Store employees save Douglas couple from scam
Store employees save Douglas couple from scam
By Cinthia Stimson
Douglas Budget
Via Wyoming News Exchange
DOUGLAS — You might think scamming people over the phone for money or gift cards just doesn’t happen in Douglas, Wyoming.
But, in fact, it does – to the tune of thousands of people’s hard-earned dollars.
Safeway Douglas Store Director Tracy Rausch, Floral Director Julie Evins, Front End Manager Lynnette Berendes and Administrator Mary Wellman thwarted would-be crooks who attempted to coerce, scam and steal $3,500 from Douglas couple Candy and Zeke Zechiel.
“It’s happening more this year, but it’s even more severe (recently). We’ve seen an uptick in scammers targeting people within the last month,” Rausch said.
Most people are familiar with phone scams – some more obviously fake than others – but lately, the scammers are getting more intimidating, more creative and smarter – and the scams are getting harder to spot.
Thanks to in-store training at Safeway-Albertsons nationwide, their employees are looking for signs and cues something may be amiss among their clientèle. That paid off for the well-known Douglas couple.
Evins, Rausch, Wellman and Berendes were working July 28 when the Zechiels were in Safeway.
When Evins saw her friend in the store she said she was surprised, as Candy hadn’t been in the store since before the COVID-19 pandemic started.
Candy was ostensibly shopping for gift cards for Christmas in July, but it appeared to employees the couple were buying several thousands of dollars worth of the cards, a sign something unusual was taking place.
“We were contacted on Wednesday by Global Tech Services and told we were entitled to a refund. We thought we had a legitimate $399 refund coming from them. It was to be directly deposited into our bank account. However, instead of $399, $3,999 was ‘accidentally’ deposited. I was certain it was not our error but we were assured it was probably a technical error,” Candy said.
In order to correct the error, the couple was directed to purchase Google Play and Best Buy gift cards in the amount of $3,500 “and they insisted we not tell anyone about this or the representative would lose his job. It needed to be done immediately,” she explained.
The Zechiels went to Safeway to buy the cards. Evins overheard Candy’s husband speaking to someone on his cell phone about the gift cards.
“I overheard him say to the (person) on the phone, ‘As soon as I get those gift cards, I can send you the numbers.’ That sent me big red flags, as we’ve had so much training on this. My husband (Doyle Evins) is a retired police officer, so I’m a little more skeptical of things. I know the Zechiels. Candy is a dear friend of mine. I was triggered immediately,” Evins explained.
Evins called Rausch over and explained what was going on, and the manager began her inquiry. Candy responded it was for Christmas in July.
“I felt compelled to give a false reason for buying so many,” Candy admitted later.
About that time, Candy’s husband walked up with Google Play gift cards in his hands which he’d already purchased.
“I asked if I could see those gift cards and he said, ‘Yes,’ so I grabbed all the gift cards, as I didn’t want them to have them at that point.
“‘Has somebody contacted you and asked you to do this?’ I asked,” Rausch said.
Initially, Candy was reluctant to tell her, but Rausch knew something was amiss.
“Her body language was nervous. I was worried about them. I knew something was going on. I said, ‘I don’t want to sell you these, I don’t think it’s a good idea. This is a prime example of a scam I see a lot, ma’am. I just want to know that you’re not getting scammed. I want to help.’”
Candy, fretting, tapped the gift cards on the counter.
“I said, ‘Ma’am, I think you’re being scammed . . . My heart is in the right place,’” Rausch said. “They (scammers) intimidate you. They’re mean, they use fear tactics to force people to do what they want.”
The refund never existed. No one had deposited money into their account but had moved the couple’s own money from one account to another.
The Zechiels met with Douglas Police Department officers and gave statements.
Zeke and Candy said they froze their bank accounts and the Safeway employees refunded the cards they bought.
“We immediately notified our bank and credit card company of the breach, and (we) went to the bank to cancel our accounts and open new ones,” Candy said. Converse County Bank returned their money to the correct accounts “so no money was ever lost, praise God,” a relieved Candy said.
Safeway-Albertsons Sr. Director of Public Affairs/Government Relations Kris Staaf said not everyone is as lucky as the Zechiels.
“The scammers are very convincing and anyone can fall victim. Scammers claim they’re from the IRS or seeking funds for a grand jury summons. The list of scams is endless,” she said.
“Card fraud is on the rise. Dollar amounts are high. The (scammers) are incredibly aggressive. They threaten to put you in jail if you don’t comply. They keep everything happening in the moment, want the victim to keep it secret, they’re incredible intimidating. We keep our antennas up,” Staaf said.
“We have our customers’ best interests at heart. The scammers are the most manipulative, nasty people you will ever meet,” she said.
Candy said even though chances are slim in regards to tracking down the individuals who were scamming her and her husband, their case will be added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation fraud data base.
“I’m so thankful for our community. We are blessed to live here and to be taken care of,” Candy said.
“They’re not just our customers here in Safeway,” Evins said. “These are our friends and neighbors, we’ve known each other for years and because of that, you know when something seems off.”