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Many companies/retailers no longer force customers to provide their phone numbers (if their phone number is unlisted) when paying products via personal check. As long as all other ID is provided by the customer, the cashier of a retail store will simply write "unlisted" on the check and move forward and process the customer's transaction. This, however, is not the policy at TJ Maxx in Escondido, CA. In making a small purchase for my daughter, the cashier and the manager insisted on a phone number. I could easily have made up any number and they would have ignorantly accepted it, but I wanted to let them know that my number was unlisted and they could certainly find me via the DMV or my home address. Besides, what is the use of paying extra for an "unlisted" phone number if I need to give it up each time I write a check? Since they were not willing to work with me to complete my purchase, I asked for my check back and walked out. On the way out the store, the female cashier rudely yelled back at me and my 6 year old daughter, "have a nice day", in the most sarcastic way, in front of more than a dozen people in line. I didn't acknowledge her since she clearly displayed how unprofessional and immature she was. The Manager did not do anything to reprimand her actions, either. TJ Maxx in Escondido, CA, will never earn my patronage again and I now tell everyone my story. The store will need to change their policy regarding check transactions and must teach their employees acceptable customer service and professional conduct, before I can recommend them to my family or friends again.
M. Academia.
Gator is right. The store did not arbitarily make up this policy. They require PH#s on checks because the 3rd party vendor, Certegy, whom they go through for check approval, will guarentee the funds of the check if it goes through the system ONLY if certain information is obtained from the customer. One of which is the PH#.
And to be honest, if you are so paranoid about giving out your information, then you really should reconsider using checks as your primary form of payment. Because on that single sheet of paper, you have just handed a complete stranger your name, address, ID #, bank account #, and routing #. Any of which you would normally never give to a complete stranger if they asked you.
I love it when nasty salespeople who think they have the "power" to decline a return because of their unprofessional
bias, call the manager over, and the manager tells them to give us our damn money back. Who do these cashiers
think they are? If it wasn't for our bucks, you wouldn't be making your six dollars an hour. Management knows this, its about time the clerks learn this lesson also. You're a cashier, ok. Your not REALLY in control, like you want to be. And stop telling your friends and family to come in for the "hook up" when the manager leaves. Often times
it is not the customers stealing, but "set ups" by employees. Otherwise, the Clerks would at least look up and pretend
they are surprised when the alarm goes off when one of their friends walks out of the store with merchandise.
First off, I don't know of any retailer who will take a check without a phone number. These days companies process their check approvals through a third party who guarantee the check they are verifying prior to the retailer accepting the check. One of the criteria is the check must have a phone number. You can give a fake phone number, although that does constitute fraud on your part, but that is between you and the judge, not that it would really go that far; however, if the third party approving the check requires the person accepting the check to call with additional info and you give a fake number it will be automatically declined as well as any future checks you might write with a company using this same third party.
Writing a check is a priveledge, it is not a RIGHT. If you don't want to give your personal information as you so stated, then don't be giving a complete stranger a piece of paper with your checking account information. You do realize your checking account information is much more valuable than your phone number, right? An unlisted phone number cannot be traced on white pages.com, but the cashier can use your address to find your home or use your account number online to pay his/her bills.
If you are really that concerned you should use a debit card and if you are too paranoid they will steal your pin number then perhaps to need to revert to using cash. I wonder if you would take a check from a complete stranger just because they assure you it is good? I am guessing you would not. Before you criticize someone else for their behavior please think of your own behavior and what you would do if the role were reversed and don't pitch a tantrum in a blog online unless you can be certain you are in the right and even then I would think twice about it. What goes around, comes around and karma is not that pretty for some of us. By the way, who did you think was going to really care about calling you? You do realize there is not some little man in the register copying down phone numbers, right?
you are just wasting everyones time here. It is not the employees fault that you dont like to give out your number, its not like they can just change their policy right there for you. And when their are customers like you, it is very difficult for the cashier not to be mean/rude to you!
Wow, and you're calling her immature when you're the one who couldn't be mature enough to just use a different form of payment? What an idiot you are. And to take your check back and walk out, you think that's mature of you? Now you're just leaving more work for the employee to put your things back. And how is that a fraud or cheating? [censored].
If you don't like giving out your phone number when writing checks, get a debit card! For you to have taken the cashier's time to write the check, then to change your mind based on you being paranoid about your phone number, it is inconsiderate, when you could have just swiped a debit card, and either signed or punched in your PIN and be done with it. No waiting period to return, money comes out faster, and no PHONE NUMBER.
Oh and might I add. Most retailers asks for an Identification for credit card purchases. So if you were to try and purchased an item there & couldn't because you had no form of identification. Would you be here complaining as well? Not only did your waste your own time, but you wasted the employees & manager time. So stop making excuses for your stupidity & blaming everyone else but yourself.
How does this complaint categorize as fraud & cheating? I don't understand your complaint one bit. They didn't take your check without a phone number. You didn't receive your purchased items. In other words, "NO TRANSACTIONS WERE EVER MADE." No business were exchange.
Most retailers insist on phone numbers, in case your checks bounces. You can either give out your number or give out a fake one. It's nobody's fault you're a ### who chooses to pay by check instead of cash or credit.
I have also been disappointed in the TJ MAXX store close to me in Bellevue, WA. I especially thought the manager was rude to a customer returning several items. She was annoyed that the woman had so many items to return. Another time I saw the same manager snap at one of her employees.