$1.5 Million Bar-code Scheme Bilks Wal-Mart Stores

nomrniceguy writes "Two couples have been charged in a price-switching scheme that allegedly defrauded Wal-Mart stores in 19 states of $1.5 million over the last decade. Authorities said the scheme involved using a home computer to produce UPC bar codes for cheaper products and slipping them over the real codes on high-priced items. The suspects then allegedly sold the merchandise, or returned it for refunds or store gift cards that also were sold."

This just in!

[teknokracy]

1.5 billion dollar scheme bilks American consumers - Wal Mart allegedly is selling crappy items for money!

Re:Is it that simple to make UPC codes?

[stupidfoo]

Are you new to computers?

That weird box sitting on your desk is called a "printer". Some of these "printers" can even print "pictures".

Now look at a UPC. It's made up of black lines (the numbers are just for show) which is about the easiest thing to print in the world. Now, look in your desk drawer for "Glue".

I think you can figure it out from there. If not, this topic has been covered ad-nasuem in 2600 for about the past 10 years (or longer?). Hell, skip the computer. You can make them with a black pen if you're bored. I've done so and tested them out when I worked in retail. It's really not that tough.

Re:Doesn't add up

[iocat]

One of the most ironic things that ever happened to me was at Walmat. I usually don't shop there but got bad service at Sears and left, but still needed a seriously cheap 13" TV. So I went to Wal-Mart, browsed for a while, bought one and left, only to be assaulted at the door by some Nazi who insisted she had to check my receipt to make sure I hadn't stolen anything. Very irritating. Then I got to the car, put the TV in the trunk, looked down and saw a small craft item that I had thrown in the cart on impulse and *totally* forgotten to pay for... It was kind of a funny situation, as I then had to surrepticiously sneak it back into the store to pay for it while trying to explain to my son that I hadn't stolen it. Bottom line is -- even with their high security, you gotta figure if someone like me can *unintentionally* steal from Wal-Mart, others are probably ripping them off left, right, and center.

Bebeep!

[trs9000]

what kind of television is this? Bebeep! oh oh its a... toaster....? huh... oh man is that a ten-speed? Bebeep!... no.. huh... tricycle... Oh.... alright a Lindows machine!!.... Bebeep!... n-no?.... i see... 5 gallon jar of pickles....

Just one more reason...

[NanoGator]

... to use RFID!!!

(Man I hope people are in good humor today.)

Re:Doesn't add up

[UniverseIsADoughnut]

You could pass a nuclear warhead across the scanner and have it come up as a ethernet card for $9.95 and most cashiers there would never notice.

Solution

[Anonymous Coward]

1. Make custom THX1138 T-Shirt (with the bar code cover).
2. ???*
3. Profit!

* Scan your fucking shirt.

Re:Doesn't add up

[Zork the Almighty]

Sounds like an IBM commercial.

Burger King and Super Mario

[Geburah]

A handful of years back, in a time when my morals weren't exactly as defined as they are now, (heh) I really wanted the brand spankin new "Super Smash Bros." for Super Nintendo. Problem was, I was fresh outta coppers. Yep. Not a dime to my name. So I 'borrowed' my dad's credit card, (who I share the same name with. Rock.) and headed on down to Kmart and bought the game.

Obviously all this hard work of buying video games would make anybody hungry, so I went to silence my grumbling belly meats by making a stop to the Burger King. After ordering my food and taking a seat, I began to unwrap my new Super Smash Bros video game over an 8-piece chicken tender value meal.

It is here where the clouds parted, and God himself reached down and touched me. It is here, that I calculated and measured the exact balance and weight of the Super Smash Bros cartridge in comparison to the equal amount of ketchup packets.

I took the packets and placed them neatly back in the cardboard game housing, packaging everything back up. I took the instruction manual as well, and replaced that with a good 7 or 8 napkins, folded rather nicely. Then, I went next store to Office Max, and had them shrink-wrap the game. Viola. Slap on one of them sticky-hangy-tab thingies, and you got yourself a game fresh off the shelf from behind those locked glass windows.

So, now the scary part. Time to find a differant Kmart. Sweaty and horribly nervous looking, I went inside to make the return. I claimed something to the tune of it being my birthday and that I had already owned this gift, so I wanted to return it. Everything went surprisingly smooth, except for the camera staring at my face. I still wont go back there to this day. :)

Now - Think about the possible following scenario for just a moment. Imagine - Your in your early teens, and you did your chores. It was a nice sunny weekend afternoon, and your dad felt like doing somethin nice for you. He remembers you going off about that new game. He buys it, brings it home to surpise you... your so excited! You guys have one of those rare but really heart felt father and son kinda hugs. Life, is perfect...

You open the box to your new game. In it, you find a small brick of ketchup packets and neatly folded napkins.

Sweet Jesus, I would give my first newborn child to a rabbid tiger just to see that facial expression.

PS: I used to work at Office Max. One day, a guy came back in after just buying a typewriter. Instead of a typewriter, he found a bag of potting soil. He was irate - I smiled. =)

Re:Burger King and Super Mario

[Timo_UK]

You bastard! I bought that box of Ketchup!

Re:Doesn't add up

[Tet]

It makes me wonder why anyone would try to rip off walmart.

Judging by the article, there would appear to be at least 1,500,000 very good reasons...

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:And this works because....?

[Anonymous Coward]

And this works because the associate has never seen something in a miniskirt MOO before?

He could have seen it a million times, but it still never gets old, man... it just ever gets old.

Re:Self-checkout fraud possible

[Anonymous Coward]

in this example, the product itself is likely exactly identical in weight, the difference lies in how fine the printing on the silicon is.

of course they could be smart enough to package the cards differently... And of course at walmart anything over a certain set value requires a "security tape" which means someone at the department has to apply said tape, and announce the fact over the PA, someone post-cashiers has to remove the tape and enter that into some system, and the cameras (and possibly security people and/or bored stockers) have to follow you around.

Fun fact: you're not allowed to carry guns out of the store yourself. The temptation to clear out a checkout lane might be overwhelming otherwise, i guess.

Re:Doesn't add up

[TobiasSodergren]

You can buy them at Wal-Mart too? I thought nuclear warheads were eBay only.

Re:It's even simpler than that.

[The Cornishman]

That's twice we've had an orchestral string instrument in this thread. En francais, on dit >, n'est-ce pas?

They should've waited

[Rich Klein]

Surely that bouncing smiley face would've "rolled-back" the prices after a couple days. The crooks could've obtained the merchandise for the same price *legally* if they'd only waited a couple days!

Re:Burger King and Super Mario

[Hognoxious]

Sweet Jesus, I would give my first newborn child to a rabbid tiger just to see that facial expression.

LOL! I bet it was like my brother's when he found no toy in his Kinder egg.

Why was there no toy in his Kinder egg? Because I got home from school before him, carefully opened the foil, cut the chocolate shell along the seams with a sharp knife and removed the toy. A simple matter of soldering the chocolate back together with hot tea and replacing the foil and voila - one kid roaring his eyes out.

Re:Doesn't add up

[pizzaman100]

One time I bought an item at a Idaho Walmart (6% tax) and returned it at a Washington Walmart (7% tax), and they gave me the extra. I made something like $0.40 on the transaction!! :)

Re:Doesn't add up

[Dolly_Llama]

This is only kharma for the returned products Fry's stocks on their shelves.