This was five or six years ago. Apple and Google Pay had not long been introduced here in the UK when these incidents happened. I had a smartphone, so I was able to use that brand’s mobile payment app with no worries.

Though the only “limit” is what you personally have in your bank account at that time, at this time — and for some stores who had not taken up [Mobile Payment] — the limit was set to £30, the contactless limit.

I went into a shop and got a “meal deal” and some things for the house. The meal deal consisted of a sandwich, a drink, and a snack pack of crisps for £3. My total came to around £12 overall, and I advised that I wanted to pay via card.

The cashier totaled it, I did the [Mobile Payment] thing, and my phone beeped. The payment went through, the cashier’s drawer opened, and the receipt printed, indicating that the payment was okay.

Cashier #1: “What?! What just happened?”

Me: “I used my card. It’s on my phone—” *points to it* “—so I just use it as an ordinary card payment.”

Cashier #1: “NO! You are trying to steal from us! You did not present your card!”

During the transaction, the supervisor was behind her filling the cigarettes and lotto scratch cards, so they had seen the whole thing.

Supervisor: “Sir, I know you’re not trying to steal. I use [Mobile Payment], too. I know you have paid, so feel free to go. I think I have some staff training to do.”

Me: “Thanks!”

I have been there several times since then, but the first time I went there after this incident, the same cashier was there. She just gave me a look and I said:

Me: “Don’t worry, I am not stealing; I will use my magical phone!”

She did not find that funny.

A few weeks after this, I was with my mother at a different shop buying some furniture and garden stuff that came to £30.

“Great!” I thought.

I tapped the phone, beep it went, and I paid for it.

Once the receipt printed, the cashier looked at me, the till, the receipt, me, the till, my phone, and me before finally taking the receipt and handing it to me.

Me: “Isn’t [Mobile Payment] a wonderful thing?”

Cashier #2: “Sorry, but is that what you did with your phone? Paid?”

Me: “Aye, set it up a few weeks ago. I can use it for unlimited payments for shops that support it, for any transaction of £30 or less.”

Cashier #2: “I have heard of it, but I haven’t seen anyone use it. Now I know it works! Looks simple.”

Me: “It is!”

We said our goodbyes, and Mother and I left.

[Mobile Payment] can be confusing, folks. Just don’t go stealing from people, eh?

A man, maybe fifty years old, comes to my register. I am in my early twenties.

Me: “Hi! Did you find everything today?”

Customer: “Found you, didn’t I? It’s a good day! You gonna go home and cook for your man tonight?”

Me: “No…”

Customer: “I’m not flirting with you. I’m just making conversation. Relax! Maybe a last-call thing, though. You’re probably a lot hotter in the dark.”

Me: “Okay, your total is [amount].”

Customer: “I mean, you can put your number on the receipt if you want me to call you someday.”

Me: *Holding out his receipt*

Customer: “You didn’t write down your number?”

Me: “No. Have a nice day.”

He snatched his receipt from my hand and left. Why would I not be seduced by a man who said I would look better in the dark?

I am a floor associate for a large retailer. A customer is looking for an item, but we do not carry it in the store. I pull out my phone (which is allowed as long as it is for work) and look it up on our website.

Me: “It looks like [Store ten miles away] has it in stock. I can call there, or you can order it online when you get home and have it delivered.”

Customer: “Can I see?”

She takes my phone from my hand before I can respond.

Me: “Um… that’s actually my personal phone. Please give it back.”

I hold out my hand, but she pulls away.

Customer: “I’m looking up other stores.”

I look at her husband, but he doesn’t seem to see the issue with his wife taking my personal phone and refusing to give it back. Eventually, she hands it back and leaves.

A few days later, I receive a text from a number I don’t know.

Text: “Hi, [My Name]. Thanks for the help finding [item]! We ordered it on Amazon for cheaper than [My Store]. It’s great!”

Me: “How did you get my number?”

Text: “I texted myself the link from your website.”

I looked through my messages but didn’t see anything to that number. My best guess is that she sent it and then deleted it so I wouldn’t see it. I was beyond shocked. I hope she never comes back to my store.

Related:
The More You Read, The Worse It Gets, Part 2
The More You Read, The Worse It Gets

Our store sells fireworks.

Customer: “If I put my GoPro on one of these fireworks and shoot it into the sky, will I get good footage?”

Me: “Maybe for about a second?”

Customer: “What happens after a second?”

Me: “You… you know how fireworks… work, right?”

I’m a manager. An associate came up to me and discreetly gestured to a customer.

Associate: “Heeeey, that guy just… told me he was stealing? He was in here earlier, and he just told me he took some stuff.”

We watched for a few minutes and saw him stuff some more items into his coat. There happened to be a cop car hanging out in our parking lot (as they sometimes do at night) so I went out to let them know.

Cop: “Yeah, we’ve already had reports about him. Do you want to press charges?”

Me: “I’m sure the company does.”

The customer came out and got on a bike, and the cops drove after him.

They came back a bit later to return our product, and when they dumped the bags out, there was a bunch of stuff that wasn’t even ours. I guess we weren’t the first store he’d hit that night.