Want to Hear About Another Disturbing Welfare/Charity Scam? It Takes the Cake!

Emperor · Dec 18, 2014

So I hear about a an inquiry at a Baton Rouge Wal-Mart check out line where a person see two buggies full of toys. The person asks the cashier what the buggies full of toys are? The cashier tells the person it is returns. "Wow! That's lot of returns!" The cashier says that is just the returns that day. The inquisitive party seemingly surprised says, "people are returning toys already?" In reference of course to Christmas still being several days away?!? The cashier says it happens quite often and adds another interesting tidbit; Wal-Mart gives gift cards as refunds. Gift cards that can be used for any merchandise at the store.

Okay, so the people bought the toys and then decided they didn't want them. Right?

Wrong! This cashier goes on to explain that gift cards are usually turned right around to buy booze and tobacco products.

No harm there, it's there money! Right?

Wrong! Turns out that a good bit of these toys result from charities giving to lower income children for Christmas. You know, Toys for Tots, St Paul, Goodwill, Salvation Army, and a host of other charitable toy drives. The woman offers up that people are receiving the toys for their kids and bringing them there to be refunded to buy booze and tobacco.

Wtf? :eek3:

I thought about it and said, damn that's sad! But then I thought, what a genius way to game yet another wholesome well intended program. And then I thought, you know if these scumbags put that much thought and effort into being contributors and good parents, they could afford to by the toys for their kids and the vices for themselves with their own money!

I honestly never imagined that people are stooping to this level to get "Free ****!" I must be losing my touch!

whitsend · Dec 18, 2014

For many years myself and my coworkers organized a toy give a way for needy families.

We discontinued it when one year we had multiple instances of parent not bringing kids to see Santa and get their gifts like the program was set up.
But instead parents coming along, opening the gifts and complaining "that's all", when the gifts where small but from a list of needs submitted by the parent.

Some people you can't help.

LCPL 4 · Dec 18, 2014

Nothing new. People have been doing that for years. I did the Toys for Tots thing for about 10 years. Each year I saw more and more that put me off to the whole thing but I kept doing it hoping to reach the ones really in need. The returns were getting bad at the local Wal-Mart so we started to black out the UPC symbols or cut them off but that gets old quick and try explaining that to the volunteer baggers. People would double dip by going to one MC League on one end of the parish and then drive to the other end of the parish to get more. At least they could afford to waste gas.

Did you know that even though it says Marine Corps Reserves the TFT Foundation controls the money? It's non-profit but last I heard it was led by a bunch of retired officers pulling down some hefty salaries. Worse year was the one where I was trying to get scammed out of double the amount of toys usually given out while being told to wait with the finger in the air. I was trying to take down an application but she needed to finish her conversation on here brand new iPhone and hold the line up for everyone else. Helping put bags of toys into escalades, getting a woman with an attitude mad because we gave her 1 year old books such as Dr. Seuss and having to explain that the books are not for the child to read but for her to read to the child..... on and on. I finally threw in the towel when I just didn't see we were reaching anyone truly in need, just plenty taking advantage of the system. I guess I'm getting bitter as I age.

Untranslate · Dec 21, 2014

Try giving them a job. They will return that too!

Rainsdrops · Dec 21, 2014

So they return donated items to the store, where they were purchased, receive the fund from them, in gift cards. Use the gift cards to buy ********? That's royally f'd up

CatCam · Dec 21, 2014

This problem has a very simple solution.

These organizations, Toys for Tots, St Paul, Goodwill, Salvation Army, and any other charitable toy drives should take the toy out of the package and then give it to the "needy" -- this way they cannot return it to the stores.

Saintsfan6 · Dec 21, 2014

That is just terrible. It's sad because for every 1 person you help that actually uses the toys to give to their children, there are probably 10 that take advantage of the system. Sad times indeed. I agree with removing packaging or marking them to prevent return. You would think Wal Mart and other large stores could get involved to prevent this kind of bull.

au01st · Dec 21, 2014

CatCam said:
This problem has a very simple solution.

These organizations, Toys for Tots, St Paul, Goodwill, Salvation Army, and any other charitable toy drives should take the toy out of the package and then give it to the "needy" -- this way they cannot return it to the stores.

This is what I did last year. Friend of mine let me know about a family with some teenage kids that were going to have a crappy Christmas. I had just bought an Xbox One, so now I had my 360 collecting dust (I did still have the box because I keep those things). Gave the console, 2 controllers, a bunch of games, and everything needed to play to the friend and let her deal with wrapping. The console had a distinctive mark on one side from being carried around and occasionally being brought out to tailgate and play NCAA. Well the girl I was dating at the time was a manager at Hastings, so I would be in there regularly. I saw my console sitting for sale behind the glass. Got the name of the family I gave it to and confirmed that it was the same people/persons who traded it in. It was. They got store credit and bought a pair of Beats headphones (keep in mind it was for multiple kids versus one pair of headphones).

This year, instead of giving to someone in "need" I bought a new car. I still do volunteer work, but no more donations of material things.

Emperor · Dec 22, 2014

As I watched this story on the news, I couldn't get passed thinking how many of these kids' presents were going to be taken from them, and brought to Wal-Mart for booze and tobacco.

http://theadvocate.com/news/11110594-123/bishop-muench-aka-st-nick

I gave more thought to people's avarice and self-indulgence put over their own children and the good will of charitable people; than the story above of good will itself.

It's really sad.

MOTOR51 · Dec 22, 2014

There needs to be an agreement between these charities and the stores. Maybe charity could mark over the barcode and the stores would refuse to take them on return.

Emperor · Dec 22, 2014

MOTOR51 said:
There needs to be an agreement between these charities and the stores. Maybe charity could mark over the barcode and the stores would refuse to take them on return.

I really wonder if the charities are even aware of this?!? I am still stunned that I just found out about it. It really is a scam that should more exposed.

Now, if they took the kids toys and bought milk, or bread, or anything that they needed for food, I would be ok with that. Not Potato Chips either!

dantheman · Dec 22, 2014

If you donate a new toy , take a Sharpie and write " Donation " over the bar code .

Gus McCrae · Dec 22, 2014

It's rare that things just knock the wind out of my sails.... this is one of them.

MOTOR51 · Dec 22, 2014

dantheman said:
If you donate a new toy , take a Sharpie and write " Donation " over the bar code .

That's kinda what I was suggesting. I wish the stores could get on board

sportsbud · Dec 22, 2014

MOTOR51 said:
That's kinda what I was suggesting. I wish the stores could get on board

We can wish but that will never happen, there will always be the store that takes them back, I work for Academy and things are returned without the box all the time, there is no way to curb that, all I can hope is that there is a small amount of people taking advantage of the system vs. many people benefiting from it. Sadly it only take a few to really jack it up for the rest... Working retail I see this too often.

Emperor · Dec 23, 2014

sportsbud said:
We can wish but that will never happen, there will always be the store that takes them back, I work for Academy and things are returned without the box all the time, there is no way to curb that, all I can hope is that there is a small amount of people taking advantage of the system vs. many people benefiting from it. Sadly it only take a few to really jack it up for the rest... Working retail I see this too often.

Speaking of out of the box items, does Academy discount any of it to move it?

sportsbud · Dec 23, 2014

Emperor said:
Speaking of out of the box items, does Academy discount any of it to move it?

Yes and no, case by case basis...

Emperor · Dec 23, 2014

sportsbud said:
Yes and no, case by case basis...

How would one find out what is and what isn't?

The only thing Academy sells that I don't think I could ever find a use for is women's underwear; and I might be able to make a case for that too! :mamoru:

olivs260 · Dec 23, 2014

What's just as bad to me, is parents that do this. This was the only thing my little girl asked for this year. It's shameful to me that some of these people probably had bought the toy for their kids, and then decided NOT to give it to them because they could make a quick buck off of it just because they're out of stock everywhere.

http://www.amazon.com/Disney-Musical-Playset-Kristoff-Figures/dp/B00OZ6GNWO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1419360564&sr=8-3&keywords=disney+frozen+castle

hunter5567 · Dec 24, 2014

Another scam that they do at walmart and other stores is to go buy toys, TV's , or whatever and then go up there the next day or week with the receipt and put the same items in the shopping cart and then go return them with the receipt and get all their money back.

Want to Hear About Another Disturbing Welfare/Charity Scam? It Takes the Cake!

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