Dollar General employees report refund scam linked to understaffing
A December 2, 2025 account from a current Dollar General employee describes a customer attempting to return three full shopping carts shortly after purchase, requesting refunds to a different card. Workers say the episode highlights a common fraud pattern and exposes how chronic understaffing and store refund practices raise financial risk and stress for frontline crews during the holiday season.
A Dollar General employee reported that on December 2 a customer tried to return three full shopping carts soon after buying the items, asking staff to refund everything to a different payment card. Frontline coworkers who responded in the same online discussion described a suspected scam in which shoppers buy high value products such as cigarettes and medications, remove selected items in the parking lot, and then seek refunds using an alternative payment method. The account underscores how store policies and staff shortages can make outlets vulnerable to quick loss through returns.
Employees in the thread described two competing responses on the floor. Many associates urged refusing a blanket quick refund and verifying every item one by one. Several managers and some district level staff, by contrast, often sought to avoid time consuming verification and issued store credits or gift cards to diffuse customer confrontation and potential corporate complaints. In at least one example a district manager intervened and a gift card was issued to the customer, creating friction with associates who are left to manage the fraud risk on the register.
Workers tied the problem to chronic understaffing and gaps in training. When registers are short staffed or a store is busy, cashiers and clerks said they are pressured implicitly or explicitly to complete refund transactions quickly. That pressure increases loss exposure and adds to workplace stress as employees juggle verification, customer service, and the risk of being blamed for shrink. Commenters noted that refund disputes frequently escalate to management, but that escalation can take time and still end with a concession to avoid complaints.
Frontline tactics reported by employees include refusing blanket refunds, calling district managers or corporate, and carefully documenting suspicious incidents. The episode illustrates broader workplace dynamics at Dollar General this holiday period. For employees, the practices intended to preserve customer relations can translate into heavier workloads, heightened conflict with supervisors, and ongoing exposure to fraud that affects store profitability and staffing morale.
