Most Wal-Marts no longer cash random money orders, mostly because of fraud concerns. My store in particular once had a supervisor approve cashing two $1500 money orders which turned out to be fake. You figure she would have notice that they had the EXACT same serial number and the paper came straight out of a printer ... but no.
The only money orders we cash are MoneyGram receives, because those come out of the machine, I get the customer to sign it and then put the money order under my till. IT IS NOT COUNTERFEIT BECAUSE IT NEVER LEFT MY SIGHT!
For whatever reason, customers tend to get VERY upset when they realize that they can't cash any old money order at Wal-Mart -- and these past few days I saw some of the most maltreated pieces of paper I've ever seen in my life.
It has been my experience that two types of people use money orders -- those who can't get a bank account -- and those who won't.
It is the types that won't get a bank account (probably because they are the total "live off the grid" types) that cause me the most headaches.
This granola granny came up to me Saturday and wanted to cash a money order. You know the type. Brown work pants, environmentally friendly recycled-tire sandals, T-shirt from some enviro-lefty-politico-shaman-love-fest, hair that seriously needed a good washing, rumpled recycled Army camo backpack, no makeup and saggy boobs down to her belly button.
Buddha bless granola grannies -- and all the save the Earth types -- but the "I'm a defender of the planet so you should worship me" entitlement attitude wears thin.
She's got a $13 money order that for whatever reason she didn't use and says "I want to cash this."
ME: "Ma'am, we do not cash money orders. I'm sorry. You can cash it at a post office or deposit it into your bank account."
HER: "Why not."
ME: "It is because of fraud concerns."
HER: "Why can't you cash mine? It's good."
ME: "Ma'am. We do not cash money orders. Any money orders."
HER: "Well what am I supposed to do with this?"
ME: "Ma'am, you can deposit it into your bank account. Or cash it somewhere else."
HER: "Can I pay for some stuff with it?"
ME: "No ma'am. That's the same as cashing it. We do not accept money orders as payment."
HER: "That's not fair."
ME: "Ma'am, I'm sorry I can't help you."
HER: "So you're telling me you won't cash this, even though it is good?"
ME: "Ma'am, I can't cash it for you. You're going to have to go to a bank or a post office."
HER: "I don't want to go to a bank. I don't have a bank account. And they always charge fees. And so you're telling me that basically I'm going to lose $13 right here?"
ME: "Ma'am, I can't cash it for you. If you need that money, you're going to have to go somewhere that will cash it."
HER: "I just lost $13 because you won't help me. Thanks for nothing."
And she stomps off and leaves.
I hope she gets a paper cut from freaking thing.
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22 comments:
It's cool to be a granola granny and live off the grid, I guess, but doesn't patronizing Wal-Mart at all defeat the whole purpose? Wal-Mart is totally The Man.
You are a prejudicial douche.
Why do all of your customers have exactly the same voice? It's because that's what you want them to sound like. Say no with some force, and they won't do this.
You invite them to fight with you.
Quit your job or quit your bitching.
Well, if everyone had to quit their jobs or quit their bitching, NO ONE in the WORLD would work. Stop the name calling and criticism or go read and comment elsewhere.
I just love the, "it's not fair" people. The world has way too damn many of them any more. It's all of this bs attitude that we need to coddle and handle people with care instead of being blunt and honest, which is what people need (that and a swift kick up the ass).
Type on, Wal-Mart blogger, type on. Everyone has their detractors. How in the name of whoever does this post make you, "prejudicial"? Like I've said before, people love to throw out the, "you're racist/prejudiced/discriminating" card without knowing wtf they're even boohooing about.
Waaaaaaahhh
Waaaaaaahhh
Waaaaaahhhh
What's that sound? It's the Waaaaaaaaaahambulance!
I don't understand how granny is out the 13 bucks on a good money order when she can drag her earthy butt somewhere that will cash the thing.....Hmmmm....
FYI MAvenofmoxie: being honest and blunt with passive-aggressive personality types does not work. I know, I married one. Always the victim and nobody understands....
=)
I see the "prejudicial douche" police have shown up at your doorstep again.
This hypocritical asshole apparently doesn't realize their post is completely prejudicial against our beloved blogger!
Anon., wah wah waa-waa fight, whaa-whaa wah wah bitching, waa-waa whaa-whaa DOUCHE!
If there were no bitching there would be no blog. Honestly, would it even be interesting if it was "I went to work today and everyone was so nice and courteous." Who would read that shit?
I work Customer Service for a large grocer. We cash payroll checks but not money orders. Plus we charge $5 and up no matter the amount of the check. We just tell people to go back to where they bought it from and try to cash it - or go to a damn bank.
In retail, all the workers bitch, hate their boss and the customers...lol
I love your blog! I'll never look at another Walmart employee the same way again....
We cash money orders at our store as long as they are Wal-mart money orders. There's a phone number you can call to verify that the money order is not fraudulent - that's what we do.
There is a "Safe to Cash" Money Order 1800 number, but you can make a fake Money Order and put the real MICR on it, and cash the fake one and then the real one.
The anonymous dude who said 'You a prejudicial douche' is just jealous because he/she can't write clever, engaging prose in front of what I'm sure is a fairly sizeable audience. In a few years this blogger will have a book deal and Mr./Ms. Anonymous will still be overly critical, unhappy and uncreative.
This isn't clever or funny, or cute or new. It's like telling the same joke over and over and over again.
Is anyone learning ANYTHING from these posts? No, they are simply reinforcing your hate for people, and it's tiring and trite.
I love that you think I'm whining, when your defenses of bbc are o predictable. You can't counter what I say, so you make cute jokes.
Good work folks.
If there was no botching, there would be no blog is factually incorrect - there are a LOG of blogs out there that aren't logs of complaint.
With your words, you should either fix something, or create something. All you do is tear down and hate.
It sucks.
See how I'm doing it now and its aggravating the living shit out of you? That's what I'm talking about. Difference between me and you is that I'm not writing a fucking blog based on it.
Your pal,
Prejudicial Douche
PD: why not start your own blog? Are you really having any fun complaining on someone else's blog?
No one is making you read the blog. If you don't like it, don't read it.
I have my own 'retail bitching' blog that you can check out if you feel the need to tell a total stranger what to write about.
I bitch because it allows me to vent. I vent so I don't freak out on someone. It's MY job, stay out of it.
Plus, where's your wonderful blog of information and sunshine?
Some people really suck.
I have alot of repsect for this blogger. Sure, we've all got shitty jobs, but most of us wouldnt have the temper or patience not to butcher,maim or horribly slaughter the awfull people we have to deal with.
Am very glad I work in a kitchen a long long way from the obnoxious and generally unpleasnt sheep, AKA 'customers'.
To anonymous - suck it, and suck it hard. Nobody asked your dumb ass to visit this blog or read it. If you don't like it, don't read, and don't come back to comment. In the very least, if you're going to criticize the author (which I am sure she would welcome with open arms), try to make a point beyond "quit your job". Do you quit your job every time you face a bit of adversity, or do you stick through it and take out the frustration in a creative and constructive manner (such as providing daily entertainment for a potentially worldwide audience)? What is your point, anyway? Are you asking her to stop posting altogether? And as far as inviting them to fight with you.......do you have any experience in a customer-facing position, especially one with a company that insists on treating every customer with utmost respect even in the face of overwhelming stupidity and self-entitlement?
To summarize - f**k you. BBCA - rock on.
Coincidence or no? Twice now, I have insulted our Anon whose two favorite words are, "prejudicial" and "douche". Also twice now, I've received insults on my personal blog, fraught with mispellings, telling me how stupid/what an idiot I am (right after I insulted Anon).
Brave soul you are. Publish under something identifiable, start a blog of your own and I'll gladly publish your comments. Oh, wait! People like you don't start blogs (thanks be to something/someone).
My money is on this: "Anon Douche" is a 40-something year old guy who lives in Mommy's basement. He's been so shafted and wronged by the world (poor him!) that his only relief is reading this blog and realizing that other losers like himself, exist in droves. Those losers are the Wal-Mart customers our Blogger so graciously brings us amusing and angering stories of.
TY, 40-something year old loser!
Astounding that anybody would walk into a Wal-Mart with the idea of leaving with more money than they went in with -- without returning something, anyway. Or even then.
Surely a valid money order shows some indication of where it was purchased. You could have suggested taking it back there to be cashed. If as you imply the place was a post office, then the person was a dolt to bring it to Wal-Mart.
I'd have liked it better if you pretended to be helpful in light of the customer's "I guess I'm screwed where I stand" attitude:
"No no, don't give up. Persevere. You'll find somebody to cash that for you. But it won't be me."
I thought Walmart was going to start its own bank, so their customers could cash the money orders and leave most of the cash with Walmart.
P.S, I think you shuld give her $13 if she agrees to display a "Save the Earth -- shop at Walmart" sticker on her car ;)
Love these fly by night posters. Read one post, get their panties all bunched up, and then we have to read about it forever and ever ongoing in the comments section.
Again, if you don't like the blog move on. No one is forcing you here or really wants to read your sunshiny "aww poor customer" based comments here.
hey, anonymous...Jesus may love you but we all think your an asshole...if you don't like what he says...don't come here...putz..
I find your blog greatly amusing..and that's even when I fit the discription of some of the customers.except I don't shop at wal-mart...the house of satan...I have been known to wear suspect t-shirts...and goddess knows I have droopy boobies...but I know funny when I see it..keep up the good works...if I had your job, I would have a shunt in my jugular vein and shoot smack directly into my neck....good luck sweety..
Frankly, I enjoy her blog. Yes, she complains all the time, but that is the nature of a rant, it is what makes her blog interesting. If she only posted about the well mannered customers who interact with her on a polite, professional basis, no one would read her blog.
This blog is a way for her to blow off steam and be creative, and for the readers to have a bit of fun. So sit back, relax, chill out and laugh at how bloody stupid people can be.
Macoy
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