There are two important lessons that we can take away from M’s e-mail about trying to return an unopened, unused blood glucose meter to Target. First: never, ever, ever purchase a gift for someone at Target without also giving them the receipt. Consider laminating it, then stapling it to the recipient’s forehead. Second: when you receive a marketing call, think critically about who could have sold your name, or whether the entire call might be a scam.

Someone in my immediate was recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. We have told no one and I mean absolutely no one outside the four of us and our parents. Only other person is the doctor.

Anyways, the I went out to Walgreens and purchased a testing meter. My father-in-law (who lives 1400 miles away) sent us the same meter, which he purchased from Target (no receipt-oops).

Anyways, I attempted to return the meter to Target and they would not take it. Even after the Pharmacist and Manager on duty agreed it was unopened and undamaged–no joy.

The [manager on duty] even called guest relations for me to no avail. When I got home, I called corporate. I was told since the item was valued at $80, there could be no return of any sort, the cutoff was $70 and they could not manually lower the price to make the return. I pleaded that I had made no returns (receipt or with receipt) in over 1.5 years. “Nope. Sorry. Nothing we can/will do.”

Now to manager at the store told me override codes do exist, but everyone at corporate and guest relations seems to deny this.

To top it all off, today we got a call from a 1800 number. The lady on the phone said “I see someone in your household has been recently diagnosed with diabetes.”

Now I know my family did not give this info out–we were extremely specific about this. I also know the doctor did not. (I have known him for 15 years and he would not risk his license or a fine on a [HIPAA] violation). Then I remembered, I gave the item description (a glucose meter) and all my info to a corporate lady in hopes of a resolution. Target sold my personal information!!!!

Any ideas guys? I really just want to return the item (the retail value is now $30) and get something for it.

Why the rush to blame Target and malign the “corporate lady”? Who was the company on the phone: was it Target? A drug company? A survey company? Did the family member fill out a warranty card for the other blood glucose meter? And hey, wasn’t the other meter purchased at Walgreens?

Another possibility could be that the caller was really a scam survey. People cold-call you asking all kinds of questions, such as “do you have a small dog?” and use the recording of you saying “yes” as proof that you agreed to pay for something that you never would have agreed to.

Not every big company and “corporate lady” is out to get you. Except as far as Target’s return policy is concerned. That’s just stupid. At this point, sadly, your best option is to sell the meter yourself on eBay or Craigslist, or donating it for a tax deduction.

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