Information about protecting yourself from identity theft.

In-Store Security Scams

The con artist will ask the customer to pre-fill a credit application...

Another recent scam has involved con artists posing as in-store security agents. In this scam, the con artist asks a customer to help catch a bad employee. The con artist will then ask the customer to pre-fill a credit application to be given to the supposedly bad employee to help catch him in the act.

A similar scam is performed by a con artist who watches as a customer completes a credit application or attempts to pay for a purchase with a credit card. Before the cashier can call the application or credit card in for approval, the con artist, posing as security, calls the clerk aside and tells him that the customer is a thief, then asks to confiscate the application or card information.

Before agreeing to cooperate in situations as presented in these scams, be sure to verify the person you are talking to is a store employee. Furthermore, if a person or phone call interrupts during your transaction, be alert and check it out with store security.

Terms & Disclaimers