You do have to have SOME kind of proof....

[sexiphatchick]

I was working at the returns desk when this lady came in and wanted to purchase some things. Even though it's the Returns desk, with a big giant 'RETURNS' sign over the desk, we can't refuse someone if they come over and want to cash out. So this lady comes to the returns desk and wants to cash her stuff out. I ring everything up for her and she gets out her check book. She fills out the check and hands it to me. I look at it for a minute and notice that the name she signed and the name that is printed on the top don't match. I asked her for her license. Her license also matches the name she signed. Here is the conversation that ensued, as best as I can remember:

Me: "Ma'am, you do realize that the name that's printed on the top of the check is different than what you signed, right?"
SC: "Yes, of course"
Me: "I'm sorry but I can't take this check."
SC: "Why not?!?"
Me: "Well because the signature and the preprinted name have to match."
SC: "No they don't. I have power of attorney on that account. My name is on the account."
Me: "OK that's fine, but I still can't take the check if your name isn't printed on the top."
SC: "My name doesn't have to be on the check for you to take it, I just have to be listed on the account."
Me: "Well how else would I be able to verify that you're listed on the account unless your name is on the check?"
SC: "You can call my bank and ask them."
Me: (realizing that the logic is escaping her) "Ma'am, it's Sunday, the bank is closed. But even if they were open, our company policy is that if your name is not preprinted on the check we cannot accept it."
SC: "That's not true! You can ask my lawyer! He told me you can take it! Call him!"
Me: "Ma'am, I'm not going to call your lawyer, we cannot accept the check."
SC: "Yes you can! Call my lawyer! He told me my name doesn't have to be on the check!"
Me: "Well, you do have to have SOME kind of proof that you're on the account. Otherwise, anyone could come in and say they're on someone's account and use their checks."
SC: "No I don't! I'm telling you I'm on the account and that's all the proof you need!"

By now I've figured out that no amount of logic is going to cut it here. So I try to think of some way we could actually prove she's on the account, just to get her away from me.

Me: "Ok.....do you have a Power of Attorney letter?"
SC: "Well of course I do."
Me: "OK I can just take a copy of that with the check in case there are any questions."
SC: "Well I don't have it with me."
Me: "Oh, well I'm sorry I would need that letter."
SC: "But I have one."
Me: "Right....but I'd need to see the letter in order to be able to take the check."
SC: "Call my lawyer! I don't need it! My name is on the account. You don't need a letter! Call him!"
Me: "OK, ma'am, I'm not going to call your lawyer......let me call a manager for you."

I call the manager on duty and explain the situation to him. Being the stupid pansy that he is, he tells me to just take the check. Now after all my insisting that I can't take the check, I have to take the damned thing.

Me: "OK, my manager told me that we can accept it JUST THIS ONCE. But from now on your name will either have to be on the check or you'll have to have your Power of Attorney letter with you."
SC: "OK fine."

I process the check and she leaves. Thank GOD.

2 hours later.....

Same lady comes in again to return the things she bought and buy other things. She comes back to the returns desk for her purchase.. I give her the total and again she pulls out the check book. She fills it out and hands it to me.

Me: "Do you have your Power of Attorney letter with you?"
SC: "No, why would I? You took the check last time. My lawyer said I don't need it."

I just took the check and didn't even bother to call a manager. I know he'd just tell me to take it anyway because they never back us up. I don't see why they bother to make rules if when we try to follow them, they don't follow them themselves. I'd understand if they made an exception once in awhile, but anytime someone complains and wants to see a manager, they get what they want. Seriously, do they even realize how much they get ripped off because of this?

[Primer]

Me: "OK, my manager told me that we can accept it JUST THIS ONCE. But from now on your name will either have to be on the check or you'll have to have your Power of Attorney letter with you."
SC: "OK fine."

I process the check and she leaves. Thank GOD.

2 hours later.....

Same lady comes in again to return the things she bought and buy other things. She comes back to the returns desk for her purchase.. I give her the total and again she pulls out the check book. She fills it out and hands it to me.

Me: "Do you have your Power of Attorney letter with you?"
SC: "No, why would I? You took the check last time. My lawyer said I don't need it."

"Ma'am" I told you I could take the check only that ONE TIME. Now, if you do not have the POA letter, I cannot help you. Good day."

[Polenicus]

Wow... That IS spineless.

This is why cheques are so bloody insecure... you can ALWAYS find a spineless person to take them. When you're going to take cheques this blatantly fraudulent (I REALLY hope the bank bounces these back) you might as well just start accepting bits of paper with 'I.O.U.' written on them.

[FreeStuffPlease]

I once told a previous super I had to go do it themselves on their own cashier number. No way was I getting in trouble for something so fraudulent. He was spineless enough that he did it -.-'

[Android Kaeli]

This is why I hate asking any manager about checks because 4 out of 5 of them are spineless about it -- they'll take it regardless if the person on the check printed on the check is a Mr. and the one who actually signs it/is using said check a Mrs.

[sexiphatchick]

"Ma'am" I told you I could take the check only that ONE TIME. Now, if you do not have the POA letter, I cannot help you. Good day."

Oh, if only it were that easy. Our store has a bit of a reputation for giving the customer absolutely ANYTHING they want. They once gave money back to a customer for a tire....AND WE DON'T EVEN SELL TIRES!!! The customers know that if we refuse something all they have to do is speak to a manager and they'll get whatever they want. We have people that come in and demand a discount, just because. No reason whatsoever, other than they think they're entitled to paying less than everyone else. AND THEY GET IT!

[BookstoreEscapee]

I had one manager who is one of the most annoying people I know, but when he got called to deal with a customer and decided to make an exception, he always made it clear to the customer that the cashier was correct but he was making the exception. And that it was, indeed, an exception.

[Midnight_Angel]

I had one manager who is one of the most annoying people I know, but when he got called to deal with a customer and decided to make an exception, he always made it clear to the customer that the cashier was correct but he was making the exception. And that it was, indeed, an exception.

Usually won't work. In SC terms of comprehension, 'Just this once' translates into 'just for you'. If you cave to them but a single time, they'll merrily use that incident as leverage for further 'exceptions' in their favor for years to come.

[sms001]

In SC terms of comprehension, 'Just this once' translates into 'just for you'.

Management's Statement --> Customer's Interpretation --> Employee Hears Next Week

"I'll allow it once." --> "I'm a special snowflake." --> "They've ALWAYS done it for me BEFORE!!!"

[Midnight_Angel]

Management's Statement --> Customer's Interpretation --> Employee Hears Next Week

"I'll allow it once." --> "I'm a special snowflake." --> "They've ALWAYS done it for me BEFORE!!!"

Amen to that.

[South Texan]

I just took the check and didn't even bother to call a manager.

I am waiting for the report that the bank refused to honor the checks as the check book was taken from the SC's mother without the mother's knowledge and that the mother had given power of attorney only in case she ever became mentally disabled, so the checks are considered stolen and it is your store's fault for accepting them without proper identification.

Of couse, if your manager is the type I had, he will try to blame you claiming either that he never authorized the check or that you did not explain everything fully, so he misunderstood the situation.

[Imogene]

Just had a vision in my head, of opening a Gord-ian gaming store.
Me: "No. No, I won't take your check."
Her: "But..."
Me: "Here, let me put it another way. NO!"

[malmalthekiller]

At my returns desk, I'm allowed to tell people no to checking out if they have more than 10 items, and I've been backed by members of management for it.

Because I'm usually by myself, and at the busiest times of day, when people are expecting to be able to come in and return/exchange without waiting 10 minutes.

[Bramblerose]

"
Me: "Right....but I'd need to see the letter in order to be able to take the check."
SC: "Call my lawyer! I don't need it! My name is on the account. You don't need a letter! Call him!"

Throwing a bullshit flag on this play. I had power of attorney for my husband, and the briefing we were given was quite clear that I *had* to have the letter with me when I used my power of attorney.

[PepperElf]

that sounds very illegal.

I sure hope the lady really did have access to the account cos ... that would totally suck.


I've personally done POAs before... one one of my deployments I had two set up for Mom - a general POA and then a specific one for my bank account (in case they questioned the general). I don't remember if I gave Mom any of my checks, but she was able to go down to the bank, show the POA to withdraw funds.

However... she was unable to add herself to my account. It would have made things a little easier for us, but the bank said "no" not without me there & I was already underway.