Cashing Out Early

I’m working one of the garden center registers, and I am the only cashier out there. A young man comes to my register with three gift cards he wants to fill.

Customer: “And I’ll be paying with this.”

He pulls out a type of card I’ve never seen before, but I figure it must just be for a local bank.

Me: “Okay, how much would you like on the first card?”

Customer: “Two hundred, please.”

I enter two hundred dollars onto the gift card.

Customer: “You need to enter two hundred dollars cash, and then I’ll use my card to actually pay.”

Me: “Um… I’m sorry, but I can’t enter a cash payment unless you’re actually paying cash.”

Customer: “No, it’s fine. It’ll work. Just enter two hundred dollars and I’ll pay with my card once it gets accepted.”

Me: *Confused, but firm* “I can’t hit the cash button unless you give me cash. If you want to use your card, you can swipe or insert it now.”

This goes on a few more times until a manager comes out to check on me.

Customer: “You know what, never mind. It’s not that important.”

He walks off.

Me: “What was that?”

Manager: “That was a scam. Good for you for not falling for it.”

Me: “Oh.”