EB Games idiocy

[Lerxt]

Check this out:

I am a middle school teacher in a wealthy private school. In order to discourage parents from giving reachers abnormally large gifts around the holidays, the parents put all their gift giving money into a pool, and then the teachers get together and have a raffle, and take home various prizes. Some include weekend stays at their vacation homes, gift certificates, ect...

I was lucky and pulled $500 cash. It came in the form of an Am-ex traveler's check. So, being the video game addict I am, I decide it's time to buy myself a PS2 (the third time around) so I can play FF XII, MLB 06 The Show, God of War, ect. After all, it's free, and I have a 360 as well, so why not?

I present my Am-ex travelers check to the *** clown at EB games. He tells me he has to call his manager. He informs me that they won't take this form of payment, unless it's under $100. So, I say, "ok, I'll just use my credit card and deposit the traveler's check in the bank."

I'm ringing out, and a police officer comes into the store. I think nothing of it. As I am leaving, the police officer stops me and informs me that EB Games called the police and accused me of trying to pay with a fake traveler's check. It seems that this employee has received an anonymous email stating that fake traveler's checks are being floated.

My conversation with the police lasts about 10 minutes. I show him my ID and my school ID. I explain where I got the check, and he decides that I'm telling the truth, which of course, I am.

I can understand this employee suspecting that I am floating a fake check. What I can't understand is why he didn't just call American Express, give them the serial number on the check, and verify whether it's real or not. Instead, he jumps right into calling the police, presumably to have me arrested for getting a Christmas bonus.

Needless to say, I was extremely angry. I am planning on writing a letter to EB games corporate office and to the individual store itself. This is just another example of how EB Games treats their customers. This won't happen to me again. I will never buy another thing from EG Games or Gamestop, ever.

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: EB Games idiocy

This won't happen to me again. I will never buy another thing from EG Games or Gamestop, ever.

If that happened to me, that would be the new name of it...

[CaptainZombie]

Re: EB Games idiocy

If that happened to me, that would be the new name of it...

ExtremeGamers..........................ExtremeGame stop

[WTF]

Re: EB Games idiocy

I wouldn't put up with that AT ALL man..

And :y4: At EG Games...

[USF11]

Re: EB Games idiocy

Needless to say, I was extremely angry. I am planning on writing a letter to EB games corporate office and to the individual store itself. This is just another example of how EB Games treats their customers. This won't happen to me again. I will never buy another thing from EG Games or Gamestop, ever.

I would write a letter I bet you would get a gift card or something. Throw in something like you shop there all the time, there where alot of people around and how embrassed you were. More free games for you.

[Rodster]

Re: EB Games idiocy

I would write a letter I bet you would get a gift card or something. Throw in something like you shop there all the time, there where alot of people around and how embrassed you were. More free games for you.

Actually it's even more serious than that. If he suffered emotional distress he can easily file a lawsuit.

[Altimus]

Re: EB Games idiocy

I would write a letter I bet you would get a gift card or something. Throw in something like you shop there all the time, there where alot of people around and how embrassed you were. More free games for you.

Or a letter regarding just how sorry they feel.

[chippered]

Re: EB Games idiocy

Check this out:

I am a middle school teacher in a wealthy private school. In order to discourage parents from giving reachers abnormally large gifts around the holidays, the parents put all their gift giving money into a pool, and then the teachers get together and have a raffle, and take home various prizes. Some include weekend stays at their vacation homes, gift certificates, ect...

What kind of degree did you get to do that professionally?

or

I know I wouldnt want you around my kids...no wonder they called the cops.

But seriously folks...That is total BS. What a crappy way to handle the situation. Did the manager call the cops? If anyone should've known how to deal with the situation, it would've been him/her. How lame to call the cops and make it out into an embarassing situation for you. I hope you get something out of this after you write the company. Good luck, keep us updated.

[thelwig14]

Re: EB Games idiocy

Actually it's even more serious than that. If he suffered emotional distress he can easily file a lawsuit.

No, because nothing EB did was unreasonable, nor was the police officer acting unreasonably. Idiotic, of course, but not unreasonable.


To the OP, write a letter and you will easily get something from corporate. Just make sure you stress you are a teacher.

[McLite]

Re: EB Games idiocy

I understand you are upset but more than likely the employee was acting on the business' best and pure interests at heart. More than likely he did not know you, your profession, or your school and had no malice in his decision to phone the police. As I tell people constantly when they start to get huffy while I'm patting them down or going through their belongings..."I don't know you from a can of paint." It confuses some of them but the rest it usually gives them a understanding from my side and they calm back down. I don't think the clerk was out to get you...he was just probably unfamiliar with your check and didn't think to call a contact number...and his worst fear was having to sit down with the manager later that evening and explain why he let someone walk out with $500 worth of stuff on a computer printed check.

As a cop I respond to fraud cases all the time...especially since I work on the Strip. I more than understand how "good" citizens like yourself usually feel uncomfortable and embarrassed when dealing with the police, especially when they are being accused of a crime. At least from the way it sounds they handled it quickly and professionally and let you go within a short amount of time.

Also remember that Christmas is the best time of the year for fraud. Tis the season to be theiving! Fake checks, price switchers, quick change artists...they love the hustle and bustle and temp employees who are just trying to keep the lines moving. I worked retail for 7 years while I was in college...yes I was in college for 7 years and loved it...and we got a ton of emails/notices from corporate, from law enforcement, and from watchdog agencies alerting us to the "new and improved" fakes and phonies every holiday season.

I would write EB Headquarters if you feel strongly, but not the store. The store usually doesn't have the power or the ability. Just tell corporate that you were walking in willing to spend $500 at one of their stores and was denied. Let them know their employees should be better trained to contact phone numbers listed on back of cards/checks to check validity instead of going straight to law enforcement. Let them also know that law enforcment is busy enough during the season that their time shouldn't have been spent as well!

Maybe you'll get a nice coupon or gift certificate out of it. Thus ends my letter...back to NCAA Football and may god grant me the ability to actually beat Ohio State this season in my Wisconsin dynasty.