Anyone get stopped leaving stores?

[Bedlam]

quote' Quote:
I bought something in Lowes yesterday. After I swiped the card, signed the pad, and put the card back in my wallet, the clerk asked me what the last four digits of the card were. I realized I actually knew that off the top of my head, so I told her. She said, "That's right," and handed me the receipt.

Is that their security check now, asking you the last four digits on the card?

That's one I haven't figured out yet, but they always ask for the last 4 digits and I can just tell them and that the end of it. Why they enter the last 4 twice is something I don't understand.


When the first Lowes opened her I thought it was just the machine. I then find its all the time I give them a 'jab' by saying wow in over a year now the machine still cant read the whole card number.Maybe you should consider asking Home Depot to sell or give you a machine thats able to read the whole card.LOL
I have a thought that this is a good way for them to take and holed your card to check the signature.
Consider it much like the bank teller.
You see them all the time, and expect them to know your a customer. I got the same bank mostly and they recognize me before i get the tube in my hand greeting e with a Mr .....My wife laughed at that , omg they know by first name.WHY. Because I'm the one who 'tests' the teller for accuracy.(By this I mean I add it wrong etc) LOL
But serious angle If I go to another Branch, I try to send the license in with the money and slip. That way there I think Ive taken some of the anxiety off them to have to ask,As they are well aware of people getting upset when they ask.And yes its good idea for me to safeguard.
At my local supermarket they wont let you scan the card. They do it for you I believe the underlying reason is the same this way they get to see the card without having ask.I like it as don't have to answer a survey like at wal mart. where they ask if the cashier greeted you.(which could be a great good morning or a grumble under their breath)

 

[scott_vt]

How often do you find stores that ask for your phone number? .

Good Mornin Bird,
The local grocery store that my wife normally uses, Big Y in Ct and Price Chopper in Vt, ask for my phone number if I dont have the store discount card on me. They look up our account and I can get the discount on any purchases without physically holding the card ! In that case, asking me my ohone number is OK !

 

[aczlan]

That's one I haven't figured out yet, but they always ask for the last 4 digits and I can just tell them and that the end of it. Why they enter the last 4 twice is something I don't understand.

it is because you can reprogram the magnetic strip on the back of the card with another number fairly easily (if you are a criminal who is into duplicating credit cards) but it is difficult to change the number that is stamped into the card itself (and if they don't match there is a problem).

Aaron Z

 

[Bird]

Good Morning, Scotty.
And Kroger's is the same way. They'll still give you the discount without you having the card; just give your phone number. And my phone number has changed twice since we got that card, but giving the current number works. And Albertson's supermarkets got rid of their customer cards, but their prices are still so high that they're losing out to the competition and closing more stores. Today's newspaper listed 3 more that will close by the end of next month.

Bedlam, you know you don't need to answer that survey question at Walmart; just go ahead and scan your credit card. And I guess you also know the it doesn't make a bit of difference what you scribble on there for a signature. It accepts anything. And of course at their gas pumps, you don't have anything to sign. Gradually the stores are doing away with the signature requirement entirely.

 

[Bird]

it is because you can reprogram the magnetic strip on the back of the card with another number fairly easily (if you are a criminal who is into duplicating credit cards) but it is difficult to change the number that is stamped into the card itself (and if they don't match there is a problem).

Aaron Z

Thanks for the information, Aaron.

 

[dmccarty]

Years ago in FLA I was traveling and stopped for fuel. While paying decided what the heck lets play the lottery.

I got carded! I was in my mid to late 30s. There is/was an age limit on playing the lottery but I was obviously well past the limit. I let her see my id while I laughed. It was so ludicrous that it was funny. The feeling I got was that she was bored and was carding people to see where they were from. This was on I75 in the middle of nowhere FLA.

Self checkout lines and I don't mix. When these first started being installed back in the late 80s I used them in the grocery store because I want to pack my own groceries. Most baggers can't bag for s... I get real ticked off when I find mashed bread, broken frozen pies, cracked eggs, etc. If a bagger tries to bag my groceries I tell him I can do it. I don't mind go help another cashier.

The problem with the grocery store system I used to use in FLA was that once you waited in line to scan and bag you then waited in another line to pay.

Ironically I was given a job offer for the company that made these systems which I declined.

Lowes has the self checkout line. Some people use it but I have noticed that many, like me, make a point to NOT use the self checkout line. I tried Lowes self checkout a few times but when its requiring me to be trained to check out its just too much to expect. Give me a discount then it will be worth my time. Maybe.

Glad to know why they keep asking for the last four digits of my CC. Like I have it memorized. I hold the card for them to read. Not being mean but without my reading classes I can barely read the card.

Later,
Dan

 

[MossRoad]

Little bit OT;

Gas bar now wants prepayement before filling up.
How do I know how much my tank will take?

Since I use my CC there is no way I'll give them a chance to clone it while I self pump.
(and most cloneing happens that way)

They claimed the thefts were getting so bad that they needed to resort to that measure.
As I departed (empty), I suggested that perhaps they should hire a security guard to watch over the pumps if thefts were that bad!

Being treated like a crook is not my cup of tea!

They started that in bad neighborhoods around here about 10 years ago (or more). Now it is everywhere. I cannot remember the last time I was able to pump gas without pre-paying. That was one of the driving factors for getting a credit card. Now I always pay at the pump and get my receipt there. The only time I step foot in a gas station is if the receipt machine is out of paper (frequently in the bad neighborhoods as the clerks are too scared to go out and re-fill them). The nice thing about credit cards is the handy statement you get each month. It gets called in electronically and gets downloaded to my computer each time I run my money management software. I get a neat little chart that tells me how much of my income gets spent on gas, food, entertainment, etc...

 

[Bird]

Little bit OT;

Gas bar now wants prepayement before filling up.
How do I know how much my tank will take?

Since I use my CC there is no way I'll give them a chance to clone it while I self pump.
(and most cloneing happens that way)

They claimed the thefts were getting so bad that they needed to resort to that measure.
As I departed (empty), I suggested that perhaps they should hire a security guard to watch over the pumps if thefts were that bad!

Being treated like a crook is not my cup of tea!

1. Gas stations requiring prepayment is common.
2. When you use a credit card, most of the stations have pumps which accept the card at the pump. You don't have to leave it with someone.
3. The station's profit margin on gas will certainly not pay for a security officer to be present.
4. The higher gas prices did result in increased instances of customers driving off without paying, although it did happen even when gas was cheap.
5. Some gas station attendants learned to steal from the cash register, then report a "drive off" theft to the police. Naturally such reports never included a license plate number and the descriptions given were usually pretty vague.
6. As a result of such reports, many police departments will not accept a drive off theft report from a gas station attendant unless they have the license plate number of the perpetrator.
7. Requiring prepayment is the most common option, although video taping of customers and their vehicles is the other option.

 

[kthompson]

Interesting to learn about the programing of the magnetic strip.

I have two business checking accounts with two different banks for same business. With one of them Wal Mart always ask for ID with not sure why being given and I finally realized it was on a certain bank. OK.

Local person told me they always stopped buggies with several cases of drinks. No reason was given. Did you know the person who checks you out at Wal Mart gets a percentage of any stolen or non paid for merchandise?

Had a clerk at a Lowes refuse to listen to me when I told her she had not scanned everything. When I went back the next time with the box and asked to pay for it the manager was called over and he could not believe it. I did not realize he had been in our business in the same time frame and had lied on his insurance application.

The self checkouts...my concern is...theft. I missed it and they find it, how are you not guilty of attempting theft? No way. Once at Home Depot was only cash registers they had open, said it load enough to my wife it was heard, I will just leave the cart loaded and went to but manager of that area was very eager to run a cash register themselves.

We all have those problems at one time or other. Yesterday stopped at a Bojangles and ordered their meal on special sale. Used wrong word when I used "snack" so they said and not meal. Paid more and got less. When I question it that was my answer with no attempt to correct. This was right after paying for it and looking at receipt.

 

[JB4310]

The self checkouts...my concern is...theft. I missed it and they find it, how are you not guilty of attempting theft? No way.

Oh you'll know, "UNEXPECTED ITEM IN THE BAGGING AREA"

I don't mind the self check out at HD, often times it's the fastest way out of the store, and I'm not bashful to bring giant loads thru there either, things that can't be picked up and scanned, I just let the attendant do it, since there's always one there.

Don't grocery shop much, but I wouldn't use self check in those stores as I'm a terrible bagger.

JB.