Wrongly accused of shoplifting and harrassment.

[JenniferBooth]

Ive been maliciously accused of shoplifting. By a woman in a well known news store currently undergoing a name change. This was last month on Saturday 26th July. This was followed by someone posting false accusations about me on social media Ive reported it to the police under the Malicious Communications Act AND IVE BEEN GIVEN A CRIME NUMBER It escalated on Sunday 17th August where a man ive never met before "confronted" me in another shop (supermarket corner shop) calling me a shoplifter and repeating the same shit from last month. Ive updated the police as its harassment. Ive never shoplifted in my life. Ive got piles and piles of carrier bags from this news store and have spent a lot of money there since my teens (im now in my fifties) I was ringing solicitors yesterday but havent found one to handle a case like this.

It would be libel not slander. You need a lot of money to take on a civil case of either.

how does the woman know your name? How do you know hers?

As indeed she did 😂

Hi OP just to circle back on the actual question, what were you hoping a solicitor will do for you? A private prosecution?

I Only ask as I’ve just paid £400 for a letter to be written- one which has no legal standing and which has not moved the situation forward at all- and realistically will need to send approx 3 more before deciding whether to spend £50k (quoted) taking them to court (I can’t, obv)

Ive e mailed WH Smith and they passed the buck to TG Jones. This kept going back and forth so i e mailed Modella capital who have acquired WH Smith Tumbleweed. E mailed CEO who said they will conduct an internal investigation but im not allowed to know the outcome.

The easiest way of not being accused of shoplifting is not to act dodgily in shops. Oh, and don't shoplift. I don't find it particularly challenging.

Dear God

I only know her first name because i asked for it the day i was asked to leave the shop,

As an aside, does anyone have a link to Boots Sample Lady thread, I feel that might be a good read!

Also, you do know that crime numbers are handed out like sweeties without the police having any intention of doing anything. My neighbours keep reporting drug dealing on our street, get a number, add it to our spreadsheet so they can't deny the report, which they have done in the past, but sweet FA happens. Your crime number means nothing.

Malicious Communications Act is a criminal act, so your solicitor can’t take a case for this, only CPS can. And they probably won’t tbh.

Slander is spoken, so any defamation written on social media is libel. Libel cases are expensive and hard to win, particularly where there is no financial losses. It would need to go the High Court, which costs thousands to list the case alone, and if you lose then you also pay the other sides fees.

Legal redress probably isn’t an option here. Report the posts to admin/the social media platform and see if you can get them removed that way.

And she knows yours how?

Was this shop in a train station or airport?

If not, it wasn’t a WH Smith so stop trying to contact them.

Lol at the CEO of a major corporation conducting an internal investigation into why a customer was accused of shoplifting.

I wasnt acting dodgily. I was standing by the magazines when she came up and accused me of shoplifting on a previous occassion, I have told the other shops where i am a regular customer and they were shocked as she alleged that i had been doing this all over the shopping centre. They were WTAF Several members of staff in other shops said im a polite customer. And they have never had any problem with me. I

Some of the replies on this thread are bonkers...

Of course the OP is perfectly right to be upset by the fact that she is being accused of something she hasn't done, is having her good name trashed on social media and is getting no luck in getting the store to investigate properly and liaise with her...

I would be livid too.

OP, I would say that if the store is continuing to stonewall you, get in touch with your local/regional media and tell them your story.

The threat of bad PR always get things moving with companies that are trying to fob off customers...

No A shopping centre

Why would someone randomly accuse you of shoplifting?
If you didn’t do it, there’ll be no evidence of it. Shops are covered in CCTV so just ask them check the CCTV.

Your slightly crazy attitude rings alarm bells.
I also thought you might be the Boots lady…

So you went into other shops and told them that you'd been accused of shoplifting???? Well they'll be watching you too now. What an odd move.

Thank You @Greenwitchart Im afraid many people think those of us who havent done anything wrong are worth being collateral damage

Would that include my local Sainsburys who give me a Christmas card for being one of their most polite and respectful customers? Manager herself told me this

Wow

Most of you probably shop online. So therefore you wouldnt do this as the retail workers dont know you well enough, But i PHYSICALLY shop all the time so am well known there

Incredible (or is it uncredible?)

How often do you spend at the shops, op, that you’re well known in every one of them?
To the point of being given Christmas cards?!