Watch out for self-checkout scam at Walmart

By Greg Collier

Recently, Walmart has courted controversy with their self-checkout kiosks. There’s been more than one story about how shoppers will notice there are no regular check out lanes open, and only the self-checkout lanes are available. Some will blame these situations on staff shortages with the mantra of ‘no one wants to work’. Others will blame Walmart themselves for allegedly trying to maintain or increase profit margins at the expense of their employees. The self-checkouts even figure into the recent accusations of price gouging by Walmart. Some have indicated that the self-checkouts have led to greater retail theft, which is referred to as shrinkage in the retail industry.

Now, we’re hearing about another issue with the self-checkout kiosks, which has a direct effect on consumers. Some Walmart shoppers who have used the kiosks have found additional amounts added to their bill for something they did not purchase. It’s not Walmart who’s adding these charges, though. As you’ve probably surmised, it’s scammers.

Scammers are going up to the self-checkouts and start the purchase of a pre-paid debit card, then leave the kiosk before the purchase is completed. They’re hoping that the next person who uses the kiosk won’t notice the additional charge as the victim starts scanning their items. If the victim completes the purchase, the scammer will empty the pre-paid debit card immediately, essentially stealing cash from the shopper.

When using a self-checkout kiosk, most of us aren’t even paying attention when we start scanning our groceries. Before scanning, make sure the screen is clear of any previous charges. If there are incomplete charges on the screen, use another kiosk or contact a store employee to void the previous purchase.