I recently came across an interesting story about a grocery store scam. I'm sure the fine individuals of TOTSE will appreciate this, and find ways to modify the scam for their own convenience. Enjoy!

**The Story**

A young man is shopping in a supermarket when he notices that an older woman seems to be following him, staring at him in a sorrowful manner. He moves to the next aisle, trying to avoid her, but she follows, still staring. And when he finishes shopping, he ends up behind her in a long checkout line. Her grocery basket is full to overflowing; his contains just a few items.

She keeps staring at him sadly, making him feel most uncomfortable. Finally she speaks up. "Pardon my staring," she says, "but you look exactly like my son, who died just two weeks ago." And she begins to sniffle as she repeats her claim that the young man perfectly resembles her late, beloved son. "I mean, exactly like him," she moans.

As the cashier bags her groceries at the front of the line, the woman asks: "As a favor to a grief-stricken mother, would you mind saying 'Goodbye, Mom' to me as I leave? Somehow, it would make me feel so much better."

The young man gulps and agrees to her request. She gives him a tearful smile, waves and picks up her three heavy bags. "Goodbye, Mom!" he says, waving back. All the scene needs now to make it a perfect melodrama is violins welling up in the background -- or maybe a little supermarket Muzak.

The young man, reflecting on his good deed, feels such a warm glow of self-satisfaction that he barely notices the cashier ringing up his own few purchases. Until, that is, the cashier tells him that the bill comes to $110.

"There must be a mistake," the young man says, pointing at his single small bag. "Your mother said you'd be paying for hers too," the cashier says.

Pwnt.

It's more common then you think.

Really? This is the first time I have heard of this exact scam. Obviously the success/fail of a scam like this depends upon how well you play the part and on how well you pick your targets ( meaning both the victim and the cashier ).

I would attempt this on an older woman, saying how much she looks like my mother who recently passed. Perhaps mention that the two of you used to come to this store quite a bit. And as for the cashier, definitely go for a teenager.

Very nice, Im way to lazy for this though.

It's been done in a movie, it's that well known. Just a variation on it, it was getting someone to pay for their meal at a diner.

I can't remember which movie, but I definitely remember the scam. Still, haven't heard of it being done in a grocery store.

Dumb & Dumber?

OR. There's always shoplifting. Quicker/easier. Old lady failed big time.

Shoplifting would be easier to do and it would only hurt the corporation, rather than the individual. There would be more legal ramifications with shoplifting though. Sounds like a good story, if you can pull off the social engineering.