I have a quick question.

Sorry if this is in the wrong topic.

Can a customer make a credit card purchase then return the purchase to get credit onto a different credit card than that was originally used for the purchase?

Thanks,
D

no.  no way.

ar-jedi

I didn't think so....  I think a customer has tricked one of our employees to issue the credit on a different card.

What is the best coarse of action at this point?

Contact the customer to come back to correct or I'll notify the authorities?


Thanks,
D

1: document EXACTLY what happened...  the purchase (item, amount, and date), the original card (name, numbers, expiration, approval ID), the return (item, amount, and date), the different card (name, numbers, expiration, approval ID).

2: contact the fraud line(s) at the first and second card issuers.  verbally provide them the info above, and advise them that an after-the-fact review of what happened indicates something may be amiss here with either the cards (stolen) or the cardholder.  advise them you can follow up with copies/scans of the written documentation on the transactions (register receipts, etc) but for now you will keep the originals.

3: do not contact the customer.

4: call the local PD and provide them the documentation in step 1 above, and advise them that you have contacted the fraud lines of both cards in step 2 above.  other than "taking a report" there is not much else they can or are going to do.  BUT if the person involved in the transaction is eventually found to be breaking the law, which may or may not be the case given what you know right now, the fact is that there will be a police report on what happened from your viewpoint.

the above covers you in terms of event documentation, in terms of advising the credit card issuer(s) of some potential funny business, and in terms of law enforcement.  
i don't think that contacting the customer is going to do anything for you, and is just going to open up another can of worms.

5: train your cashier that if a request for credit smells/looks funny, to delay and get you or another manager.

ar-jedi

with an exception, I think.
we had a card stolen, so the re-issue was a different number.
I went to return something that was charged on the card that was stolen and they credited back the new card that I had on me.
same company though. so I wasn't trying to go to a different account.

I don't recall the retailer, but they didn't seem to have an issue with that.

I will do this.

Thank you!!

I believe this is not the case in my situation.

Thank you for the replies!

D

High priced item?

I guess I could see if it was a large purchase there could be the potential for some funny business but if someone is returning something for twenty bucks who cares. I am not in retail so I guess I am not privy to all the fraud games people try.

It is likely that the credit company that did the charge-back for a return will reject the charge-back and the customer won't get their money.

It happened to me once (as a customer). I bought something; wife returned it not realizing what card I had used and they had to physically swipe the card. She gave them the wrong one (not her fault) and they swiped it. That credit company refused the charge-back even though the small credit card machine gave a print-out that the transaction was successful. It turned into a big hassle because the place where we returned the item refused to listen to what had happened. They said, "No, the machine said it went through, we have the slip of paper to prove it". We argued and offered to let them look at our credit card statement to verify that it was denied. They wouldn't have any of. We ended up disputing the charges on the card that was used to make the purchase and won. The purchasing card refunded the ENTIRE purchase to us even though it was only 1 item that was returned.

I cannot say for certain that it will happen in your case, but there is a chance it will happen...