Aldi shopper issues warning over alleged checkout scam
An Aldi shopper has issued a warning to shoppers about an alleged scam she encountered at the checkout.
The 72-year-old shopper shared a post to popular Facebook page Aldi Fans Australia, where she recounted the “scam in action” that resulted in her paying for another customer’s bottle of whisky.
“I believe the following was a scam in action. I shopped in Aldi today and bought a bottle of wine and a few other items, all up around $20,” she began in her post.
“As my things were going through the checkout I noticed a bottle of whisky, a man’s belt and something else,” she explained.
The items on the conveyor belt belonged to the male shopper behind her, who did not speak up when the woman informed the Aldi cashier they were not hers.
“She was flustered, I was flustered and the guy wouldn’t eyeball me. He knew exactly what he was doing,” the woman explained.
The Aldi cashier eventually cancelled the items, only to then charge the shopper for the man’s whisky.
The woman was forced to return to the same store later and request reimbursement for the stranger’s bottle of spirits.
“I believe the guy did this purposely to confuse both the cashier and my senior self and I also believe he got the whisky free in the confusion,” she concluded.
Yahoo News Australia reached out to Aldi for comment and can confirm that the supermarket recommends using the dividers provided at the register to help separate shoppers’ groceries.
On the rare occasion that customers are accidentally charged for other items, they can return to the store for a full refund.
Aldi scam divides opinion between shoppers
Aldi fans were divided in the comments, with several shoppers pointing out that the incident could have been avoided by using a grocery divider.
“Easily happens when people don't use the grocery dividers,” wrote one shopper.
“This happens so many times a day. Probably just didn't use a divider and it was a mistake. I work at Aldi,” commented an Aldi employee.
Others said that perhaps the whole encounter was an honest “mistake” by the cashier and suggested shoppers always check their receipt before they leave the store.
“Always stop at the loading counter and check the receipt. Before you leave [the] store. Mistakes happen. Sometimes they even go your way,” wrote a shopper.
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However, not everyone was convinced that the incident was an innocent mistake and shared their own similar encounters.
“I had an older woman try to do that to me. She actually took the divider off the belt and added her things to mine, then was putting them in her bag after they had been scanned. Definitely trying to scam you,” wrote a disgruntled customer.
“This is what they do. Make a scene trying to confuse everyone then walk out with their stuff. I’ve seen this happen before but not at Aldi,” wrote another.
One Aldi fan also shared a similar incident at a petrol station, where another driver used her bowser number instead of his own to receive $100 off his petrol.
The scam victim wrote: “Went in to pay and I was the last car left at the bowser. The attendant said $150, but I’d only put $50 petrol in. The car next to me had given my bowser number to the cashier and paid $50 for $150 in fuel, then driven off before I got to the register to pay.”
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