I don't even look like I work there!

[auntiem]

Actually, colorblindness creeps up on you with age with women - so if both incidents were with elderly women then that might explain it. Maybe I have it backwards, but I thought you saw red first (baby) and last.

[sbandliz]

... a Best Buy event in which about 80 of them got together wearing blue polos, khaki pants, and descended upon a BB superstore. ...

http://www.improveverywhere.com/2006/04/23/best-buy/

Is this the one?
It is very funny.

[zzapp the witch]

Yeah, its improveverywhere. I want to plan to be in NYC when they do their pantless subway ride that they do every year.

[Librarybabe]

<rqaises hand>

I volunteer to take Tollbaby's 5-yr-old to work with me...(s)he can teach everyone else how to "co-operate". And share. And communicate.
I'll spring for snacks and pizza for lunch, too. Alas, the waif WOULD be exposed to managerial missteps at their finest, so perhaps parental jurisdiction would prevent such madness. (I would LOVE to have a 5-yr-old work in a university library for a day!!!!!!!!!!!)

[Seshat]

I think I may know the reason!

You look like you know what you are doing and what you are looking for.

Another potential reason:

I don't know the uniforms for the shops I go into. Added to that, I have poor visual memory. So I tend to look for someone in something which might be a uniform, and I look for logos or name tags.

Unless there are multiple people in uniforms visible in the general area, anyone who seems to be wearing a uniform with the appropriate logo, looks like they're working, and looks approachable, may be a valid target for a polite 'Excuse me, please?'

On the other hand... I can't recall having ever asked someone who wasn't staff. I guess looking for the logo or the name tag serves me well.

[laurenjeannie]

I got stopped last week in the middle of a department store by a lady telling me I should be working, not trying on merchandise. I was very confused as I was in scruffy jeans and a tshirt in a nice shiny department store....

I wear an apron for work and am continually being stopped when I run out to get lunch or supplies from the grocery. The uniforms are nothing like my bright purple apron, but alas, I always laugh it off, I realize the risk I take wearing it outside of the store.

[upsidedown_orchid]

A couple of weeks ago, I was managing the Box office at work and I happened to walk through our dining room at lunch time. I think I was wearing a brown skirt with a white top- not wearing a uniform or anything remotely resembling our servers' all black with a floor length apron attire. I wasn't even wearing a nametag.

Anyway, as I was walking by a table, a gentleman catches my eye and waves me over with a billfold in his hand and said " Take care of this" as he handed it to me.
Inside was his credit card and bill.
Because I do occasionally manage in the dining room, I ran through the card and gave it to his server to bring back to him, telling her the story of how he flagged me down and was rather impatient.

I thought nothing of it, but she bitched him out when she went back to the table.
She explained that he had no way of knowing if I worked there or not, and he could have basically just handed his credit card to some random stranger.
She asked him if he would have done the same thing with cash.

He just looked puzzled and said, he never even considered that, he just wanted to pay his bill.


My theory is that I looked like I knew where I was going, so he must have just assumed that I worked there.

[JustADude]

My theory is that I looked like I knew where I was going, so he must have just assumed that I worked there.

Yes, but that's how a good con-artist or thief WORKS. They make their body language say 'Trust me', 'I belong here' and 'I know what I'm doing'. I bet that guy honestly thinks he can win at a game of 3-card Monte played off a cardboard box in NYC, too.

[Special Patrol Group]

I thought nothing of it, but she bitched him out when she went back to the table.
She explained that he had no way of knowing if I worked there or not, and he could have basically just handed his credit card to some random stranger.
She asked him if he would have done the same thing with cash.

Rather off topic, I was in an expensive restaurant in Sydney with my family and we were at the end of the meal when the server brings our check. I open the folder and find a credit card already inside. Surprised I assumed that one our party had already quietly paid for us. Then I take a closer look and see that the bill is way too small and the name on the credit card matches none of my party. The waitress has actually brought us someone else's bill with their credit card in it.

I informed the waitress but didn't get so much as an apology or a thank you for not stealing the other persons credit card, or walking out without paying because the bill was "already" paid. I noticed that they didn't apologize or even inform the guy the card actually belonged to when they finally returned his card.

I paid by card but didn't let it out of my sight!

Can you imagine handing out someone's credit card to a complete stranger and not even blink when you realize your mistake?

[Jack7957]

She explained that he had no way of knowing if I worked there or not, and he could have basically just handed his credit card to some random stranger.

I'd seen this video earlier this year....

CC theft at outdoor cafes