The rise of AI tech is supposed to make our lives a bit easier. One of the many conveniences that we enjoy because of the new tech is the self-checkout option which can help you skip the long lines at the major department stores and supermarkets.
However, that system is based on honesty and as one woman showed recently, according to Fox News, it’s pretty easy to think you can cheat the system. According to police, 34-year-old TeddyJo Marie Fliam from Michigan was charged after allegedly stealing items from Walmart.
Michigan Woman Allegedly Stole Over $1000 From Walmart By Failing to Scan All Of Her Items At Self-Checkout
Not just once either but enough times that a Walmart in Alpena County allegedly lost over $1000. Her scheme was pretty simple, just don’t scan what you don’t want to pay for. Police explained that it was the sharp-eyed loss prevention team that noticed Filam was not scanning all of her items at the Walmart.
When they approached the woman she is said to have become agitated and then started to deny that she was doing anything dishonest. On top of that, she apparently walked out of the store after she was confronted.
The Walmart in question decided to do due diligence and began to check their surveillance tape where they realised the woman had been employing her crude heists since earlier this year starting sometime in April. After the footage was shared with authorities she was arrested at her Alpena home.
Filam was charged last month (Sept.) with first-degree retail fraud and is apparently one of a few other dishonest customers who have been trying to beat the self-checkout system. The Michigan State Police confirmed that they have investigated two other similar incidents. The people involved in those were arrested after swapping barcodes while checking out items.
Shoppers should know that schemes like those won’t work as easily anymore because Walmart has been using artificial intelligence to crack down on self-checkout thefts since 2019. The system is known as the Missed Scan Detection and can monitor both self and manned checkout stations.
Walmart is serious about cracking down on these types of thefts and a spokesman for the company revealed that the company has already invested over half a billion dollars in an effort to prevent, reduce and deter crime in their stores and parking lots.
So remember to smile the next time you think about not scanning items at the self-checkout, since you most definitely will be on camera.
