i own and work in a convenience store.
we use a machine that prints out top ups for mobile phones.

one day a guy (foreigner) asks for a certain one for 10 euros i print it out give it to him and he was fidling behind the counter i thought he was getting money out or something, then he says one minute i call friend, he phones (or pretends) to phone a friend and then says no i dont want this one i want the other kind, so i take it back,he pays for the other and leaves.

when another customer asked for the same one i gave him the previous one i printed as i was already charged for it, and it wouldnt work! the other guy must have photographed or memorised the top up number.
i told my mil this as she works the shift after me and she said he also did it to her!
fair enough whats done is done but ahoy! He shows up again a while after this and i didnt even remember who he is but he looked suspicious, he asked for the same top up card, i print it out keep it firmly in my hand and say 10 euros, he says oh and i want red bull (cigs) i get them hold it in my hand with the card and tell him the price, he pats his pockets says ah i forgot my money i come back in 5 minutes, he left and returned the NEXT day asks me if i have something in a bigger size, i say no he says oh i wanted the bigger one and leaves (he obviously was expecting to find someone else here as its not me usually at that time and he found an excuse and left.

the top up card he wanted is now sitting here as no one ever buys this one.
but i have to pay for it
another guy from the same country as him came in and asked for the same top up and i said i dont have any..
so what do i do next time he comes in? ask him why he didnt come to get the phone car last time? tell him to not shop here again?
p.s im a coward ...

edit:
i just looked in the drawer and found 4 of these same top ups, next time he comes ill give him one of the ones he already stole! thats 40 euros he stole that i know of so far. the reason we didnt catch this before is because the guy who was working here isnt anymore and he didnt realise the guy was stealing

Hmmmmm........if he comes in often, could you maybe keep that top up card and try to sell it to him again if he asks for the same one?

On another note, now that you ''got this guy's number'', so to speak, you can ask him for the ten bucks first, and THEN print out the card for him. Just say ''ten euros please'' and just stand there and wait for him to get the money. There's not much he can say about that really, if you're just standing there looking at him, waiting for the money.

If he DOES say anything, you can just say, ''Last time you left and didn't return with the money so you have to pay first this time before I will print it out''. End of discussion!

What a cheeky goober.

Id have that rule for everyone...if they want top up they have to pay first!!!

When i go to my corner shop to buy gas and electric, even though i go in there weekly they still ask for the money first...im not offended by this, its covering their butts and looking after their money.

i even get people come back later wanting to change it! :S

No way!!!

Either stop selling it...OR...be really strict...put a sign up

"NO returns of top ups allowed!" and another that says "any cheeky fecks will be castrated"

Definatley make them pay for top ups before you run it through the machine in future hun

Also if this dude returns, sell him the top ups that are in the drawer, if he comes back and says one doesnt work tell him tough titty

but thats the good part, if he comes back and i give him the old ones he will copy the code and say he doesnt want it then he will notice his phone wont be topping up and cant come back and say it doesnt work!!!
what i really want to do is hit him on the head with a hammer.over and over.........

Just charge his card double, or put the price of tops up, up for him only, charge 20 euros for a 10 euro top up to compensate for the monies youve lost

my mil just told me he came again yesterday and was asking her for something but she couldnt understand him and just told him i dont have any go away. lol wish i could tell him to F..O..

Hooooooooooooooold on, cant you jsut say youve stopped selling XXX brand of top up then he wont come back?