Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I have just been accused of fraud!

149 replies

KittyBump · 26/05/2011 15:54

Right, first post on AIBU

On Tuesday I went shopping for clothes for two events I've got coming up, I had my 5 month old DD with me in a carrier so wasn't able to try anything on so I bought a few things and tried them on at home.

One of the items was a dress, I'm a bridesmaid at my friend's wedding in July, it is very informal and she has asked us to wear floral maxi dresses. I was happy with the dress when I tried it on and sent her a link to it and she likes it too, so great - all sorted.

Yesterday I wrote an email to the other bridesmaid and sent a link to the dress again and noticed it had been reduced from £39.50 to £25.00. So I thought as I had lots of stuff to take back I'd return the dress too and then get it at the sale price.

I went into the shop and explained to the assistant that i wanted to return some items and about the dress and she said fine about the returns but not about returning the dress and rebuying it as this was fraud! Shock

I really don't see how this transaction could be considered fraudulent in anyway - yes I can see how it is a bit cheeky and annoying for the shop but not that I was asking to do anything illegal.

So I said fine I'll return the dress then I got my DH to come over and asked him to go and get another dress off the rack and buy it. The sales assisatnt was not happy at all and said she would have to get another member of staff to serve him. Then followed lots of tutting and 'we really shouldn't be doing this...' etc.

We were made to feel like we were committing a crime,

So..... AIBU or was she?

OP posts:
LIZS · 26/05/2011 15:55

You are, in the blatant manner in which you have behaved . tbh they weren't legally obliged to take it back at all.

TheMonster · 26/05/2011 15:56

It's a bit petty of you to do it in the first place. I think youwere being cheeky!

AngryFeet · 26/05/2011 15:56

It isn't fraud Hmm

But you could have been a bit more subtle Grin

worldgonecrazy · 26/05/2011 15:57

She didn't have to accept the dress back as it wasn't faulty, so it was good of the shop to offer you a refund anyway. Marks & Spencers used to have a real problem with people getting refunds for presents and then buying the same thing in the sale. Many shops will now only offer the sale value as a refund once items are reduced if they are being returned just because you don't like it/have changed your mind.

TobyLerone · 26/05/2011 15:57

It's not fraud, but you were silly to explain to the cashier what you were going to do.

ednurse · 26/05/2011 15:57

I thought they had to refund you the current price (aka sale value)??

VivaLeBeaver · 26/05/2011 15:59

I did this with a coat that had £40 taken off it the day after I bought it. I wasn't quite as blatent as you though. Took it back and got a refund and orderd the cheaper one online with free delivery. Grin

If I couldn't have got it mail order I'd have at least wondered off and done a bit more shopping in other shops and then come back and hoped to get a different sales assistant.

Itsjustafleshwound · 26/05/2011 15:59

I thought the same ednurse.

Original poster
KittyBump · 26/05/2011 16:00

Well I was trying to be honest rather than messing about and insulting her intelligence. But I do see your point :)

OP posts:
youngwomanwholivesinashoe · 26/05/2011 16:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WowOoo · 26/05/2011 16:04

I've done that. No assistant has ever questioned or accused me.

I was more subtle than you were. You were telling them what you were doing i.e being honest!

WowOoo · 26/05/2011 16:04

X posts..Didn't press post message soon enough.

beesimo · 26/05/2011 16:07

It is not fraud I think it would better be called 'sharp practice'

You brought item at price agreed between you and shop

You returned item to receive refund a practice allowed by shop 'in good faith'

You the told assistance you were going to do a switcharoo which put her in the position of 'hey up what's this woman up to' send for the senior assistant- as you were acting 'in bad faith'.

Next time exhibit a bit of tact and diplomacy when doing a well worn trick such as this and don't let the rabbit see the dog.

bellavita · 26/05/2011 16:07

I have done this....

Bought a jumper at full price. Had bought a magazine the day before which I hadn't had time to read and then found a 25% off voucher for the same place. I took the jumper back and basically said I was returning it and rebuying it. No problem whatsoever, the sales assistant said she didn't blame me for doing it.

ajandjjmum · 26/05/2011 16:08

I would have done exactly what the OP did. No cheekier than the store reducing the price just after I've bought it. The assistant clearly doesn't understand what fraud means. I can understand that the shop might not like it, but I don't like them reducing prices a day after I've bought something - but that's life - we both have to get on with it.

LadyOfTheManor · 26/05/2011 16:09

Well the shop should have a return policy of 28 days so you should be within your right to return the dress.

If it is unfaulty you are entitled to a refund or exchange. While they cannot deny you a refund, they can deny you an exchange if you are exchanging for something they don't wish to swap.

So to get a refund then buy something else is neither here nor there to them.

If she had refused to do it I would have got the refund and then gone and selected the dress; if she refused to serve me I would've liked to have heard the legal grounds.

I quite like a fight though, especially with shop workers.

FabbyChic · 26/05/2011 16:10

I bought a cooker and hob from Currys paid 500, went back a week later to check on delivery told it was in a sale and that if I cancelled the first sale I could get it in total for £240.00, they suggested it so I did.

I would also do what you done, assume you were served by an older person who really has no clue.

It certainly is not fraud!

beesimo · 26/05/2011 16:13

LadyOfTheMANOR

'I quite like a fight especially with shop workers'

You are living up to your name!

VFVF · 26/05/2011 16:19

I would have done exactly the same thing! I may have been a bit more subtle though because I'm a wimp and scared that exact thing would happen Smile

I remember being very grateful to a Curry's employee who told me not to buy the computer I wanted, but to come back the next day as he knew it was being reduced. He saved me £100!

LadyOfTheManor · 26/05/2011 16:19

?

saffy85 · 26/05/2011 16:20

Dunno about fraud. Bit cheeky to be so blatent though! As a till tart myself, I'd have been surprised at someone being so obvious but wouldn't have had a go. Might have sent the to another till to buy the "new" item though and pleaded ignorance to my manager.

alizee · 26/05/2011 16:23

the only way in which it would be fraud would be :

If you would have worn the item, bought the sale one and returned the new one using the full price receipt for the first item.

Next time i'd just go and return all the items, have a look around and pick up the same dress in a sale price. It's none of the shop assistant's business that you have seen it at the lower price and changed your mind.

I work in a shop and i would never question anything like this if the item is unworn and in resalable condition

worldgonecrazy · 26/05/2011 16:27

To be quite correct, they don't have to accept goods back because you changed your mind unless they have a Returns Policy that states this (which they should stick to).

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/sale-of-goods/returning-goods-your-legal-rights/your-rights/

fedupofnamechanging · 26/05/2011 16:27

It's only fraud if you are attempting to obtain something to which you are not entitled by using deception.

If a shop has a refund policy, then they can't complain when people use it.

LadyOfTheManor · 26/05/2011 16:27

Which shop was it? I'll check their return policy, which probably says you can return within 28 days.

Swipe left for the next trending thread