Self-checkouts can be a godsend and also a nightmare.
For honest folks it’s a wonderful way to quickly scan an item and leave without waiting in long lines. However, it can also be a kleptomaniacs dream come true.
A Michigan woman is being charged after stealing multiple items from Walmart by not scanning all of her items at the self-checkout.
34-year-old TeddyJo Marie Fliam was using the self-checkout at an Alpena County Walmart when loss prevention workers noticed she wasn’t scanning every item.
Fliam became agitated and denied she was skipping items when confronted by a loss prevention worker and left the store.
Fliam’s crime caused the store to review its surveillance footage, which showed Fliam had stolen more than $1,000 in merchandise by not scanning it from the Walmart since April.
Fliam was arrested at her Alpena home last month and is charged with first-degree retail fraud.
The Alpena County Walmart’s loss prevention team has recently begun to crack down on thefts at the self-checkout, with Michigan State Police recording two similar incidents in which people were arrested after swapping barcodes while checking out items.
Walmart began using artificial intelligence to crack down on self-checkout thefts in 2019. They use cameras to make sure every item that has been bagged was scanned.
The system, known internally as Missed Scan Detection, can monitor both self- and manned checkout stations and reports potential missed scans to an attendant who can investigate.
“Walmart is making a true investment to ensure the safety of our customers and associates,” a Walmart spokesperson said at the time. “Over the last three years, the company has invested over half a billion dollars in an effort to prevent, reduce and deter crime in our stores and parking lots. We are continuously investing in people, programs and technology to keep our stores and communities safe.”
Maybe you should hire “cashiers” instead of letting customers scam you. You had to have seen this coming…
Thats that big corporate greed, ghost payrolling. You also should watch the pricing on the items you are buying. The last 2 times my wife and i were at walmart a couple items rang up more than the price that was below the item. Several years ago i seen their turkeys had a price of 68 cents each. I put 3 in our cart. I took a picture of the sign. We got to checkout and i told the assistant manager and showed her the price. I told her if i dont get them at the advertised price then i will sue Walmart. I got all 3 for 68 cents each.
Wow, you must be proud. Human error by the store and you took advantage. Any idiot knew it was a mistake – not cool because the rest of us pay for you to act the fool instead of alerting management to fix the sign.
if it says that price, it has to be honored, there mistake is not the consumers Fuckin problem.
Yeah, FUCK YOU Bonnie Donn!!! My dad says go drink some pickle juice to cure your clap!
I agree with you 100% I like the one on one at the check stand, I like talking to a human being not having to try to figure out a machine. What happened to the good old days when you got to the check out stand ( and if your like me you’ve been there enough, lol) and the checker smiles and says “ how’s your day going” I will not use a self check out and from what I’ve been hearing Walmart is going to complete self check outs and when that happens I’ll stop shopping at Walmart I don’t care if I have to spend a little more at the local market. Besides it’s worth the drive into the next town to shop at Winco.
I will never use a self checkout.. I go in to buy their products not to go to work. They may be losing money from people who doesn’t scan all items but they are making more money by not hiring cashiers.
I agree Fred. My local grocery store knows because I’m there 3 to 4 times a week doing my shopping plus my clients (seniors) but I will never use the self check out. We’ve had good discussion and I told them one I don’t want a second job and two if I’m gonna pay the inflated grocery price I pay somebody’s going to work. When they see me in the store down ready to check out most of the time one of the managers will wave me over to his self check out and check me out. I’m very respectful and make sure I thanked them for their service and tell them I’ll see you in a couple days.
Probably should have hired some cashiers and pay them a decent salary or your customers should be given something for being a cashier. But, no you want us to work for free!! So you should expect this to happen! I t won’t be me because I like my freedom and reputation too much but, I’m sure there are plenty of people that don’t care!
Walmart wants it both ways. They don’t want to pay you to check yourself out and they want you to do it their way. Y’all made BILLIONS of dollars every year and now you don’t want to hire cashiers. Shame on you cheapskates.
The extra money Walmart makes by not having cashiers is paying the corporate big wigs salary raises while they keep treating their employees like crap and customers wonder why they cannot find any help when shopping.
So….They treat you like a criminal while they make you work for your purchase. Way to go Wally World!
If the shoe fits…
I dislike Walmart, they have cause many small businesses to have to close their doors. Now days you don’t have much of a choice, but Walmart. They want you to self checkout and expect you to do a good job doing so. Then they want to check you ticket at the door. That is a bunch of B.S. just know if you know for sure you have scanned everything you do not have to show your ticket. I tell them, I checked out on number 18 and if you want to see my ticket, go look and I keep on walking. They will not chase you to the car, cause then they are making the accused a victim. Law suits! If more customers would stop using the self check outs and go checkout with a employee, have the patience to wait in line, which is discussed wait time, maybe then they will see the forced efforts they put on their customers. However Walmart doesn’t care about the customers or employees. It’s all about the mighty dollar, and how they can scam you!
Yes, if people would stop using self checkout, the line would back up and force walmart to call employees to the registers. People are in such a big hurry now days they don’t think about walmart putting people out of work.
I will not use the self scanners!! I don’t like them.. They have put thousands of people out of work.. I have seen many people not scan at several stores.. I know it is a big write off for many of these stores..
That was probably true a few years ago;
but, these days so many do not want to
return to work, after the epidemic, because
Biden is giving them more to stay home
than many small businesses can afford to
pay. Crazy times!
I was using the self-checkout at the Altoona, PA store and because I have screws and plates in my lower back, I would scan my items and set them aside until I had several to bag. The head person that was in charge of the self checkout came over to my screen and interrupted my scanning so she could rewind the video and watch if I scanned what I put in the bag. I should have sued them for the embarrassment alone. I’ll never use their self checkout again.
They don’t understand how hard it is for seniors to bend over and bag each individual item. Especially when you have over three hundred dollars of merchandise in your cart.
well I live in Wisconsin and 2 different Walmart’s are the topic of my comment. Anyway, when I got home the 1st incident occurred when I was looking at my receipt and I had a charge of $9.99 and bar code was 0000000000111 or similar to that. So when I called and complained I very quickly got a refund when I had to go back to store! Then the exact same charge and barcode once again, with exact same refund!. So this leads me to believe this is done alot! imagine how many people don’t touch or look over the receipts! NOW THAT IS ALOT OF MONEY wALMART IS SCAMMING FOLKS OUT OF! START CHECKING YOUR RECEIPTS FROM EVERY WHERE!