New Grocery Store Scams: Watch Out for These Money Traps at the Checkout Line

New Grocery Store Scams: Watch Out for These Money Traps at the Checkout Line

Andrew Lisa  Fri, October 27, 2023

Between shoplifting, return scams and even acts of violence, crime is on the rise at grocery stores. But now, criminals are targeting not just supermarkets, but unsuspecting shoppers who are simply there to buy food.

The next time you’re in the grocery store, stay alert, be aware of your surroundings and watch out for these scams — which often take place at or near the checkout line.

Beware of These Supermarket Scams

Law enforcement organizations are warning shoppers to be vigilant when grocery shopping. Both individuals and groups of criminals are targeting people with the following scams near the checkout line.

Distraction Theft

The Bethel Park Police Department issued a crime watch alert on Facebook about an increase in so-called distraction thefts.

The scam — which is not unique to small-town Pennsylvania — involves organized groups of thieves who target shoppers, typically women with purses open and exposed in shopping carts. One member of the group distracts the shopper and another swipes money, a wallet, credit cards or other valuables from the open bag.

BPPD received reports of three such crimes in a single weekend.

The Found Money Scam

The Elkhart, Indiana, Police Department issued its own Facebook warning about a scam similar to distraction theft — but this one targets shoppers at self-checkout.

Here, too, the scam involves multiple criminals working in tandem. One drops a $10 bill by the victim’s feet, points it out and uses the seemingly kind gesture as a cover to stand close and watch as the victim punches a pin number into the keypad.

The scammer then follows the victim to the parking lot, where a cooperating suspect approaches the victim and says the $10 bill belongs to them. While the victim is distracted, the original suspect swipes the victim’s card associated with the pin number they observed inside.

The Gift Card Scam

USA Today recently reported on a clever new scam involving gift cards, which are often placed close to the register for shoppers to grab as last-minute presents on the way out.

Criminals open gift cards, copy the information and replace them in a way that makes the packaging look undisturbed. When an unsuspecting customer buys the gift card, it’s automatically activated and the scammer spends the funds before the purchaser or card recipient ever has a chance.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/grocery-store-scams-watch-money-140005952.html