Occasionally, management hands out emails warning cashiers about scam artists. I read over them very carefully.
Last night, I had a guy come in. A few seconds later, a lady comes in. The guy buys five dollars worth of stuff. Pays with a 50 dollar bill. No big deal. I've had customers pay for a 99 cent paper with a hundred dollar bill (any one ever heard of banks? People can actually exchange large bills for more managable twenties and tens). Anyway, I ring him up. He hands me his money. Finish the transaction. He looks at his money. Says something about not realizing he gave me a fifty. He needs it to pay someone. I refuse to open my register per corporate rules. He buys a lighter. Gives me fifty dollars, plus the cost of a lighter. He then tells me instead of a fifty dollar bill, he wants one hundred dollars back. It goes down hill from there. He starts talking loudly, really fast. Keeps shoving his money at me. During this time, I have no clue what is going on. Mean while, the lady behind him starts yelling at me. "He gave you the right amount! Just give him his money!" He leaves. She wants cigs. We don't seem to have the type she smokes. She leaves.
To make a long story short, we end the transaction. I still don't realize that we got scammed. After they left, I felt something was not quite right. Told the assistant manager that I think I gave a customer the wrong change. I ask for him to count the register. "I just did it an hour ago." But I gave him the wrong change. "I'll count it in a few minutes." Never got to it.
Fast foward to today. I asked the other assistant manager if the register balanced. She said it was way short. I talk to one of my regulars. He senses that I am a bit disturbed. I tell him what happened, that I cannot figure out what happened. It just did not seem right. Well, it happens to be that he is a former detective. He tells me exactly what happened. He even describes the guy. Told me that if needed, he is willing to talk to my manager. Says that he seen scam artists like that all the time.
I then talked to the assistant manager. Told her everything he told me. Apparently, one of my coworkers who I talked to sensed that I was not totally aware that I was scammed. She let the assistant manager know (bless her heart). I told her that I felt completely stupid and that if I had known what was happening, I would have stopped it. She told me that there is nothing they can do about it. However, if they come back into the store, the police would be called.
Anyone deal with something like this? I still feel upset about it. I do have a good description of the guy (not his clothing). Plus, the security camera above the register (while not the greatest) also got a good look at him.
Last night, I had a guy come in. A few seconds later, a lady comes in. The guy buys five dollars worth of stuff. Pays with a 50 dollar bill. No big deal. I've had customers pay for a 99 cent paper with a hundred dollar bill (any one ever heard of banks? People can actually exchange large bills for more managable twenties and tens). Anyway, I ring him up. He hands me his money. Finish the transaction. He looks at his money. Says something about not realizing he gave me a fifty. He needs it to pay someone. I refuse to open my register per corporate rules. He buys a lighter. Gives me fifty dollars, plus the cost of a lighter. He then tells me instead of a fifty dollar bill, he wants one hundred dollars back. It goes down hill from there. He starts talking loudly, really fast. Keeps shoving his money at me. During this time, I have no clue what is going on. Mean while, the lady behind him starts yelling at me. "He gave you the right amount! Just give him his money!" He leaves. She wants cigs. We don't seem to have the type she smokes. She leaves.
To make a long story short, we end the transaction. I still don't realize that we got scammed. After they left, I felt something was not quite right. Told the assistant manager that I think I gave a customer the wrong change. I ask for him to count the register. "I just did it an hour ago." But I gave him the wrong change. "I'll count it in a few minutes." Never got to it.
Fast foward to today. I asked the other assistant manager if the register balanced. She said it was way short. I talk to one of my regulars. He senses that I am a bit disturbed. I tell him what happened, that I cannot figure out what happened. It just did not seem right. Well, it happens to be that he is a former detective. He tells me exactly what happened. He even describes the guy. Told me that if needed, he is willing to talk to my manager. Says that he seen scam artists like that all the time.
I then talked to the assistant manager. Told her everything he told me. Apparently, one of my coworkers who I talked to sensed that I was not totally aware that I was scammed. She let the assistant manager know (bless her heart). I told her that I felt completely stupid and that if I had known what was happening, I would have stopped it. She told me that there is nothing they can do about it. However, if they come back into the store, the police would be called.
Anyone deal with something like this? I still feel upset about it. I do have a good description of the guy (not his clothing). Plus, the security camera above the register (while not the greatest) also got a good look at him.
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