I was taught to always keep the tendered bill in plain sight, but out of the customer’s reach, while making change. Only after the customer receives the change did the original tender get put in the drawer. That way, there was no question of what you were making change for; and if seen by all (customers, other staff, managers) to be done for every transaction, makes it very difficult to believe anybody who comes back later, claiming they got change for a $10 when they gave you a $50.
Scamming has rewards beyond just the monetary compensation for a scammer that regular employment cannot offer (or at least cannot offer to the stereotypical scammer, who in the best case would only qualify for fast food or retail positions–not that formally-educated people never become scammers, but that’s usually not the case).
- You’re your own boss.
- The money you make isn’t taxable–it’s pure profit.
- Being good at scamming requires a certain amount of fast-talking and mental gymnastics, which to a scammer reinforces their belief in their superiority over others.
There are very likely also scammers who have honest day jobs, but don’t get enough hours (or pay) to satisfy them.
It sounds like you’re trying to imply that a person EITHER wants to earn an honest living OR wants to be a scammer. And that’s a false dichotomy, it’s very possible for one person to do both. These kinds of scams don’t generally pull in a huge amount of money, so it’s unlikely that they are the primary “job” for said scammers.
plus she probly put it towards an eight ball
This very thing happened to me. Dude bought a coffee, and paid with two singles. As I gave him his change, he casually looked away, and said, “Can I get the rest of my change?” I told him he only gave me two singles, and he knew the last three digits of the serial number on the twenty. I felt odd, but hadn’t been paying too close attention, so I gave him the balance.
Lucky for me, he just happened to be my last customer of the shift. So when I came up short $18 and change, I knew that fucker got me.
Eve better, he tried again about a month later. EXACT same clothes, mannerisms, words used. I recognized him immediately. So when he asked me for the rest of his change, I said “No way, you scammed me out of twenty bucks before, not again.” He swore up and down that he had never been in the store before, blah blah blah. I invited him to call the cops and have them get his money back. Finally, he said, “Well, can I at least have my $1.39 back so I can take the bus?”
Even better, he tried again, with a different cashier. Of course, I had warned everybody that he was working the area, and he failed again.
Joe
You realize, of course, that for this trick to work, he had to have a confederate, whom you seem to have overlooked.
So the next time he comes in, while you’re watching him like a hawk, he and his confederate will have switched roles, and you’ll be watching the wrong guy. Just think about that.
I haven’t “overlooked” anyone - I don’t have any idea what the confederate looks like. And if this guy comes in and DOESN’T pull the same trick, you think I won’t be hyper aware of my surroundings? Just think about that.
Joe
Well that’s the idea, make the amount small enough so you get it but won’t really cause harm. My manager said “Mark, just be careful when you count.” That was it, not much of a discussion and I didn’t even get a written warning. Of course, I’m only there for Christmas, and and I’m sure a notation of my shortage was made, but ten dollars is big enough for a scam but not big enough to cause a major problem.
And she could even take the item back in 30 days and get cash back for her three dollars at our store.
On the other hand in a six hour shift I took in just under $8,000 in cash tonight. Sold 4 laptops to one guy who paid cash for them all, just under $3,000 in cash.
So much for the recession huh? LOL
On the plus side my drawer balanced to the penny 
(at least for tonight)
The same thing happened to me once years ago when I was working retail. I figured out what was going on after a few ‘transactions’, but I had already lost track of things so I just told the guy “You have your change, you need to go now”. I think I was out $10 at the end of the night. I told the manager as soon as it happened and she was understanding about it. I think it happens to almost everyone once; the big thing is to make sure it never happens a second time.
Here’s a clip of Frank Abagnale (“Catch Me If You Can”) demonstrating that trick to a reporter in 1980 (at about 1:32).
Damn, that guy was smooth.
I think she’s using it to buy gift baskets for the poor. Either that, or sending it to one of the Feed the Children kids that she’s sponsoring. 
Best wishes, and Merry Christmas!
hh
Who memorizes the last three digits of the serial number on the twenty except for scammers?
I had someone try this on my second day as a casino cashier. I was following protocol and recognized what they were trying from years of working as a retail cashier, so I was able to cancel the transaction, give them their money back and alert security. The nice thing was that all cash was counted out in a particular order, laid out in a particular way and every transaction was entirely completed before a new one was started. The customer didn’t like that and when she started loudly demanding different change and touching the bills on the counter before I was done with my count, I was glad to still be in possession of her original $100 bill. It pissed me off- it was obvious that I was in training and she was happy to try and take advantage of that. Screw you, lady.
What he’s saying is that just a customer or two earlier a friend of his paid you with a twenty of which the scammer knew the last three digits of the serial number. Next time the friend will be the one to pull the stunt.
My suggestion, when this happens again, would be to say “Sir, I know for a fact you gave me _____, if you’re sure you have me this twenty, of which you for some reason you know the serial number on, we can call the police and I’ll have the manager pull the security tapes and we can all sit and watch them together.” Most likely he’ll make up some excuse to leave.
This thread reminds me of something. Whenever I train a new employee, I go through some basic counterfeit checking tips. One of which, the most important in fact, “NEVER LET THE BILL LEAVE THE CUSTOMER’S SIGHT” It drives me up the wall one someone brings a bill into the backroom and asks me to double check it. “Ummm, you realize even if it is fake, the customer is going to claim you switched it in the backroom”
It’s just as bad as when I walk by and see them checking them all later on when they have a few minutes…“Ummm, what are you going to do if one of them is fake? You have no one to hand it back to. I guess, you’ll have to buy it from me since you should have done this in front of the customer like I taught you”
Well, sure, now you tell me…
Joe
The confederate was the one that set the scam up, by paying with the special bill a transaction before without attracting attention. How else do you think it got in the register?
If they swap roles, you will be watching the wrong guy.
Yes. I will be watching the wrong guy.
First.
Then, when the expected scammer (who I recognize) doesn’t try the scam, I will note that fact, and say to myself, “Self, that guy might be up to the same trick as before. Maybe I should pay attention to the bill he uses to pay me with. So that when unknown scammer B comes in, I’ll be ready.”
Or something like that.
Joe
Good luck!
On a related topic, there is a movie, now apparently out of print, called Harry in Your Pocket, with James Coburn and Trish Van Devere. It is a textbook case of how pickpockets work and how they interact with confederates who try hard not to look like confederates.