Unusual requst outside Lidl supermarket

johndaman66

Hi folks on the Biz forum. Some of ye may be able to provide me with more information on a rather unusual request I got as I left a Lidl supermarket today. I was asked by a guy with a clipboard for my receipt. Didn't think too much of it at the time, was only half clued in, just walked on my merry way. Dawned on me a short while later why the hell did he want it and it has being baffling me a small bit since. I appreciate I should have asked him, himself at the time but I didn't! I was actually stopped in the carpark for quite a while eating a sandwich before I went into the shop and saw he was there for quite a while approacing everyone who exited the shop. Anyone had a similar request lately or hazard a guess as to what his game might have being?

thebullkf

johndaman66 wrote: »

Hi folks on the Biz forum. Some of ye may be able to provide me with more information on a rather unusual request I got as I left a Lidl supermarket today. I was asked by a guy with a clipboard for my receipt. Didn't think too much of it at the time, was only half clued in, just walked on my merry way. Dawned on me a short while later why the hell did he want it and it has being baffling me a small bit since. I appreciate I should have asked him, himself at the time but I didn't! I was actually stopped in the carpark for quite a while eating a sandwich before I went into the shop and saw he was there for quite a while approacing everyone who exited the shop. Anyone had a similar request lately or hazard a guess as to what his game might have being?

scam. (i think)


report him to LIDL . Apparently they get your laser card number off it..or somesuch.
i don't really know but it defo rings a bell as its been done before.
let him spend soething,get his own receipt.

Davy

I have seen this before, it was a lady in for 40-50's that asked me. Afaik the card number thing was changed, It doesn't display the whole number anymore. Its probably just some market research bull ****

Millicent

thebullkf wrote: »

scam. (i think)


report him to LIDL . Apparently they get your laser card number off it..or somesuch.
i don't really know but it defo rings a bell as its been done before.
let him spend soething,get his own receipt.

I was thinking scam in another way. This was a well-known one in my retail days. Get a receipt from the bin or wherever, go into the store, pick up a few of the most expensive items on the list and return them for a cash refund. Not the hardest thing to do in a busy store.

On the other hand, it could be something innocent but I'd have suspicions.

GerardKeating

johndaman66 wrote: »

Hi folks on the Biz forum. Some of ye may be able to provide me with more information on a rather unusual request I got as I left a Lidl supermarket today. I was asked by a guy with a clipboard for my receipt. Didn't think too much of it at the time, was only half clued in, just walked on my merry way. Dawned on me a short while later why the hell did he want it and it has being baffling me a small bit since. I appreciate I should have asked him, himself at the time but I didn't! I was actually stopped in the carpark for quite a while eating a sandwich before I went into the shop and saw he was there for quite a while approacing everyone who exited the shop. Anyone had a similar request lately or hazard a guess as to what his game might have being?

Used to be a notice in the local ALDI a few years back, warning people collecting receipts and asking customers not to hand them over, it never said why. I kind of assumed it as some price checking...

johndaman66

Thanks for replies folks. It does seem rather dodgy alright. If he was doing market research it was hardly an appropriate manner. Worse still in the unlikely event he was looking for credit card numbers thats pretty dodgy alright. I paid in cash for my groceries though. It was actually silly of me not to quiz him. I'll be back there again over the next few days so if I see him again I'll certainly be asking him a few questions.

johndaman66

GerardKeating wrote: »

Used to be a notice in the local ALDI a few years back, warning people collecting receipts and asking customers not to hand them over, it never said why. I kind of assumed it as some price checking...

Hmmm, I wonder would not be just as easy if not easier, although perhaps a bit odd looking to go in around the shop with a notepad and write down prices. Having said that asking people for receipts outside a supermarket is pretty odd all the same.

Sponge Bob

Market Research by Iceland ....probably.

foggy_lad

I have seen people at this in carlow too at Lidl and Aldi, Lidl had them removed immediately as they were in their car park, but at Aldi Hanover they were waiting on the public footpath just beside the door.

Afaik it is market research and there is an old thread here where it is mentioned before.

scotchy

It’s the IMF trying see how skint we really are.

.

coylemj

OP, did he keep the receipt or just look at it and hand it back?

johndaman66

coylemj wrote: »

OP, did he keep the receipt or just look at it and hand it back?

He kept the receipt coylemj.

Domscard

Maybe a long shot, but there's a new competition in Lidl with a prize of a Punto car - you have to include a till receipt (above €10) number for each entry Maybe the guy is maximising his chances?

Our man in Havana

Millicent wrote: »

I was thinking scam in another way. This was a well-known one in my retail days. Get a receipt from the bin or wherever, go into the store, pick up a few of the most expensive items on the list and return them for a cash refund. Not the hardest thing to do in a busy store.

On the other hand, it could be something innocent but I'd have suspicions.

It is a scam to defraud the shop of cash. As said they get a recent receipt i.e. yours and they seek refunds on items picked up in the shop. It is quite an old scam.

the_syco

Our man in Havana wrote: »

It is a scam to defraud the shop of cash. As said they get a recent receipt i.e. yours and they seek refunds on items picked up in the shop. It is quite an old scam.

IIRC, it'll only work on cash purchases? As purchases paid by credit-card or laser gets the money put back to the card, but only if you have the card with you? I may be wrong, though, but I'm pretty sure you need the card if you pay by the card.

Our man in Havana

You are correct. A refund of a card purchase would require the card. So it only works on cash purchases.

chocolatepan

A guy was doing the same outside my local Aldi, he had a Nielsen badge - it's just market research!

the groutch

chocolatepan wrote: »

A guy was doing the same outside my local Aldi, he had a Nielsen badge - it's just market research!

a bit sceptical, but badges are forgeable

the_syco

chocolatepan wrote: »

A guy was doing the same outside my local Aldi, he had a Nielsen badge - it's just market research!

There's a saying "a fool is easily parted from it's money". No offence, but if you take this at face value, everyone else is probably doing the same, and he has lots of "market research" done...

Our man in Havana

I doubt most members of the public would know what a genuine Nielsen badge looks like.

rubadub

If you ever saw a bloke in tesco picking up receipts left at the checkout it could have been me looking for BOGOF big mac vouchers! :pac:

I would have thought this was market research, I never saw my CC info printed on a receipt.

If I was going to scam a shop by going in and picking up items I would not be looking for them off customers who might easily report you, I would be looking for discarded ones. If I was to ask for them I would only be looking for people carrying out electronics etc, not like you are going to bother returning a 6 pack of beer, and anybody with expensive enough items is not likely to hand over a receipt as its their warranty. Its not like they could keep repeat the scam all day long.

hughowen

Tis market research alright. I know a few people that worked there and I know one of the bosses. There's no other reason really anyone would look for a receipt and I am pretty sure the shop would have them arrested if there was anything bad going on
Hugh

noodler

I can't believe people hand over receipts for goods they purchased to be completely honest.

Assassin saphir

This is a scam, seen it done where i work. Not gonna tell you how its done cos you might rip off the shop where i work:D

wmpdd3

Many people go along the checkouts in Tesco and in the car park looking for reciepts to collect clubcard points.

maringo

I handed over my receipt outside Aldi in Ashbourne during the week - I thought it was an Aldi employee - I feel very stupid now

johndaman66

hughowen wrote: »

Tis market research alright. I know a few people that worked there and I know one of the bosses. There's no other reason really anyone would look for a receipt and I am pretty sure the shop would have them arrested if there was anything bad going on
Hugh

Just curious as to who this market research is being carried out on behalf of hughowen. If it was a competitor I doubt Lidl would be best pleased with this and I was asked for receipt on Lidl owned ground. If it was for Lidl itself I would certainly imagine they have already collected this information when my goods passed through the checkout. Little point employing somebody to do the same job outside the door again?

noodler wrote: »

I can't believe people hand over receipts for goods they purchased to be completely honest.

You are very very correct noodler and I can see that in retrospect. I should have at least asked why or who he worked on behalf of and even asked to see a badge.

maringo wrote: »

I handed over my receipt outside Aldi in Ashbourne during the week - I thought it was an Aldi employee - I feel very stupid now

I wouldn't worry too much about it maringo. Anybody can be caught out in such a situation, specially with the fast paced lifes we lead these times. Its not as if serious harm is likely to unfold as a result and you will be wiser next time your asked...

rubadub

noodler wrote: »

I can't believe people hand over receipts for goods they purchased to be completely honest.

Do you also find it unbelievable when you see people leave receipts behind, or bin them straight outside the shops?

Do you shred your own receipts to make sure nobody rooting through your bins could get them?

I can't believe people are so paranoid TBH.

claire983

Its defo a scam, was in the newspapers a few months ago. Something to do with the numbers on the receipt if you use your card

ThisRegard

You're all cynics. Don't think it's a scam, it's market research. Rival supermarkets do it, they can either do as what's happening here, i.e. collect receipts to see buying habits and the price of goods, or else they send employees around to a selection of supermarkets with a fixed list of what to buy and they then keep the receipts so they can use them as proof when they post their price comparison ads in the media.

At most you only see either the first 4 or last 4 digits of your card on a receipt, and that's your credit/laser card receipt, you can do nothing with it.

johndaman66

^^Still hardly practice that could be condoned ThisRegard. Would you not agree? It was on Lidl owned ground too. If I'd known any better and it was a Tesco staff member I'd have being into Lidl especially quick againa to highlight what was going on.

jaffa20

Don't see how this could possibly be a scam. The last 4 digits of your CC/Laser number means nothing to anybody. It's simply market research. Happened to me a few years ago outside lidl and i always use my card to pay.

Keith186

Our man in Havana wrote: »

I doubt most members of the public would know what a genuine Nielsen badge looks like.

I'm gonna turn up with my FBI badge tomorrow.

Female Breast Inspector :eek:

MistyCheese

Good call. Let someone else be the Male Breast Inspector.

fehenry

Our man in Havana wrote: »

It is a scam to defraud the shop of cash. As said they get a recent receipt i.e. yours and they seek refunds on items picked up in the shop. It is quite an old scam.

That may very well be the case but it intrigues me that it appears that those who look for receipts target only Aldi and Lidl customers. I would imagine that both concerns are as security-conscious as any of the other leading supermarket concerns.

ThisRegard

johndaman66 wrote: »

^^Still hardly practice that could be condoned ThisRegard. Would you not agree?

But they're doing nothing wrong.