I'm visiting a friend in Corsicana and he's dull as hell... So I may just mosey up to Mesquite and have a talk with that crooked sombitch!
Posted on 12/14/2006 5:07:03 PM PST by publana
My parents who are in their seventies, retired, and on Social Security stopped at Walmart on US Hwy 80 in Mesquite, TX to get gas. After paying at the pump with a Walmart Gift Card and retrieving the receipt, the woman in the booth comes over the speaker and asks him how he intends to pay.
My Dad tells her he has already paid and shows her the receipt through the window. They argue a bit, then she asks him to see the $500 Walmart Gift Card. Instead of telling her to buzz off, he hands her the card. She tells him the card isn't any good and she isn't returning it. He shows her the balance of $414.18 printed on the receipt and demands the return of the receipt. Another customer sees what is going on and calls the police.
The police come, run his license to see if they can arrest him for anything, takes the woman's side and does nothing other than to tell her to return the card. My parents leave. After driving about a mile, my mother says to go back and complain to the manager at Walmart.
The manager at Walmart looks at the card and checks it. It shows a zero balance. It also is a much older card than the card my Dad had recently purchase. It had a creation date of October. It dawns on my Dad that the woman switched the card. Although, the manager agrees with my Dad, he says there is nothing he can do. He suggests he calls the police for the woman's theft.
The police come back and do nothing. They say it's a matter for Small Claims Court and refuse to file a report. My Dad wants a report filed because he realizes this woman has a great scam going. Switch cards, keep the one with the money. The customer will not notice the money is gone until the next time he goes to Walmart to make a purchase with the card. By that time, the person will not even remember handing the card to the employee.
My parents, being retired and on social security, could not afford to lose $400 at Christmas time.
Be careful out there!
There must be a phone number for the Corporate office of WalMart. Give them a call and explain what happened.
I should also mention that the gas station at Walmart is run by Murphy Oil. We contacted them, earlier today, but have yet to receive a reply.
bttt
Thanks, I'm going to call them tomorrow.
I think if you call the regional office thay will happily replace the card with the full amount.
Is there an "investigative reporter" at one of the local television stations? The public spotlight might make Wal-Mart management a little more receptive to you parent's situation.
Just a thought. Hope your parents get some justice here.
I think I have a good chance of getting the money back for my Dad, but it's the woman I want busted. She's going to keep doing this and probably has been doing it for a long time. Unfortunately, nobody seems to want to expend the effort at catching her.
I am sure you are angry, but you have also just performed a great service. With your permission, I will copy the essential parts of what happened with all identifiers removed and email it to friends and family.
There is also another scam with gift cards:
You buy the gift card. Thief has already copied down the access number which was visible*. After a few days, thief checks to see if the card has been activated. If it has been activated, thief empties the account with (online) purchases.
---
*Many stores are aware of this scam and are now packaging the cards so that the access number cannot be seen.
I'd go to the service station and visit the clerk in person. I'd have the money in five minutes, or at least my $400 worth of satisfaction. I don't like thieves.
I'm visiting a friend in Corsicana and he's dull as hell... So I may just mosey up to Mesquite and have a talk with that crooked sombitch!
Good luck.
Unfortunately for your parents, they drew a dumbass cop. This is not a small claims matter, it is a theft. In Kaleefornia it would be a felony because the value was over 400 dollars. Too bad.
Walmart is not a bank. Nor is Borders.
... or any other corporation.
US Fed is a pretty good bet, but that sometimes looks odd too.
Switzerland - That is a bank.
I hope so. My Dad is too old to be this stressed and upset. I've never seen him so upset. I told him I'd give him the money, but that didn't do any good, of course.
Brassy thief, combined with an honest, decent citizen, led to this. A good lesson for all of us.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.