Beware! Another type of scam at Walmart

Just read this on Lakesidecrime.com - http://lakesidecrime.com/mustard/mustard_1028_2011.php


I had my purse in the cart at Walmart, when this elegant looking, short Mexican lady, around 50 asked me to reach something off the top shelf for her. I got her items for her. My cart was behind me and this only took less than 5 seconds. I was done with my shopping and went to the cashier in less than 5 minutes.

By the time I got to the cashier, I looked in my bag and realized my wallet had been taken. Within 15 minutes the "team" had purchased almost $10,000 pesos worth of merchandise at Soriana's. I was able to cancel my debit cards quickly so they were not able to use it anymore. They also got money, my drivers license, FM3, among other things that are going to be a big pain to replace.

My bank told me that if I had called them the second I knew it was missing, they would had time (maybe) to cancel the card before it was used. I drove to my bank immediately when I discovered my wallet missing- thank goodness and was able to cancel it before more damage was done.

So, please keep you bank's phone number stored in your phone and call them as soon as you realize your debit cards missing and never - not for a second, take your eye off your bag.

Granted this person was probably upset and excited by the incident but the thief would have had to be superhuman to get from Wally World to Soriana and rack up that much in the 15 minute window stated. Not saying that it did not happen.

Or there was an "inside" person at the other store who processed a transaction via a telephone call stating the card #..........

who knows! It could have been 12:15 by her watch - and then 12:30 on the transaction posted by the credit card provider in their time zone. Or Soriana's credit card transaction processor could have been in a different time zone. Probably sufficient to say shortly after it was stolen........:)

Sorry this happened to her but I'd never put my purse in a cart in any grocery store NOB or SOB.

Suffice to say that no one should ever allow anyone or anything to distract them while shopping. That's when thieves strike, anywhere in the world. Mustard, help me, do you know where such and such is. Forget it.

I don't leave anything of value in my cart - 20 years of living in NYC taught me. And I've actually watched and reported a lot of scams.

There has been one going on in Costco where a bunch of women surround you with their carts and bump you taking your wallet from wherever it is. I think they tried to pull it on me once and I just pushed my cart around them - was ready to leave the cart. I hadn't heard of the scam until later but I was suspicious because I'd never had that many carts around me anywhere.

Carry Bean wrote:Sorry this happened to her but I'd never put my purse in a cart in any grocery store NOB or SOB.

That is what I said too.

And low and behold one day at WalMart, I reached for my purse - and opps no purse. I had left in my cart - 2 aisles away. Obviously my mind was preoccupied with something else - I absolutely positively could not believe that I could have been so stupid. And my purse was thankfully sitting noticeably in my cart - for all to see - and everything was intact. (On the other hand, at SF Airport, I put it on the restaurant floor along side my chair - and that turned out to be an easy grab for some perp)

I was once given advice from a female police officer while shopping in Canada. She said to always get one of the carts with seat belts for kids. Hook the handles of your bag through the seatbelt and do it up. It slows the crooks down. However stealing your wallet is another issue which might be best served by carrying all your cash, cards and essential documents elsewhere.
You could go so far as to put a throwaway wallet in your bag or pocket so the crooks actually think temporarily that they got the goods. Enough time for you to report any suspicious activity. Just put in expired store credit cards, and some small bills around bits of paper. In that case the thieves can be caught red handed.

raqueteer wrote:I was once given advice from a female police officer while shopping in Canada. She said to always get one of the carts with seat belts for kids. Hook the handles of your bag through the seatbelt and do it up. It slows the crooks down. However stealing your wallet is another issue which might be best served by carrying all your cash, cards and essential documents elsewhere.
You could go so far as to put a throwaway wallet in your bag or pocket so the crooks actually think temporarily that they got the goods. Enough time for you to report any suspicious activity. Just put in expired store credit cards, and some small bills around bits of paper. In that case the thieves can be caught red handed.

We only carry cash for estimated purchase.....never ID....lock it in the trunk of car.....need more...get the wallet.....carrying ID is not neccesary BTW...sorry for your loss.....Honestly after 7 years here....never experienced these issues.

You can always revert to looking like a tourist and wear a fanny pack!

The only thing that looks dumber than a fanny pack is a tummy pack, but at least the thief would have to get more personal with the latter.

But then........there's the guys who leave their wallets in their back pants pocket.

"But then........there's the guys who leave their wallets in their back pants pocket."

I have to wonder how many of the guys carrying their wallets in their back pockets also complain of back problems? A chiropractor I once had told me that men carrying their wallets in their back pockets was a tremendous source of revenue for his trade! Think about it, wallet in your back pocket while driving, sitting in restaurants or simply sitting in a chair for extended periods offsets one side of your body. Either carry two of them, one for each back pocket or put in your front pocket or carry none at all.

[quote="gringal"]The only thing that looks dumber than a fanny pack is a tummy pack, but at least the thief would have to get more personal with the latter.

But then........there's the guys who leave their wallets in their back pants pocket.


Gringal you are right on....most of the guys I know, have a money clip, includes credit cards, cash and ID.....in their front pocket, where even Linda Lovlace couldn't reach it.....LMAO

CheenaGringo wrote:You can always revert to looking like a tourist and wear a fanny pack!

Jajaja........we call those a "fag bag". Not that there's anything wrong with that.........

CanuckBob wrote:

CheenaGringo wrote:You can always revert to looking like a tourist and wear a fanny pack!

Jajaja........we call those a "fag bag". Not that there's anything wrong with that.........

Bob, LOVE MY FAG bag....LMAO

carry a handbag that is hard to get into, one that zips, & ideally a flap over the zipper. & better than that a flap that has a closure. put the side w/the flap toward your body. never exposed. never put in a cart, it should never leave your shoulder. & it should always be closed. as for open air vegetable markets, take out a small change purse w/ some 20peso notes & change. keep it in jacket pocket, or pants pocket. i have never had a pickpocket, its just difficult to get into my things. also i shop when places are empty. never in crowds.

[quote="Jim W"]

gringal wrote:The only thing that looks dumber than a fanny pack is a tummy pack, but at least the thief would have to get more personal with the latter.

But then........there's the guys who leave their wallets in their back pants pocket.


Gringal you are right on....most of the guys I know, have a money clip, includes credit cards, cash and ID.....in their front pocket, where even Linda Lovlace couldn't reach it.....LMAO

The perps have learned. I used to keep everything in either my front pocket or in my money belt. On a crowded bus an individual preceded to distract me by stepping back and putting her full pressure of her heal on my foot which gave her accomplish enough time to take what was in my front pocket. Not enough to hurt me financially but enough to piss me off (driver license). Being “Gringo” we’re like light bulbs for these lower lives and the law enforcement could care less. When it comes to protecting your individual rights, you’re on your own, and as long as you understand this and take responsibility for it you will survive. The weather and cost of living more than makes up for it, and we all learn in time. I can only hope these little insights help others to learn a bit quicker.

I carry cash folded up and placed in my bra. I don't care what people think when I pull money out of my shirt. If I am wearing jeans, I may put it in my front pocket, but it just feels safer if it's in my shirt. I also carry my cell phone in my bra. Don't want that stolen. If I carry a purse, it is small, with a zipper, and a shoulder strap long e nough to wear it over my body. But, I now avoid purses, since I heard of the elderly lady who got hurt last year. She was outside of the Lake Chapala Society walking, when a guy grabbed the purse that was worn across her body. He was either riding a bike or running. He slammed her to the ground while trying to get the purse. She was injured. I think she had broken bones. Since then, I avoid wearing a purse. I use pockets for miscellaneous items. Cash and bank cards go in the bra.

Maybe there is an idea here for the men....some kind of man-bra for money and credit cards...........

I like Jim's comment about Linda L.
'Course, the guy might be enjoying the process so much he'd forget he was being robbed.

For a lot of the guys, there is the "wearable purse". AKA fishing or field photog. flak jacket. You know how it is: At 20, they just needed a wallet. At 40, they need to bring the glasses, and after 60 or so, they need to carry the hearing aids and/or a bunch of medications. Where the heck can they put it?
Enter: the wearable purse. Inside pocket; money clip over the heart.

Last night I went to a Halloween party and knew I would be putting my purse on the floor somewhere. Lot's of people in costume I didn't know - so my money went in my bra - at my age not a magnet for fishing around in. And left my wallet at home. Only took my license and car registration in a zipper compartment. Will probably be doing that from now on.

I have the same problem mentioned above - need my asthma medication, my pocket diary (or I don't know where to go), my cell phone (now I have it on my waist band) and money in my bra. Chashiers will probably get a kick out of that, and large sums of money will make me look well endowed!

Hey.......nothing wrong with the BANK OF BRA. 'Course, at a certain point, with a clingy top, those squared off boobies look kind of funny.

Let's hope this thread alerts at least a few women about wheeling around a shopping cart containing temptation for the scammers.

Too old for clingy tops. It's the digging in the bra for money that may shock some cashiers.

Maybe they think you got an itch. Or cooties?
The biggie here is: What do you do with the loose change?? Hopefully "trickle down" doesn't happen................