Beware - Balham Waitrose Scammers ! Post Reply

[forfun]

Just to warn everyone -I was in Waitrose carpark this weekend paying for my parking ticket which now has to be done by card . As I was trying to pay , two guys were watching me which made me nervous. One suddenly intercepted what I was doing by telling me what to press on the machine -I said I was fine thanks and realised that the other guy had his camera out [obs trying to take a photo/ film of my pin! ] Fortunately I grabbed my card quickly and told him to go ahead and use the machine instead, I would use the other one if I was holding him up. He told me it was fine and to go ahead but I insisted,  realising what he was up to. He then swiftly pretended to put a card in and said it wasn't working and walked off with the other guy. This wasn't true -it was working perfectly ! 
I then went off shopping and about 10 mins later went to get some cash from the cashpoint as the banks were closed and guess who was standing nearby again !  I felt totally stalked and didn't use the cash machine. They clocked that I saw them and so I purposely watched them walk back to Waitrose carpark where they stood and watched people. I took a quick photo of them as I know they were trying to steal cards -I told Waitrose  who confirmed they are having lots of problems with these sorts of incidents. I will post a photo -not great but gives you an idea what they look like. Please be careful -I felt very intimidated and it made me feel very vulnerable. They apparently choose their 'timings' when security is on their breaks. It was approx 2pm Saturday. I'm afraid Waitrose aren't particularly doing anything about it. I see people have posted  similar incidents on other residents forums. 

[Sweetlikecinnamon]

So sorry this happened to you, well done for being aware and being able to prevent your card being stolen.
The car park machines still take coins though, at least at 5 30pm on Friday they did.
I won't pay by card their anymore after hearing one too many reports of card scamming , distraction etc from the machines.

[forfun]

I think the machines may have stopped taking coins now, as there were temporary notices to say cards only. If this is the case, I think Waitrose needs to revise the machines-they were fine the way they were. Personally I believe its way too dodgy with this going on for shoppers to be spending time navigating them-they aren't straight forward to use. Sadly too many incidents again in Balham recently  :-( 

[Motherslittlehelper]

great post forfun

[BalhamBorders]

Please log this with met police. You can do this on-line in under 5 mins. It will then get reassigned to Wandsworth or Lambeth police for follow up according to the location. Thanks for alerting us.

[citygal101]

Thank you for your post and warning us. I am constantly weary of people either standing too close or over my shoulder when using a payment machine or cashpoint. The more this gets reported, the better as these scammers will find it more difficult to steal like this on the open street. 

[namnyt]

I too paid with coins on Friday afternoon in the car park

[somemum]

Thanks for warning us, and for the photo 'forfun'
If you don't have coins, use contactless - easier and quicker, and then they won't get your PIN. 
Just press:

+ (then wait forever), 
Green button (wait forever) 

and present card (wait forever for ticket to appear)

Voila!

[Mivana]

Thank you for the warning!
Waitrose Security arrangements are pants!
Surely they should have cover constantly and someone else on during “break time”!
Rotating staff.......
Please post on Facebook (if you are able to.....) Waitrose profile (+ Twitter etc...); companies/businesses do not like negative postings / publicity on social media and that may kick them into some action and banish such con artists from loitering on their premises. . . . .

[Denwand]

Looks similar to a man who approached me in Northcote road some months ago - speaking french - asking where he could buy a parking ticket.

We were 10 meters from a machine and when I directed him to it he pulled a bunch of £50 notes (at least £500 worth)    and comically, tried to feed one into the card slot on the machine!

When I repeatedly said "Credit Card" "Visa" and "Mastercard" he feigned not to understand...I even showed him the Visa sign on the machine - he still looked baffled (obviously a Frenchman would know all of these brands).

I expect he wanted me to use my credit card to buy him a ticket in return for a fake £50 note  (counting on my greed to overcome my caution) - then grab my card - but he soon realised I was having none of it and turned on his heels and vanished into the crowd...

They are out there, beware!

[FrankJ]

I personally hate the parking situation at this branch. I prefer to venture out further to the new Nine Elms or even Wandsworth branch. They need to figure out something.