The Old Return Trick - Nubblies.net Forums

Orgazmo · 01-26-2005, 02:53 AM

I have a friend (we'll call him Kook) who doesn't have the time for a place like Nubblies. It's because of this that I make this post on his behalf.

Kook purchased a hard drive from Best Buy a long time ago. He didn't use it for awhile...then I borrowed it from him. I used it in my ps2 for a few months...and then got one of my own (thus returning Kook his hard drive). Not too long thereafter, Kook's hard drive took a shit, and now it fails to work properly.

There are no warranties or anything...and Kook has no receipts.

The idea? Would is be possible for Kook to go into Best Buy, buy the exact same drive, take it home, swap the 2 drives, and then return the faulty drive as if it were the drive which he just purchased...giving some bullshit excuse?

The hard drive definitely has a barcode sticker directly on it...which makes me think that it's possible for Best Buy to track that shit. Whether or not they'd take the time to do just that is the reason why Kook has proposed this question to me (and the reason why I've proposed it to you).

Go ahead and flood me with opinions.

Ugly Bastard · 01-26-2005, 03:14 AM

I say no fucking way that would work. Those things are full of serial numbers and shit. No fucking way that'd work.

-Ugly Bastard

Mr. Blonde · 01-26-2005, 03:43 AM

What's the worst that could happen if he tries it? He can always claim that he works on computers a lot and just got it mixed up with another one.

EDIT: While on this note, i've decided that it's possible to return anything and everything to wal-mart after purchasing it there. I bought a badass bb handgun for halloween and returned it 3 weeks later for a full refund. I wore black pants I got from there for work for like 2 weeks before deciding they were too small and I wanted to exchange them.

I'm convinced that you could buy baby-food from there, feed it to your baby, and after they throw it up, collect it back in the bottle and claim for a refund.

[ January 26, 2005, 12:44 AM: Message edited by: Mr. Blonde ]

Orgazmo · 01-26-2005, 03:43 AM

This is true...

ninjaface · 01-26-2005, 03:54 AM

Try to return it at Sam's Club.

Niger Angelus · 01-26-2005, 04:50 AM

I work at Wal-Mart. And I think it will work. Why. Each product has a UPC number on it. Well like product [ones that are the exact same] have the same UPC. That is why is scanned into the system if there is a scanning at all. The serial number is on the drive, not the box; nor the reciept. I think it is a done deal.

01-26-2005, 02:35 PM

Yeah, I worked at staples for quite a while, and I would see no problem whatsoever with returning this product.

Staples just lables it as "damaged goods" sends it back to the manufacturer, and writes it off. If you pay in cash, I see no way they could track you at all. If you pay via credit card, well I still see no feasible way because they dont track item for item, only numbers of inventory.

Edit:
The most they ever do is check that the product is physically the same, and sometimes even that slips by (returning smaller ram chips for larger ones, etc)

[ January 26, 2005, 11:36 AM: Message edited by: DJ FC ]

underwater · 01-30-2005, 11:52 PM

i recently acquired a job at a certain home improvement store in warsaw.... i work in returns quite often, and you can get away with so much shit in there as a customer.

most employees don't check returned products worth a damn. however, if something happens quite often, there's something for us to look for. for example, there's a note at the desk saying "check returned paint cans to make sure they aren't filled with water instead of paint" because we started having a lot of people do that. what happened? we just told them we couldn't refund their water-filled paint can.

basically, we can't do anything to you. give it a shot, and like blonde said, you could make up something or even just walk away. all you'll have to deal with is a little bit of embarassment.

also, speaking of this kind of stuff.. i know that at a lot of stores where they have the magnetic strips that set off the alarms (i can't believe i can't think of the damn name for them...) the associates or managers can't go after you if you set one off. they can pursue you as far as the door, trying to get your attention, but they can't accuse you or give chase. all they can do is wait for you to get in your car and get your license plate number to report to the police if they suspect you've stolen something.

Niger Angelus · 01-31-2005, 04:53 AM

Actually, yes they can. If an associate witnessed the item being taken; therefor having proof, they can. Now, if they just think you have an item, that is where you are correct. I work with the loss prevention team at work. There are several of us around the store in street clothes watching you...
But yes, if they know you have an item, you're shit out of luck.
The alarms are called EAS systems, Electronic Alarm Systems. Simple. Or it is called an ICS, Iventory Control System.

Mr. Blonde · 01-31-2005, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Niger Angelus:
Actually, yes they can. If an associate witnessed the item being taken; therefor having proof, they can. Now, if they just think you have an item, that is where you are correct. I work with the loss prevention team at work. There are several of us around the store in street clothes watching you...
But yes, if they know you have an item, you're shit out of luck.
The alarms are called EAS systems, Electronic Alarm Systems. Simple. Or it is called an ICS, Iventory Control System.

That's just LP who can do that, though. Regular managers and employees are not supposed to have any physical contact with them.

Niger Angelus · 01-31-2005, 05:28 AM

Yeah, it is an easily avoidable gray area however.
Because many LP members are reserve memebers of the police departement. However, if they need assistance they can ask for it from other employees, be it right or wrong, they'll get away with it.

[ January 31, 2005, 02:30 AM: Message edited by: Niger Angelus ]

01-31-2005, 02:20 PM

Well to get legally technical about it, any agent of a merchant (IE store) can hold you for a reasonable amount of time and not commit "false imprisonment." (A civil tort)

It's all rather technical and legal, and in my business law class we discussed it, it's called the "Merchants Privilege" Why don't merchants make use of it, well that's because it must be used with extreme caution, as any legal matters are, and therefore only LPs are encouraged (or allowed by the corporation) to do it. Legally, anybody who falls under the catagory "agent" (employee) has the legal right to do it.

[ January 31, 2005, 11:25 AM: Message edited by: DJ FC ]

Super Nintendo · 01-31-2005, 04:33 PM

I had a dumbass friend who once went on a stealing binge. This was his scheme. He bought an entertainment center (I dunno, like a nice tv with a dvd player) from Wal-Mart and saved the receipt. He then would proceed to go into that same Wal-Mart, grab that same piece of equipment and stroll out the door with it. If anyone stopped him at the door he would simply show them the receipt (from his original purchase) and the idiot old people always let him slide by (clearly not checking the date on the receipt). But then one day, by coincidence, a cameraman in the store just happened to follow this individual's every move in the store (randomly). And of course, he saw everything he did, and the boy was busted.

Another thing...Best Buy, to me, has always been the hardest place to return crap to. Like this one time, I had bought this Xbox game at Meijer (in Dunlap) for cheap, but I decided I didn't want it while it was still in the package. So, I tried to take it back to Best Buy (because there is no Meijer in Bloomington), and I thought that at the worst they would give me a very small compensation for the game in store credit. In fact, that's all I really hoped for...but no, they just totally turned me away. I guess it was a stupid plan and a stupid story too, but it's all I have in the way of insight here.

[ January 31, 2005, 01:36 PM: Message edited by: Super Nintendo ]

the Butcher · 01-31-2005, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Super Nintendo:
I had a dumbass friend who once went on a stealing binge. This was his scheme. He bought an entertainment center (I dunno, like a nice tv with a dvd player) from Wal-Mart and saved the receipt. He then would proceed to go into that same Wal-Mart, grab that same piece of equipment and stroll out the door with it. If anyone stopped him at the door he would simply show them the receipt (from his original purchase) and the idiot old people always let him slide by (clearly not checking the date on the receipt). But then one day, by coincidence, a cameraman in the store just happened to follow this individual's every move in the store (randomly). And of course, he saw everything he did, and the boy was busted.

Wow. That is a fucking terrible idea. I'm glad he got caught. The stupid bastard deserved it.

Ironic Mustache · 01-31-2005, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr. Blonde:

I'm convinced that you could buy baby-food from there, feed it to your baby, and after they throw it up, collect it back in the bottle and claim for a refund.

I'm sure this is correct because I actually purchased a baby from Walmart only to return it after I realized i wasn't ready to be a single father.

underwater · 01-31-2005, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Niger Angelus:
Actually, yes they can. If an associate witnessed the item being taken; therefor having proof, they can. Now, if they just think you have an item, that is where you are correct. I work with the loss prevention team at work. There are several of us around the store in street clothes watching you...
But yes, if they know you have an item, you're shit out of luck.

maybe that's the case at wally-world, but not at lowe's. there is one loss prevention guy where i work, not a team. as far as the rest of us, we are specifically told to treat the customer as if nothing was going on (EVEN if we saw them take it), and we are under no circumstances to accuse them or confront them about anything.

i seriously had to watch a video where there were scenarios in which a lowe's employee watched a guy stick stuff under his shirt.. then when he walked through the EAS, it of course went off. THEN, when the employee said "i'm sorry, we must have forgotten to deactive our electronic inventory control device" the guy RAN... and the lowe's employee just stood there and watched him go. it's really quite the aggravating thing to witness.

Super Nintendo · 02-01-2005, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by the Butcher:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Super Nintendo:
I had a dumbass friend who once went on a stealing binge. This was his scheme. He bought an entertainment center (I dunno, like a nice tv with a dvd player) from Wal-Mart and saved the receipt. He then would proceed to go into that same Wal-Mart, grab that same piece of equipment and stroll out the door with it. If anyone stopped him at the door he would simply show them the receipt (from his original purchase) and the idiot old people always let him slide by (clearly not checking the date on the receipt). But then one day, by coincidence, a cameraman in the store just happened to follow this individual's every move in the store (randomly). And of course, he saw everything he did, and the boy was busted.

Wow. That is a fucking terrible idea. I'm glad he got caught. The stupid bastard deserved it.</font>[/quote]I agree. The stupid thing is, is that he actually got away with it many times before being caught.

As far as watching somebody run out of a store after you witnessed them steal something....screw that. I for one, would go after that bastard. If they fire me for that, so be it. I can't stand stealing.

underwater · 02-01-2005, 02:32 AM

no kidding. that's why it's so damn exasperating having to watch a damn video where that's all you see.

Niger Angelus · 02-01-2005, 06:37 AM

We just stand too, and shoot at them. It is a good way to let off some tension.

01-26-2005, 03:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
Mr. Blonde Spice Master Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 17,969 Internets: 278288	What's the worst that could happen if he tries it? He can always claim that he works on computers a lot and just got it mixed up with another one. EDIT: While on this note, i've decided that it's possible to return anything and everything to wal-mart after purchasing it there. I bought a badass bb handgun for halloween and returned it 3 weeks later for a full refund. I wore black pants I got from there for work for like 2 weeks before deciding they were too small and I wanted to exchange them. I'm convinced that you could buy baby-food from there, feed it to your baby, and after they throw it up, collect it back in the bottle and claim for a refund. [ January 26, 2005, 12:44 AM: Message edited by: Mr. Blonde ]
	Psychedelics are illegal not because a loving government is concerned that you may jump out of a third story window. Psychedelics are illegal because they dissolve opinion structures and culturally laid down models of behavior and information processing. ― Terence McKenna

01-26-2005, 04:50 AM	#6 (permalink)
Niger Angelus We still believe. Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 4,697 Internets: 216	I work at Wal-Mart. And I think it will work. Why. Each product has a UPC number on it. Well like product [ones that are the exact same] have the same UPC. That is why is scanned into the system if there is a scanning at all. The serial number is on the drive, not the box; nor the reciept. I think it is a done deal.
	I enjoy knives and fire.

01-26-2005, 02:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
DJ FC Guest Posts: n/a	Yeah, I worked at staples for quite a while, and I would see no problem whatsoever with returning this product. Staples just lables it as "damaged goods" sends it back to the manufacturer, and writes it off. If you pay in cash, I see no way they could track you at all. If you pay via credit card, well I still see no feasible way because they dont track item for item, only numbers of inventory. Edit: The most they ever do is check that the product is physically the same, and sometimes even that slips by (returning smaller ram chips for larger ones, etc) [ January 26, 2005, 11:36 AM: Message edited by: DJ FC ]
DJ FC Guest Posts: n/a

01-30-2005, 11:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
underwater Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: indiana Posts: 1,453 Internets: 10	i recently acquired a job at a certain home improvement store in warsaw.... i work in returns quite often, and you can get away with so much shit in there as a customer. most employees don't check returned products worth a damn. however, if something happens quite often, there's something for us to look for. for example, there's a note at the desk saying "check returned paint cans to make sure they aren't filled with water instead of paint" because we started having a lot of people do that. what happened? we just told them we couldn't refund their water-filled paint can. basically, we can't do anything to you. give it a shot, and like blonde said, you could make up something or even just walk away. all you'll have to deal with is a little bit of embarassment. also, speaking of this kind of stuff.. i know that at a lot of stores where they have the magnetic strips that set off the alarms (i can't believe i can't think of the damn name for them...) the associates or managers can't go after you if you set one off. they can pursue you as far as the door, trying to get your attention, but they can't accuse you or give chase. all they can do is wait for you to get in your car and get your license plate number to report to the police if they suspect you've stolen something.
	We can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind, because your friends don't dance and if they don't dance then they're no friends of mine.

01-31-2005, 04:53 AM	#9 (permalink)
Niger Angelus We still believe. Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 4,697 Internets: 216	Actually, yes they can. If an associate witnessed the item being taken; therefor having proof, they can. Now, if they just think you have an item, that is where you are correct. I work with the loss prevention team at work. There are several of us around the store in street clothes watching you... But yes, if they know you have an item, you're shit out of luck. The alarms are called EAS systems, Electronic Alarm Systems. Simple. Or it is called an ICS, Iventory Control System.
	I enjoy knives and fire.

01-26-2005, 02:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
Orgazmo COME ON YOU YANKS Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 15,697 Internets: 305662	I have a friend (we'll call him Kook) who doesn't have the time for a place like Nubblies. It's because of this that I make this post on his behalf. Kook purchased a hard drive from Best Buy a long time ago. He didn't use it for awhile...then I borrowed it from him. I used it in my ps2 for a few months...and then got one of my own (thus returning Kook his hard drive). Not too long thereafter, Kook's hard drive took a shit, and now it fails to work properly. There are no warranties or anything...and Kook has no receipts. The idea? Would is be possible for Kook to go into Best Buy, buy the exact same drive, take it home, swap the 2 drives, and then return the faulty drive as if it were the drive which he just purchased...giving some bullshit excuse? The hard drive definitely has a barcode sticker directly on it...which makes me think that it's possible for Best Buy to track that shit. Whether or not they'd take the time to do just that is the reason why Kook has proposed this question to me (and the reason why I've proposed it to you). Go ahead and flood me with opinions.

01-26-2005, 03:14 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ugly Bastard Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 13,643 Internets: 247330	I say no fucking way that would work. Those things are full of serial numbers and shit. No fucking way that'd work. -Ugly Bastard

01-26-2005, 03:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
Orgazmo COME ON YOU YANKS Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 15,697 Internets: 305662	This is true...

01-26-2005, 03:54 AM	#5 (permalink)
ninjaface Level 20 Holothetan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Space Posts: 5,245 Internets: 210144	Try to return it at Sam's Club.

01-31-2005, 05:28 AM	#11 (permalink)
Niger Angelus We still believe. Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 4,697 Internets: 216	Yeah, it is an easily avoidable gray area however. Because many LP members are reserve memebers of the police departement. However, if they need assistance they can ask for it from other employees, be it right or wrong, they'll get away with it. [ January 31, 2005, 02:30 AM: Message edited by: Niger Angelus ]
	I enjoy knives and fire.

01-31-2005, 02:20 PM	#12 (permalink)
DJ FC Guest Posts: n/a	Well to get legally technical about it, any agent of a merchant (IE store) can hold you for a reasonable amount of time and not commit "false imprisonment." (A civil tort) It's all rather technical and legal, and in my business law class we discussed it, it's called the "Merchants Privilege" Why don't merchants make use of it, well that's because it must be used with extreme caution, as any legal matters are, and therefore only LPs are encouraged (or allowed by the corporation) to do it. Legally, anybody who falls under the catagory "agent" (employee) has the legal right to do it. [ January 31, 2005, 11:25 AM: Message edited by: DJ FC ]
DJ FC Guest Posts: n/a

01-31-2005, 04:33 PM	#13 (permalink)
Super Nintendo Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Elkhart/Bloomington Posts: 200 Internets: 10	I had a dumbass friend who once went on a stealing binge. This was his scheme. He bought an entertainment center (I dunno, like a nice tv with a dvd player) from Wal-Mart and saved the receipt. He then would proceed to go into that same Wal-Mart, grab that same piece of equipment and stroll out the door with it. If anyone stopped him at the door he would simply show them the receipt (from his original purchase) and the idiot old people always let him slide by (clearly not checking the date on the receipt). But then one day, by coincidence, a cameraman in the store just happened to follow this individual's every move in the store (randomly). And of course, he saw everything he did, and the boy was busted. Another thing...Best Buy, to me, has always been the hardest place to return crap to. Like this one time, I had bought this Xbox game at Meijer (in Dunlap) for cheap, but I decided I didn't want it while it was still in the package. So, I tried to take it back to Best Buy (because there is no Meijer in Bloomington), and I thought that at the worst they would give me a very small compensation for the game in store credit. In fact, that's all I really hoped for...but no, they just totally turned me away. I guess it was a stupid plan and a stupid story too, but it's all I have in the way of insight here. [ January 31, 2005, 01:36 PM: Message edited by: Super Nintendo ]

02-01-2005, 02:32 AM	#18 (permalink)
underwater Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: indiana Posts: 1,453 Internets: 10	no kidding. that's why it's so damn exasperating having to watch a damn video where that's all you see.
	We can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind, because your friends don't dance and if they don't dance then they're no friends of mine.

02-01-2005, 06:37 AM	#19 (permalink)
Niger Angelus We still believe. Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 4,697 Internets: 216	We just stand too, and shoot at them. It is a good way to let off some tension.
	I enjoy knives and fire.