Starbucks Alert!

There is a growing trend (scam) at Starbucks. When you go in to purchase a gift card, make sure that you watch the card you picked out. The scam is simple. A Starbucks employee will make a quick card change and give a blank card that they strategically stationed near the register, and pocket the card that was loaded with money. Couple things you can do to protect yourself:

1. Watch the hands. There is really no reason why you shouldn't see the card.
2. Check the card before you leave the store. Ask to check and see if the money and made the transfer. It's no big thing to check the balance of a card, and you don't need to purchase anything. If the employee has an issue with it, that usually means a card switch. At that point talk with the manager.
3. Keep your receipt! This is your royal flush. The receipt will have the amount of money that was loaded and the card number. At which they will look at the receipt, see the amount and scan the card. A receipt is a document and should be treated as such. An employee who disregards a receipt as something that is irreverent, probably just lost their job.