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After reading another post about credit cards and ID's I decided that I would write my first thread about my experience. (LONG)
This happend about two years ago when I was an Assistant Manager at "place for kids"
Here is some background info: About 5 days before the actual incident, we had two ladies come into the store and try to buy 10 pairs of socks and a $300 gift card. It was me and the store manager working that day. The store manager was the one ringing them up. The lady pulls a credit card out of her pocket and proceeds to slide it though the machine. Now on our machines if it is a credit card it will tells us on our monitor, and prompt for ID before you can allow the transaction to continue. The manager asked for ID. The ladies said "we left our wallet in the car" The manager tells her "I am sorry but I can not accept your card with out an ID. If you want to run it as debt then you can use it" The ladies got upset saying that they didn't remember that pin and that is why they were running it as a credit. The Manager apologized but told them she would be unable to accept their card and the ladies finally left. The manager thought it was very susupicous especially because the gift card amount was so high. So that weekend let everyone know about the incident and reminded them to make sure they check ID on ALL credit purchases because their was a chance they would come back. They never did.
Now on to the sucky person!
A few days later I was working on a very slow Wednesday night. It was only me and my associate. Since it had been so slow I sent the associate on her dinner break. I had two customers come in and they were shopping together. About ten minutes after my associate went on break the phone rang.
Me: "Thank you for calling "Place for Kids" this is NoMoreRetail how may I help you?"
SP: "I want to speak to a manager now!" (not yelling but obviously pissed)
In my mind I am thinking oh shit!
Me: I am the manager on duty this evening what can I do for you?"
SP: "My mother's credit card was stolen and someone came into your store and bought a $300 gift card using HER card. What are you going to do about it?"
The most I could have done was try to look up the transaction but I would have to have a receipt to do that, because frankly I am not going to spend most of my day trying to navigate the thousands of transactions we have in a week and honestly it wouldn't have helped her anyway! The only thing I can do (and this is what we are told to do for credit card disputes) is to give her corprates number.
Me: "I am so sorry that happened, but I really can't do anything to help you at the store level. I can give you our corporate number and the sales audit department will be able to help you."
SP: "What do yo mean you can't do anything, you said you were a manager?"
Me: "Yes I am an assistant manager"
SP: "Well I want to speak to the store manager right now"
Me: "I am sorry but the store manager is not in today" ( She was actually on a mini vacation and wouldn't be back until the following Monday, but I wasn't going to tell her that because frankly it is none of her busniess!)
SP: "I want her number!"
Me: " I am not allowed to give out that information, and she would tell you the exact same thing that I am telling you"
SP: "Well when will she be in"
Me: " I am not at liberty to give that information due to privacy"
SP: " I can't believe you won't do anything to help! If you had checked the ID you would have known it wasn't my mother. My mother is white and the people who used her card were black"
Ok now I am getting mad at this point, because she is blaming me for her mothers card getting stolen and how in the hell does she know they were black? But I am trying to stay cool, because sadly the company I worked for is notorious for not standing behind it's employees. All she would have to do is say that I was rude even though this is not my problem and we would get a call from our DM demanding that we call her back and fix the problem!
Me: I am sorry that this happened but I can assure you that we do ask for ID if the card is run as a credit" ( I actually found out recently that you are not supposed to ask for ID because it violates the rules of the credit companies, oh well we do it to cover our butts because of situations like this!)
SP: "You better hope you have video cameras in your store"
Me: "We do not have cameras in the store"
SP: raising her voice "How do you not have cameras in your store?"
Ok now I very close to loosing it. Keep in mind that I have two customers in the store (thank god it was only those two) and since I was the only one working, they had not been checked on since I greeted them.
Me: " I do not know why we don't have cameras that is something that you would have to ask our Loss Prevention department. ( I am trying to end this call before I loose it) "Would you like me to give you the number to corporate so you can talk to sales audit?"
SP: "Well I am calling the police and they will come out and speak with you what is your full name?"
Me: "That is fine if you want to call the police, but I am not giving you my full name, that is none of your business I will give you my first name and the number for corporate, because THEY will be able to help you."
At this point the customers come up to the register. I cover the phone and tell them I will be with them in just a minute. They say that is fine they were not in a big hurry. Meanwhile the lady on the phone keeps talking...
SP: " This is such BULL SHIT! I can't believe you are being such a Bitch and are not willing to help me! I will have you fired over this!"
OK I loose it at this point ( I will not tolerate anyone speaking to me that way, I don't care if I get written up or not and the threat that I will loose my job... give me a freaking break!)
Me: Raising my voice " If you speak to me that way one more time, I will end this call right now. I have been trying to help you to the best of my ability but you are not listening. The ONLY thing I can do is give you corporate number and you can call and speak to sales audit. THEY are the ones that will be able to help you with this matter. I just work in the store and have no control over these kinds of things! Now would you like for me to give you the number?!"
SP: "Fine give me the number."
I tell her that I will have to put her on hold because I have to get the number out of the book. During this time I ring up the customers who have been waiting. I am apologizing right and left to them, and thankfully they are ok with it. They tell me they are sorry that I am having to put up with someone like that. I finally get back to the phone, calmed down a bit, I give the lady the number thankful she didn't go ape shit on me for taking too long.
Me: The number is XXX-XXX-XXXX now since they are on eastern time ( we are in Texas) they will be available tomorrow from 8-5 eastern time" ( so did not want her calling me back and yelling because they were not open)
SP: "whatever" click
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I slam the phone down several times just as my associate ca
me back to the floor. She asked me what was wrong and I told her the whole story! So seriously did the women want me to open the drawer and mail her $300 dollars. Sorry not gonna happen that would get me fired not her little threat!
A few days later, when I was training my replacement ( that is a whole other story not related to this) a detective comes into the store. He asked to speak to me. He tells me that someone has filed a complaint because her mothers card was stolen and used at one of our stores, not sure which one at this point. I told him I was aware of the situation as I was the one she spoke with. The detective asked if we had cameras in the store. I told him that we did not and that I told her that on the phone. The detective seemed a little irritated with the whole matter. Like he had better things to do than deal with this. He thanked me and left.
Later we found out it was at a different store that the actual purchase was made but I am still not sure why the woman was making such a big stink on the phone. I understand she was upset, but credit card companies will reimburse fraudulent charges, at the expense of the retailer involved. The only thing I can think of is they have disputed too many charges in the past and the credit card company was demanding some sort of proof of theft but I really don't know.
Oh well, never heard from her again, never got a write up or a call from Sales Audit either.
This happend about two years ago when I was an Assistant Manager at "place for kids"
Here is some background info: About 5 days before the actual incident, we had two ladies come into the store and try to buy 10 pairs of socks and a $300 gift card. It was me and the store manager working that day. The store manager was the one ringing them up. The lady pulls a credit card out of her pocket and proceeds to slide it though the machine. Now on our machines if it is a credit card it will tells us on our monitor, and prompt for ID before you can allow the transaction to continue. The manager asked for ID. The ladies said "we left our wallet in the car" The manager tells her "I am sorry but I can not accept your card with out an ID. If you want to run it as debt then you can use it" The ladies got upset saying that they didn't remember that pin and that is why they were running it as a credit. The Manager apologized but told them she would be unable to accept their card and the ladies finally left. The manager thought it was very susupicous especially because the gift card amount was so high. So that weekend let everyone know about the incident and reminded them to make sure they check ID on ALL credit purchases because their was a chance they would come back. They never did.
Now on to the sucky person!
A few days later I was working on a very slow Wednesday night. It was only me and my associate. Since it had been so slow I sent the associate on her dinner break. I had two customers come in and they were shopping together. About ten minutes after my associate went on break the phone rang.
Me: "Thank you for calling "Place for Kids" this is NoMoreRetail how may I help you?"
SP: "I want to speak to a manager now!" (not yelling but obviously pissed)
In my mind I am thinking oh shit!
Me: I am the manager on duty this evening what can I do for you?"
SP: "My mother's credit card was stolen and someone came into your store and bought a $300 gift card using HER card. What are you going to do about it?"
The most I could have done was try to look up the transaction but I would have to have a receipt to do that, because frankly I am not going to spend most of my day trying to navigate the thousands of transactions we have in a week and honestly it wouldn't have helped her anyway! The only thing I can do (and this is what we are told to do for credit card disputes) is to give her corprates number.
Me: "I am so sorry that happened, but I really can't do anything to help you at the store level. I can give you our corporate number and the sales audit department will be able to help you."
SP: "What do yo mean you can't do anything, you said you were a manager?"
Me: "Yes I am an assistant manager"
SP: "Well I want to speak to the store manager right now"
Me: "I am sorry but the store manager is not in today" ( She was actually on a mini vacation and wouldn't be back until the following Monday, but I wasn't going to tell her that because frankly it is none of her busniess!)
SP: "I want her number!"
Me: " I am not allowed to give out that information, and she would tell you the exact same thing that I am telling you"
SP: "Well when will she be in"
Me: " I am not at liberty to give that information due to privacy"
SP: " I can't believe you won't do anything to help! If you had checked the ID you would have known it wasn't my mother. My mother is white and the people who used her card were black"
Ok now I am getting mad at this point, because she is blaming me for her mothers card getting stolen and how in the hell does she know they were black? But I am trying to stay cool, because sadly the company I worked for is notorious for not standing behind it's employees. All she would have to do is say that I was rude even though this is not my problem and we would get a call from our DM demanding that we call her back and fix the problem!Me: I am sorry that this happened but I can assure you that we do ask for ID if the card is run as a credit" ( I actually found out recently that you are not supposed to ask for ID because it violates the rules of the credit companies, oh well we do it to cover our butts because of situations like this!)
SP: "You better hope you have video cameras in your store"
Me: "We do not have cameras in the store"
SP: raising her voice "How do you not have cameras in your store?"
Ok now I very close to loosing it. Keep in mind that I have two customers in the store (thank god it was only those two) and since I was the only one working, they had not been checked on since I greeted them.
Me: " I do not know why we don't have cameras that is something that you would have to ask our Loss Prevention department. ( I am trying to end this call before I loose it) "Would you like me to give you the number to corporate so you can talk to sales audit?"
SP: "Well I am calling the police and they will come out and speak with you what is your full name?"
Me: "That is fine if you want to call the police, but I am not giving you my full name, that is none of your business I will give you my first name and the number for corporate, because THEY will be able to help you."
At this point the customers come up to the register. I cover the phone and tell them I will be with them in just a minute. They say that is fine they were not in a big hurry. Meanwhile the lady on the phone keeps talking...
SP: " This is such BULL SHIT! I can't believe you are being such a Bitch and are not willing to help me! I will have you fired over this!"
OK I loose it at this point ( I will not tolerate anyone speaking to me that way, I don't care if I get written up or not and the threat that I will loose my job... give me a freaking break!)
Me: Raising my voice " If you speak to me that way one more time, I will end this call right now. I have been trying to help you to the best of my ability but you are not listening. The ONLY thing I can do is give you corporate number and you can call and speak to sales audit. THEY are the ones that will be able to help you with this matter. I just work in the store and have no control over these kinds of things! Now would you like for me to give you the number?!"
SP: "Fine give me the number."
I tell her that I will have to put her on hold because I have to get the number out of the book. During this time I ring up the customers who have been waiting. I am apologizing right and left to them, and thankfully they are ok with it. They tell me they are sorry that I am having to put up with someone like that. I finally get back to the phone, calmed down a bit, I give the lady the number thankful she didn't go ape shit on me for taking too long.
Me: The number is XXX-XXX-XXXX now since they are on eastern time ( we are in Texas) they will be available tomorrow from 8-5 eastern time" ( so did not want her calling me back and yelling because they were not open)
SP: "whatever" click
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I slam the phone down several times just as my associate ca
me back to the floor. She asked me what was wrong and I told her the whole story! So seriously did the women want me to open the drawer and mail her $300 dollars. Sorry not gonna happen that would get me fired not her little threat!A few days later, when I was training my replacement ( that is a whole other story not related to this) a detective comes into the store. He asked to speak to me. He tells me that someone has filed a complaint because her mothers card was stolen and used at one of our stores, not sure which one at this point. I told him I was aware of the situation as I was the one she spoke with. The detective asked if we had cameras in the store. I told him that we did not and that I told her that on the phone. The detective seemed a little irritated with the whole matter. Like he had better things to do than deal with this. He thanked me and left.
Later we found out it was at a different store that the actual purchase was made but I am still not sure why the woman was making such a big stink on the phone. I understand she was upset, but credit card companies will reimburse fraudulent charges, at the expense of the retailer involved. The only thing I can think of is they have disputed too many charges in the past and the credit card company was demanding some sort of proof of theft but I really don't know.
Oh well, never heard from her again, never got a write up or a call from Sales Audit either.
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