Money Moral Dilemma: Should I report cashier who used loyalty card on my shopping?

A question about : Money Moral Dilemma: Should I report cashier who used loyalty card on my shopping?

Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on:

A cashier used her loyalty card on my shopping. Should I report her?

I was out shopping and noticed when I got home that a loyalty card had been swiped. I had forgotten to bring out, so it must have been the cashier who served me. Is it right for her to profit from my shopping? Should I report her?

Click reply to have your say

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Best answers:

• They would be able to tell who had got your loyalty points from the transaction, and I would definitely report someone who worked there for doing this. Think of how much profit they could make day after day. It's not right.
  If the person behind me in the queue asked if they could have my points though, I would have no problem with this.
• Yes, definitely report her, because now you can't claim the points next time you're in. She has stolen from you - it's like pocketing your change.
• Hmmm tough one but if the shop allows you to take a receipt in for the points to be added after its not fair if someone has swiped their card against it depriving you of them!
• Several years ago I worked with a person who did this- kept their card by the till for when customers didn't have one.
  The company (including the loyalty scheme side of things) viewed it as both theft and fraud and took it very seriously indeed. My colleague was sacked, and I know that there was talk of involving the police, although this didn't happen.
  I'd report her in a heartbeat.
• If it's one of those stores that allow you to add the loyalty points at a later date if you forget your card then you've lost the opportunity to do that and I think it would be right to complain. If that's not the case then I'd be inclined to let it go.
• Report, simple as really
• Hi
  Did you intend to take your receipt in and claim those loyalty points ?
  If yes then raise it with the store.
  If no personally I wouldn't say anything.
  Jen
• Before you go and maybe get someone fired consider that they may have done you a favour.
  Whilst more prevalent in the US some UK supermarkets have offers which are only good for cardholders - for example in Waitrose 4 pints of milk cost Ј1 if you are a cardholder but about Ј1.40 otherwise.
  As mentioned in the US these cards can save you a fortune - Ralphs (dot com for online) was a supermarket we used when in California, their offers only apply to cardholders - and they usually had one at the register (if you asked!) - as an example their current offers include 12pk cans of Pepsi only $1.99 (regular price $4.99) - so if you do shop over there - make sure you get a card!
  Anyway - back to Blighty - you forgot your card - why worry about the 50p you might have not got in points - life is too short - it's not as though they nicked your car.
• Didn't someone get prosecuted for doing just this very recently? Sure I read it in the news...
• If she didnt ask you if you minded her swiping her card to get your points, then she's stealing from you. Nice little scam she's got going for herself. I'd report her.
• If she made 50p from your transactions and did a similar 20 on the day that's Ј10 each day she works. An excellent return but it's fraud and I doubt if she is the only one in that shop doing it.
  I think I might go through her till again and any repeat I would report immediately.
• I'd definitely report it. I always keep the receipts I haven't claimed points on so I can collect them at a later date - they've even got a special section in my purse! So even if I didn't notice at the time it'd get picked up at some point down the line. It might only have been worth a couple of pence, but if she's doing that all the time then it'll definitely add up fast!
• Did the cashier ask you if you have a loyalty card? If yes and you said no because you were in a hurry, would you blame them for not letting points go to waste? If this scenario is correct would you be morally wrong for lieing to them and then getting them fired?
• Hi,
  I would definitely report this, not only to the store but write a letter to head office with a photocopy of the receipt. This will tell them exactly who did this, at what till and obviously time and date.
  Include your loyalty card number.
  You should then be in line for the points to be credited to you as well as some recompense.
  Checkout staff are the bastion of a supermarket and if this assistant is performing this fraud, what else might they be doing against the company's interests?
  At the very least you'll be helping others against this unscrupulous behaviour.
• Tricky one. My heart says no as I would hate for someone to get sacked but my head says yes.
  As other posters have commented, if you could have collected the points at a later date then its unfair that the cashier has benefited and you have lost out and its something that really needs raising with the store.
• Before you do anything give her the benefit of the doubt. Was it her card or was it a card for the local hospice, children's ward or school? I've often thought that it would be nice if my local supermarket kept a card that you could occasionally load with a few odd points then every 6mths or so donate that card to a local hospice or charity.
• jillmarie
  if the cashier was collecting the points for a local school etc then why didn't she ask OP if it was ok and I'm sure some shops if a member of staff came up with an idea of collecting unwanted points for said charity would be all to willing to have a collection bin for receipts which could then be added to the card.
  as most others have said OP should report it to the local store.
  it could be that OP is a few points away from getting a voucher when for example Tesco do their clubcard exchange and misses out on a bigger discount than the simple points value of the shopping
• Lots of senarios here, why don't you ask her next time you go into the shop. There might be some innocent explanation. You can then make a decision based on the known facts.
• I know it is wrong but there could be a reasonable excuse, so why not go back into the shop and see if she is working and ask her why she did it.
  If she apologises or fronts you out you will know what to do after that.