Rite Aid Gift Cards causing heat with LE?
Jul 11, 14, 9:33 pm
#16
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Northwest, United
Posts: 2,975
The police where you live must not have much real crime going on. I can not imagine any cops in the US caring the slightest about fraudulent gift card use at a chain store. Most places the cops don't have enough resources to deal with actual murders, armed robberies and general people beating the crap out of each other.
Some low-life is suspected of frauding VRs at a drug store? Yeah, call that one in to your city's police dispatcher, surely they'll send a squad car right over to check it out...
Some low-life is suspected of frauding VRs at a drug store? Yeah, call that one in to your city's police dispatcher, surely they'll send a squad car right over to check it out...
Jul 11, 14, 9:37 pm
#17
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 81
Hi All... some time lurker, first time poster. Thought I would throw up my datapoint on the RA GC for PPMC... I stumbled into this method not too long ago, tested it out with a 10.00 RA GC, saw you could make the purchase, and figured, why not go 500.00?
That worked out swimmingly as well... the first time. No hassle, just got the PPMC with 3 GC and left.
This time round, I got 1K in RA GC, 6 cards total. Well, it wound up being a run around town, stopped at probably 5 or 6 stores before I finally found a couple of clerks who didn't care and made the sale. All the others said some variation of you can't buy GC w/ GC, called over the manager, etc... one of the GCs wound up being short a few bucks as well, i guess you can't really trust the online sites.
Def. a bit nerve racking at the prospect of trying to figure out how to do all my shopping at RA for the next 10 years... people would have been getting a lot of candy bars, cough syrup, and crappy mp3 players for xmas. luckily I got rid of all the GC...
That worked out swimmingly as well... the first time. No hassle, just got the PPMC with 3 GC and left.
This time round, I got 1K in RA GC, 6 cards total. Well, it wound up being a run around town, stopped at probably 5 or 6 stores before I finally found a couple of clerks who didn't care and made the sale. All the others said some variation of you can't buy GC w/ GC, called over the manager, etc... one of the GCs wound up being short a few bucks as well, i guess you can't really trust the online sites.
Def. a bit nerve racking at the prospect of trying to figure out how to do all my shopping at RA for the next 10 years... people would have been getting a lot of candy bars, cough syrup, and crappy mp3 players for xmas. luckily I got rid of all the GC...
Jul 12, 14, 1:58 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 42
Originally Posted by seat17D
There's no way of eliminating the risk.
Even if you stop liquidating the cards you purchased, there's the chance the ones you have already liquidated were originally stolen.
Even if you purchased them in good face and had no knowledge of them being stolen, stolen is stolen.
Even if none of your cards were stolen, there is a nonzero chance you can be caught up as bycatch, if only due to LEO clumsiness and a bias to act first and sort out later.
Bottom line, either you are comfortable with there being unavoidable, uncontrollable risks ... or you don't play the game.
You can lower the risks. But you can't eliminate or fully control the risks.
That's not legal advice. That's the lesson I learned. And, fwiw, I didn't stop playing.
Even if you stop liquidating the cards you purchased, there's the chance the ones you have already liquidated were originally stolen.
Even if you purchased them in good face and had no knowledge of them being stolen, stolen is stolen.
Even if none of your cards were stolen, there is a nonzero chance you can be caught up as bycatch, if only due to LEO clumsiness and a bias to act first and sort out later.
Bottom line, either you are comfortable with there being unavoidable, uncontrollable risks ... or you don't play the game.
You can lower the risks. But you can't eliminate or fully control the risks.
That's not legal advice. That's the lesson I learned. And, fwiw, I didn't stop playing.
Jul 12, 14, 2:07 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 42
Originally Posted by Walmero
Hi All... some time lurker, first time poster. Thought I would throw up my datapoint on the RA GC for PPMC... I stumbled into this method not too long ago, tested it out with a 10.00 RA GC, saw you could make the purchase, and figured, why not go 500.00?
That worked out swimmingly as well... the first time. No hassle, just got the PPMC with 3 GC and left.
This time round, I got 1K in RA GC, 6 cards total. Well, it wound up being a run around town, stopped at probably 5 or 6 stores before I finally found a couple of clerks who didn't care and made the sale. All the others said some variation of you can't buy GC w/ GC, called over the manager, etc... one of the GCs wound up being short a few bucks as well, i guess you can't really trust the online sites.
Def. a bit nerve racking at the prospect of trying to figure out how to do all my shopping at RA for the next 10 years... people would have been getting a lot of candy bars, cough syrup, and crappy mp3 players for xmas. luckily I got rid of all the GC...
That worked out swimmingly as well... the first time. No hassle, just got the PPMC with 3 GC and left.
This time round, I got 1K in RA GC, 6 cards total. Well, it wound up being a run around town, stopped at probably 5 or 6 stores before I finally found a couple of clerks who didn't care and made the sale. All the others said some variation of you can't buy GC w/ GC, called over the manager, etc... one of the GCs wound up being short a few bucks as well, i guess you can't really trust the online sites.
Def. a bit nerve racking at the prospect of trying to figure out how to do all my shopping at RA for the next 10 years... people would have been getting a lot of candy bars, cough syrup, and crappy mp3 players for xmas. luckily I got rid of all the GC...
Other ways i've liquidated Low denomination GC - You can buy Beer/Liquor/Sodas/ice cream/ice for parties, Let the wifey go to town on whatever cosmetics she wants/needs, contact solution and eyedrops, TP, and whatever snacks you want during the day.
Jul 12, 14, 12:32 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 355
Originally Posted by nwflyboy
The police where you live must not have much real crime going on. I can not imagine any cops in the US caring the slightest about fraudulent gift card use at a chain store. Most places the cops don't have enough resources to deal with actual murders, armed robberies and general people beating the crap out of each other.
Suburban cops can, will and do show up for $20 grocery store shoplifiting arrests, so $500 is well within their "care zone". Chances are they responding to at least one shoplifting call a week, so they likely are already on a first name basis with the store managers. Ditto for pharmacies and shoplifting of alcohol or meds.
Likewise, in some cities there are enclaves where cops/fire/attorneys live due to residency requirements. They can be extremely territorial.
Sometimes they react based on the "broken window" approach to LE.
Sometimes because their wives, kids or neighbors work at the store.
Regardless of the connection, they take care of their own.
Jul 12, 14, 2:19 pm
#21
Formerly known as FTRox87
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: TX
Programs: AA/US 1M, AS, BA, CX, EK, EY, JL, KE, LH, NH, OS, QF, QR, TG, UA/CO | *$G
Posts: 1,428
yeah nwflyboy is way off base here. maybe he doesnt value money and thinks $500 is akin to TP. but many folks around the country dont even make that much a week, esp the ones working at these stores where this exact kinda fraud happens. maybe even the cop themselves. so get out of your MS bubble and get a grip on the actual value of $500 -- put it into perspective.
but anyways, all reported crime is meant to be taken seriously -- that is the law. you can call in a robbery and file a police report for your used, 2nd hand iPod worth maybe $50 and they WILL assign a detective to your case. I kid you not. an actual detective will follow up with you and anyone else you suspect might be in possession of your belongings if you can provide evidence.
but anyways, all reported crime is meant to be taken seriously -- that is the law. you can call in a robbery and file a police report for your used, 2nd hand iPod worth maybe $50 and they WILL assign a detective to your case. I kid you not. an actual detective will follow up with you and anyone else you suspect might be in possession of your belongings if you can provide evidence.
Jul 12, 14, 2:59 pm
#22
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 503
Originally Posted by seat17D
Suburban cops can, will and do show up for $20 grocery store shoplifiting arrests
Only way I can see the 5-0 being involved in this thread's situation is with drug type deals (which is why I mentioned Hemet)
