Ain't no rest for the wicked...

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

I'm not sure why, but I've noticed a sharp uptick in stolen product being traded in, credit card fraud and scammers at work since around the start of October.

We keep a list of customers who are banned from trading product in at our stores. In the past three months, that list has more than DOUBLED in size.

We've also been hit by credit card fraud. In one instance several stores in our area were hit twice by two different groups in the same day. I don't know the total amount of product they got but it had to be north of $5000 (they were targeting 360 elites and PS3s).

On top of all this, I've noticed more than a few people trying to scam us lately, typically by trying the good ol' "you gave me the wrong change" trick. But I''ve also seen folks who bring games in for trade, but the discs inside don't match the cases. I guess they assume we are so dumb we won't even open the case. They will of course act all apologetic when we point out the wrong game is in the case.

And last but not least, we've also seen an increase in product (mainly accessories) that has been shoplifted off the sales floor. Unfortunately we often don't catch it until long after the thief has left.

I wonder what's causing the increase? Is it because we're busier in general due to the holidays? Or is it because of the recession? Or maybe it's just because there seems to be fewer and fewer moral people around these days.

[I don't work here]

I hate people sometimes. Shoplifting (and returning stolen merch), C.C. fraud, etc.... I would never have thought about doing the things people do!
And then to blame the economy??? You are a turd for being a criminal. 99% of members on here can't afford an extra loaf of bread... you don't see us out stealing.

[Nashida]

It's probably all three of those things. Black Friday's a week away, fewer jobs, and of course the lack of morality.

[SG15Z]

I hate people sometimes. Shoplifting (and returning stolen merch), C.C. fraud, etc.... I would never have thought about doing the things people do!
And then to blame the economy??? You are a turd for being a criminal. 99% of members on here can't afford an extra loaf of bread... you don't see us out stealing.

YEAH!

*Hides stolen merchandise under the bed*

[RayvenQ]

I would never have thought about doing the things people do!

Me either, even if i knew i could get away with it scott free, I never would.

[EvilEmpryss]

Me either, even if i knew i could get away with it scott free, I never would.

I admit, I'm a gamer, a amateur writer, and an avid who-dun-it show watcher, so many of the things that SCs do is no surprise to me. Frankly, I'm surprised they don't get *more* creative. I can think of a number of ways to run return frauds that wouldn't get caught immediately.

Maybe I should hire out to the stores for security checks and make a little extra cash for the holidays?

[bainsidhe]

I say people are stealing more due to all three reasons. And a fourth: Fewer employees. Hard to catch someone in the act if you don't have the coverage to do it.

[jackfaire]

Yeah it's apparently a bad idea to discuss how you would rob a store when your standing in line.

I wasn't really going to do it I was just pointing out bad security to my mom.

[ShadowTiger]

Walking around the store, I'm always seeing packages of small items (Like the rubber tips you put under furniture legs to stop them from sliding around...) where the plastic part has been ripped open and one item taken from the box, or even all four of them taken and the package remaining on the hook, empty and the plastic hanging quite loose, with no rubber things on the ground beneath it to indicate that they all fell out.

I want to check peoples' pockets before they leave. That would be lovely.


"I don't have to call you a thief for you to be one. You just have to have the goods in your pocket."

Bringing in a single rubber tip in your pocket for comparison purposes is one thing. (Though it had better be worn and scruffed.) if you have four, then there's going to be trouble, young lady.

I remember walking into the bathroom and seeing the bags or paper packets we have to write down the quantity and price of loose screws and such, lying in the garbage, right on top in plain sight, empty. Sheesh. At least have the decency to stuff it further into the garbage. ... Dipwad.

[Sheldonrs]

Another sympton of the season occurs a lot here at MAW. People who still cc numbers, etc. will test them by going to our web site and donating a small amount, usually $5.00 to see if the card works before they go for the big ticket items at other places. And then WE get the pissed off cc owners calling us when they get their cc statement, accusing US of ID theft. Sometimes it takes forever to explain to them that it wasn't us.

[Andara Bledin]

On top of all this, I've noticed more than a few people trying to scam us lately, typically by trying the good ol' "you gave me the wrong change" trick. But I''ve also seen folks who bring games in for trade, but the discs inside don't match the cases. I guess they assume we are so dumb we won't even open the case.

But... you guys don't keep anything in the cases, do you?

And no game shop keeps used games in the cases, so it's not like the product will be staying there, anyway. And some shops will test the game to make sure it starts up, too, so we've come full fail circle.

Idiots.

Walking around the store, I'm always seeing packages of small items (Like the rubber tips you put under furniture legs to stop them from sliding around...) where the plastic part has been ripped open and one item taken from the box, or even all four of them taken and the package remaining on the hook, empty and the plastic hanging quite loose, with no rubber things on the ground beneath it to indicate that they all fell out.

I'm always turning in empty and open packages to the clerks at the store I go to.

Actually, the other night I told the service desk clerk about some girls (they were legally women) who were taking a can of hair spray from a display rack, using it on each other, and then putting it back. They switched lines (to their own detriment, even) and so were still stuck in line when I let the clerk know. She was actually quite interested in my little report, which surprised me a bit.

I only brought it up to her in the first place to suggest that the display be moved away from the checkout lines, since the aerosol irritates me.

^-.-^

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

But... you guys don't keep anything in the cases, do you?

And no game shop keeps used games in the cases, so it's not like the product will be staying there, anyway. And some shops will test the game to make sure it starts up, too, so we've come full fail circle.

Idiots.

^-.-^

These were games someone was trading in, hence real discs are in the cases. The problem was they hard purposely put older, less valuable games inside the cases hoping we wouldn't open them up while processing the trade.

[Imogene]

But I''ve also seen folks who bring games in for trade, but the discs inside don't match the cases.

I've done that often enough... got the case all the way to the store for trade in, only to find out it's empty, go, "Oops"
I'm pretty good about putting movies right back into the case they came out of once I'm done watching them... (I'm probably just slightly OCD...). Pretty good, not perfect. Oops.

[Andara Bledin]

I've done that often enough... got the case all the way to the store for trade in, only to find out it's empty, go, "Oops"

We go to a gaming convention thrice yearly, and run the video gaming room.

All of the equipment and games are donated by fellow con-goers in exchange for their con badges.

One of them has a very bad habit of not putting his disks back in their cases or putting them back in the wrong ones. He has to go through every one of his 50+ games to check them every con.

^-.-^