Not illegal to make store returns

[peaceloveshambala]

Hello,

There is no law against returning clothers to a retailer. A person can return an item everyday to any retailer and there is no law against that. Retailers try to scare us into thinking that we cannot make returns.
I hate the looks when I have to return an item/gift without a receipt. If a retailer has a customer that makes many returns, they cannot prove that the return is illegal unless they see the person take the item and then return it.

There is such a thing called proof. You cannot go to a police station and say "Excuse me officer, but I have a customer that makes excessive returns to our store without a receipt, can you please arrest that Person"?
The officer will look at the employee (lP) and say, "Well, what should I charge them with, making many returns?
A department store cannot do anything to you for making multiple returns in their store, unless they have proof that each item that you return, was either stolen, or obtained at a lower price. Thats called proof.
The only thing they can do if they have you on file for mulitple returns is deny you anymore returns.

Peace

[aaron]

In most states, stores don't have to take returns at all. Once the purchase is complete, they can say, "Sorry, you bought it - it's yours". If you don't like the return policies of stores where you shop, you can of course go elsewhere - and recognitionof that fact is in most cases is the only reason stores offer return policies.

As for whether you can demonstrate a pattern of returns without receipts that ends up with you being charged and convicted of return fraud? Of course you can. The officer can ask you, as part of the investigation, "When and where did you buy the items." If you didn't buy them, you can exercise your right to remain silent, lie (and they will investigate the lies at that point), or claim that you are lucky in that goods from that store magically appear in the back seat of your car and absent your returning them your car would quickly become overwhelmed with the free bounty.

[PaulE]

Stores are in the business of "Selling" not returning items. If you show a pattern of returning items with out a receipt, which may or may not have been bought by you it will be tracked. I've worked lots of stores that have LP's track refunders and keep a log. Sometimes it's used to catch employees, sometimes it can be used to catch thieves. Keep in mind most retailers can and will use the simple but effective, "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" if you are a frequent refunder. You're right there is no law against legitimate returns but there are measures that can be taken for abusers or plain old buttheads.

[souperdave]

........You're right there is no law against legitimate returns but there are measures that can be taken for abusers or plain old buttheads.

Or like yesterday for example......we have a real good 'network' amongst LP in my neck of the woods.......soooooooo, while I'm on the phone getting info from one of my compadres relative to a (no-receipt) refunder they denied, lo and behold, phoneline#2 lights up with one of my M.O.D.s describing the EXACT same individual waltzing into my abode with the EXACT same merch.....whilst they are attempting the return contact is made to the local (mall substation) authorities..........shortening the story some, the refunder was using a fake ID, signed a fake name, and merch retail totalled into the felony range........3 felonies, no waiting!

Can I help the next customer please???????

[marvinmartian]

Out of curiosity, what about this person's returns was illegal? The fact that he used a fake ID to return something? Or did you have some way of knowing the merchandise was stolen?

[marvinmartian]

"As for whether you can demonstrate a pattern of returns without receipts that ends up with you being charged and convicted of return fraud? Of course you can. The officer can ask you, as part of the investigation, "When and where did you buy the items." "

As part of what investigation? To start an investigation, doesn't the store need to have a case? And what is that case, that this person made a lot of returns without a receipt? Even if the store gets law enforcement to look into something suspicious, and they come to your house and ask you questions, you don't have to answer anything, or you can tell them the truth, which may very well be "I bought them".

So then what? There isn't any proof of anything. Prosecutors and police aren't allowed to go on fishing expeditions because they believe something is wrong. They need some form of proof. And if the proof they have is that you returned a lot of stuff, they won't get far.

[aaron]

The store can investigate anything it wants. The loss prevention officers are its employees. If they wish to investigate every single return made in any of their stores, that is their absolute right.

If the police take the time to question somebody about a lot of unexplained returns, it is because they believe a crime occurred. Lying to the police could be just what they need to get a prosecutor to authorize charges.

[marvinmartian]

and if you don't lie to the police, and the fact is that you bought the items?

Then what?

[aaron]

If you can demonstrate that you bought the items, why would the police even be investigating? You're projecting a scenario where the person "forgets" to bring a receipt along when returning items with such frequency that the police believe they are committing return fraud, then suddenly find all of their receipts when the police come a'knockin'? In the unlikely event that somebody were to do that, it would be hard to believe they weren't intentionally trying to create the suspicion that they were a thief. Have any of the LP's out there ever encountered such a person?

[marvinmartian]

I never said I had the receipts, nor that I could demonstate that I bought the items, only that I did actually buy them from the store and didn't lie to the police.

And if that is the truth, the store can't prove otherwise.

You are assuming that if someone makes a lot of returns, that something is illegal.

And something very will may be, but somebody has to prove it, not just fish and hope they find it.