This coupon user made me mad - Update 1st post.

[Disneefun]

I went to BJ's today and got in line at the self check behind a woman with a stack of coupons. When she started scanning coupons, i noticed she had 2 piles of paper on the platform. I thought, weird. Then I realized what she was doing. She'd scan a coupon from one stack and then take a blank piece of paper, cut to coupon size, from the other stack and drop it in the slot when it said "place coupon into slot." Then she took all her coupons and put them back in her purse.

I understand what she was doing: she's saving the coupons to use again another time. But people like this don't get it. Those coupons have redemption value to the store and if all you're doing is slipping in blank paper, the store can't get the money for the coupons. And if enough people do this, what do you think will happen? No more accepting coupons because the store ends up losing money.

I understand trying to save money, really I do. But fraud is a whole 'nother matter and it made me so mad. I just had to vent.

UPDATE: I did call BJ's late this afternoon and told them what went on. I guess I shouldn't care b/c they didn't seem to. I told the woman in customer service what happened and offered to give her the details from my receipt so they could track the woman, but she told me not to bother. That, "We can't spend time trying to track down someone over something small like that. Don't worry about it." I asked if there was a fraud prevention manager or someone like that that maybe I should speak to and she told me no. So now I guess I'm madder than I was before. I tried to do something nice and got dismissed.

FWIW, I did get on the website and emailed the corporate office about it (and told them that their customer service people didn't seem to care, so now I guess I'm dragging more people down, lol), so we'll see if they say anything. Otherwise, I'm letting it go and hoping that karma comes back and bites her in the behind.

 

[minnie1928]

I would have reported it to the store. They could determine who did it, she scanned her card in the transaction before you.

To me this is like stealing.

 

[XYSRUS]

I would have told on her. What a piece of work.

 

[momtosam]

Wow, sometimes it amazes me what people think of! I must be nieve. I would have been mad, too!!

 

[delmar411]

that is stealing and you should have alerted the store personnel. They would of called the police and had her arrested.

Someone like that causes higher prices for everyone and makes stores very anti-coupon.

 

[TnTWalter]

Where was the self check worker? Goodness. I would have been shocked. I don't know that I would have had the courage to report her but hope I would. But the employee was definitely not doing their job in catching the thief!

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I agree - that is stealing! Those coupons are worth $$$ to the stores.

Our Commissary doesn't allow the use of coupons at self-checkout because too many people were abusing the system.

 

[KristinU]

Total fraud, and so brazen too! This is the reason a grocery store by me doesn't allow coupons at the self-checkouts - you have to call for the attendant to enter the coupon transaction for you. When they first started doing this I asked why and she told me about this scam. What losers.

ETA: you know, OP...I bet you could call BJ's with your receipt and transaction # and let them know what you saw.

 

[Belle4mygrl]

the things people think of

 

[Disneefun]

Where was the self check worker?

I think that's part of the problem. Our BJ's is really lax about the self checks. There's not always someone there and even if they are there, they don't pay attention unless you have a problem and call them over. We were in a lane far from where the worker stands (which I realize now this woman probably chose intentionally) so even if the worker had been looking, it would have been hard to see what happened.

I wish I'd had the guts to report her. But I just don't have the stomach for that kind of thing and in this world, you never know how someone will go off on you.

 

[Ava]

Wow, some people have a lot of nerve! The Pathmark near me has a self checkout, but after you scan in your coupons you have to hand them to the employee stationed at self checkout and he/she has to verify the coupons before you can complete your transaction.

 

[wall*e2008]

I too would have reported her. She was stealing.

 

[kelleigh1]

I think you should call the store now and report her. She never has to know who it was that reported her.

Plain and simple, she was stealing. And I hate to say it, but by not reporting her, you're guilty if being an accessory to her little scheme.

Now I know exactly why store requires an associate to process the coupons at the self check.

 

[Stacerita]

I believe in karma so I am sure she will get what is due to her.

 

[LanaJae]

Oh great! Where do these people come from?

I love self checkouts and now they are ruining those.

 

[Chicago526]

Wow, I always wondered what would stop people from doing this. I got the idea that this was posible after putting a coupon into the slot and having it not "read" that I'd put one in, so I stuck my shoping list in and wiggled it around until it triggered the sensor. Now I know the answer, NOTHING stops people from putting in blank paper!

OP, I don't like confrontation either, so I understand! But this even I would have reported (quietly to an employee, I wouldn't confront the person myself).

 

[mnasmom3]

I, too, think you should call and report her.

 

[momofpirates]

This reminds me of one of my grocery shopping trips. I saw a couple in the meat department pull a price tag off a small piece of processed ham and slap it on a huge in-bone ham. I took the now un-tagged processed ham to the meat counter and explained what they had done. I even pointed them out to the employee. His response was they will catch it in the checkout process.

Guess what, they didn't because they went through the self-checkout lane. I know the weight difference should have been caught, but they got away with stealing that chunck of ham for around $3.00.

I believe in Karma so I hope they don't choke on that bone!

 

[MinnieForMe]

I'm a coupon user. It's people like her who will spoil self checkouts with coupons for everyone. I would have had no problem telling her she was stealing and reporting her to customer service.

I would still call because if she swiped a card they might be able to track her.

 

[Cindy B]

I'm sure the store has security tapes. Now that you are home, call the BJ's and tell them exactly what you saw.

If you read off your register tape (date, time, transaction number, etc.) they can find out who was before you.

Of course, you can say that there was no one there at the self check desk and you weren't sure what to do.

This way they can review register tapes before they balance out for the night.