../../../..//2007/08/13/a-list-of-things-currently/
A list of things currently being stolen from Walmart. Of interest, Alli is still popular with the shoplifters and DVDs of 300 are rising in the charts. [Behind The Counter]
theft
Packing Fudge: Woman Arrested For Stealing $70 Worth Of Fudge
By 8.7.07
A Maryland woman with a purse completely “packed” with fudge was arrested last week in the Maryland House Hotel where she was found, covered in chocolate and crying hysterically, on on a lobby sofa. The sofa was also stained with chocolate.
Is Someone Impersonating Your Child?
By 8.3.07
SmartMoney reports on the threat of underage identity theft; 5% of FTC complaints in 2005 were about victims 18 years old or younger. Children are often perfect targets, because they have social security numbers that are largely unused–which means unchecked–until they’re old enough to apply for their first job or credit card.
…shortly after [Kristen Smith’s] 16-year-old son started a summer gig at a local car dealership… his new employer conducted a routine background check that returned shocking news: A man living in Phoenix was using his Social Security number. Even more shocking was the discovery by the local police department that there was more than one perpetrator. In 1994, a man from Pennsylvania with a DUI arrest on his record had been using Smith’s son’s Social Security number as well.
Walmart Will Now Prosecute Shoplifters As Young As 16
By 7.12.07
With increased shoplifting and employee theft hurting Walmart’s bottom line, the store says it will now go after first-time shoplifters who are as young as 16. Previously, it was Walmart’s policy to only prosecute first-time shoplifters who were at least 18.
2.3 Million Customer Records Stolen, Sold To Direct Marketers
By 7.3.07
Fidelity National Information Services, a financial processing company, announced today that one of its employees had stolen 2.3 million customer records containing credit card, bank account and other personal information, and sold that information to an unidentified “data broker” who then sold the information to various direct marketing companies.
Guy Switches Price Tag On Walmart Plasma TV, Tries To Buy It For $4.88
By 6.29.07
The dumb scams people try to pull never cease to amaze us. Take Chandon L. Simms, 23, of Monroe, LA. He walked into his local Walmart, grabbed a 42″ Sanyo Plasma TV, removed its price tag and affixed one that would scan for only $4.88.
Home Depot Accuses You Of Attempting Return Fraud
By 6.12.07
Here at the Consumerist we realize that return fraud is a very serious problem for retailers. Nevertheless, this story puzzles us. Dana bought a thermostat from Home Depot, but it turned out to be incompatible with her heating and cooling system. When she brought it back, the customer service person accused her of bringing in an empty bag and receipt, shoplifting a thermostat and then trying to return the stolen unit. It’s a common scam…. but…
Bank Midwest Let Someone Pilfer Our Safe Deposit Box For $92,000
By 5.2.07
Ken and Nina say that that $92,000 was stolen from their safe deposit box after Bank Midwest allowed someone else to access it.
Designer Todd Goldman Accused of Rampant Plagiarism
By 4.25.07
We’ve been seeing this story popping up here and there and weren’t sure if it was really a consumer issue, but after it showed up on BoingBoing again today we decided that there were just too many examples to ignore.
Bad Manners: Walmart Borrows Your Car Without Asking
By 4.3.07
My parents had a similarly horrible experience at Walmart last year here in South Edmonton Common, Edmonton, AB. They took their car into get an oil change, and left it there to do other errands. When they got there, the clerk at the desk could not ‘find’ their car and got all nervous. After about 15 minutes of ‘checking the lot’ the clerk gave in and said one of the mechanics had taken their car to go pick up a friend who’s car had broken down! My parents immediately got the manager involved, and the manager seemed to be taking the appropriate actions, and when the tech came back ~10 minutes later he wasn’t even apologetic about stealing their car to get his friend, he seemed to think he had the right to! My parents, being the nice pushovers they are, and seeing it as someone helping someone else and no harm was done other than ~20 minutes of time let it go. Walmart even made them pay for the oil change! The manager said he would call them back with a resolution, but none ever came.
Jonny’s parents should have explained to the manager that they charged $5.00 a minute for unauthorized car rental. —MEGHANN MARCO
How I Became A Music Pirate
By 3.20.07
Does DRM drive even honest well-meaning people to piracy? Yes, of course it does.
UPDATE: Delta Finally Refunds Man Who Tracked Down And Got Prosecuted Baggage Handler Who Stole His Camera
By 3.17.07
Remember our reader, Charles, who got his camera stolen by a Delta baggage handler? And how Charles found the camera on eBay and got the guy tracked down, fired, and arrested? And how Delta didn’t give a shit and wasn’t going to refund Charles any money? After we ran his story, the fine folks at the PeterGreenberg radio show stepped in, and Delta agreed to reimburse Charles for the full cost of his original flight. Here’s what they said:
Dell Upgrades Computer By Installing Vastly Inferior Processor
By 2.22.07
Over at TGForumz, rdguerrero writes that Dell replaced his computer’s x6800 processor with an extreme edition 955. That sounds about 7.12 times worse.
My dell computer has been giving trouble form the day i got it. finally they replaced the motherboard and processor however instead of replacing my x6800 they gave me a pentium extreme edition 955. the guy from Dell says this is an upgrade i think he id trying to pass off something on me which chip is better.
His hunch is right. One comparison declares, “Even the X6800 Core 2 Extreme which is clocked at just 2.93GHz is able to kill the 955 Extreme Edition processor pretty much all of the time.” Rdguerrero, taking the sage of advice of forum members calling bs, had a nice little chat with Dell.
The service rep has informed me that he has started the Exchange process and i will be informed by e-mail of updates, but should take approximately 19 labor days for the system to arrive.
19 days? Oh, Dell. Is there anything you can’t bumble? — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
Thieves Rip The Doors Off Of A Best Buy With A Truck, Steal iPods
By 2.16.07
“I’ve never seen anyone pull hurricane shutters out like that,” said general manager Ole Goode. Goode said the outside is bad, but inside is even worse.
Baggage Handlers Busted For Stealing Credit Cards, Laptops and Cigarettes
By 2.13.07
Two young baggage handlers who are accused of stealing everything from cigarettes to laptops to credit cards were arrested last week in two separate incidents that have airport officials looking into whether those thefts were just the tip of an iceberg.
Man Tracks Down And Gets Prosecuted Baggage Handler Who Stole His Camera, Delta Still Won't Refund
By 2.7.07
Delta won’t refund Charles’ money after his camera was stolen from his luggage by a baggage checker, even after he tracked the camera down on eBay and got the thief fired, arrested, and prosecuted.
When Shoplifting, Don't Carry An 18" Steel Machete
By 1.30.07
Not that you should shoplift, but if you do, you should realize that shoplifting while carrying an 18″ steel machete will take your charges from retail theft up to prohibited offensive weapons charges. That’s what happened to one Pennsylvania shoplifter, when he was caught with $140 dollars worth of CDs that he’d shoplifted from Target… and an 18″ steel machete that he’d shoved down the left leg of his jeans. Allen Edward Pople, 18, is now being held on $25,000 bond.
