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Original poster

Lost phone and Tesco's lack of common sense

88 replies

seenna · 03/02/2019 21:05

Just wasted 1 hour trying to retrieve a phone I stupidly left in the basket. As soon as I came home I realised I must have left my phone in the Tesco Express 5 minutes down the road. So I raced down there and was made to pretty much beg for an hour whilst a lady behind the till seemingly enjoyed seeing me squirm. The thing that annoys me is that my DRIVING LICENCE, debit card and railcard were inside the case. But was told it was policy to cut these up (which really mess up my commute tomorrow). I'm not someone who considers myself "above the law" but the lack of common sense and their overall attitude was extremely unhelpful.

I was told the manager had gone home early and they weren't going to call her back. They kept saying very unhelpful things like how it's odd I don't have a letter with proof of address in my car and how strange it is that my mum's card is saved on my phone. I told them I could open it with my thumbprint/tap in code but still it wasn't good enough. I hate to say it but I really think the woman was enjoying yielding some power over me. My dad even rang at one point but wouldn't let me answer it to confirm my identity/get him to come down with my passport. The background photo was of my dog that was in the car! I didn't appreciate her accusatory tone. Towards the end, I did say that I was unhappy to leave my phone (due to apple pay) and the woman was very offended!

WIBU to expect them to hand my phone over given the numerous ways I could prove it was mine?

OP posts:
Ffsnosexallowed · 03/02/2019 21:07

Ywnbu - I'd have been livid. I'd have threatened to call the police as they were keeping your property. Assholes.

dragonsfire · 03/02/2019 21:09

Sounds like they have a policy and no common sense 🙄

How frustrating- I worked in retail for years never cut up any cards in fact would keep them until the end of the day.

With technology of thumbprints etc that should be enough.

I would complain - even if policy common sense comes in as well!

Glad you found your phone tho

ThePinkOcelot · 03/02/2019 21:09

Do it’s their policy to cut up your cards?! Really?! I would be livid and writing a strong letter of complaint! That’s disgusting. Especially as you more than proved who you were.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 03/02/2019 21:09

What a jobsworth!

Sexnotgender · 03/02/2019 21:12

That’s insane!! I’d be really pissed off.

Drogosnextwife · 03/02/2019 21:13

Sounds like she was enjoying it. I would have threatened to phone the police aswell.

I have found that the customer service desk in Tesco always has someone with an attitude working behind it. They seem to think they have some sort of power or they are superior in some way. It's very strange. You should put in a complaint.

Fantababy · 03/02/2019 21:13

My sister left her passport in a taxi once. The driver handed it into the police station and they said they had to destroy it. Despite the picture.

ThomasRichard · 03/02/2019 21:13

YANBU, what a ridiculous fuss. Did you get it back in the end?

FlopsyMopsyRabbit · 03/02/2019 21:13

Did you get it back? How did you leave it/what happened in the end?

JudgeRulesNutterButter · 03/02/2019 21:14

I told them I could open it with my thumbprint/tap in code but still it wasn't good enough.

What possible better ID could there be than your fingerprint? And if your driving license was photo ID they could see it was you from the picture! And presumably test whether you knew your own name / dob / address on the card.

Idiots.

Original poster
seenna · 03/02/2019 21:14

Also, apparently it's odd I don't know exactly which model my iPhone is. I've stopped keeping track of the number! My family go to this Tesco on a daily basis. Not how I wanted to spend my Sunday night.

OP posts:
GunpowderGelatine · 03/02/2019 21:14

What!! They cut your driving license and cards up Shock absolutely ridiculous

SaucyJack · 03/02/2019 21:14

Threatening to call the police doesn’t really work when they have your phone.

But yeah, I’d be livid. Wouldn’t surprise at all if she did it out of spite.

Go and complain to the manager tomorrow.

CloserIAm2Fine · 03/02/2019 21:15

That’s an insane policy

Surely being able to unlock it with your fingerprint or Face ID proves it’s yours? Plus having photo id with the phone!

I would be surprised if any of what she said is Tesco policy tbh. Possibly to cut up unclaimed debit cards (so people can’t claim Tesco staff used them fraudulently) but not driving licences or rail cards. But I’d expect a common sense policy I’d give it a few minutes for the person to realise and dash back for it! Stores have CCTV which should protect staff against accusations of fraud.

minisoksmakehardwork · 03/02/2019 21:15

It's not policy in our Tesco express. Dh left his card in there once and it was used after dh contacted them and they confirmed they had it for him to collect...

I know police stations don't generally have a lost property office now but they recommend you make reasonable attempt to reunite property with owner before destroying it.

BudgiePie · 03/02/2019 21:16

So did you get it back or not?

MrsGarethSouthgate · 03/02/2019 21:16

@Fantababy Passports have to be returned to the passport office, not the owner, so this should/would have been what the police did with it.

Original poster
seenna · 03/02/2019 21:16

The manager came in the end (after an hour of my being there). Did it get it but still!

OP posts:
Original poster
seenna · 03/02/2019 21:18

I was reluctant to race home and get some id because I was sure the lady would cut up my cards the second I left

OP posts:
elasticfantastic · 03/02/2019 21:18

I hope you got that member of staffs name and are currently in the process of writing a lengthy complaint email. The phone opens with your thumb print, you'd be able to give numerous personal details from content of the phone and the driving licence has your photo on it!! And if it was within the last half hour they could literally have just looked at the cctv of you leaving it there!!
Absolute bloody idiotic member of staff. You're right to be furious.

Betsy86 · 03/02/2019 21:19

She was being ridiculous!! If they cut up your driving licence i would take it as high as you can possibly go that is beyond a joke.
Where i work there is a policy where bank cards need to be cut up if not claimed by then end of that days trade but things like licenses, library card etc are fine. Marked down in lost property and put safely away.
Did they have your belongings logged in lost property at all? If not they could easily close tonight and
deny ever seeing it.
Did you get it back in the end?

RedLife · 03/02/2019 21:20

I left my debit card in a co op, I went back 3 hours later and they had cut it up. Did they actually cut yours or give back intact? They surely wouldn't have cut up a rail card? Bet you were proper pissed off.

DorothyZbornak · 03/02/2019 21:20

I'd go back tomorrow, ask for the store manager (not just whoever is on the floor) and make a serious complaint.
Did you get the name of the staff member? If so, great, make sure to name them to the manager. If not, don't worry, they'll know who was on tonight.

Silkyanduna · 03/02/2019 21:24

That’s not the policy in the ones I have worked in 🤨

Original poster
seenna · 03/02/2019 21:24

Just to be clear I did get it back but only after they called the manager back.

The whole thing was very arbitrary, at one point she asked me to give them the long debit card number which I did not know. Once again was told that this was "strange"- who the hell knows it!

They were going to cut up EVERYTHING (debit card, railcard and id). Ridiculous.

OP posts: