every so often. Or sometimes a sign a few weeks old will magically rematerialize in front of the item. Thats awfully bold/stupid of her to try and pull that with so many people around!

It happens a lot at my store. Tear off UPC & say its 8.99, instead of 19..99.