Kerri: Beware Checkout Donations

Here’s a cautionary tale for those who routinely pay at the checkstand with a debit or credit card at any number of our local retailers. On Saturday I did just that and was also intending to request $10 cash back on the transaction. After swiping my debit card, the usual prompts came up and I selected the $10 option and then continued through the process … pin number, verifying amount due, etc. As I completed the transaction I saw a message, “thank you for donating to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.” I asked the cashier to look at my total on the register to see if there had been a donation made. Sure enough I had made a $10 donation, not the intended $10 cash back. The transaction was voided and we started over, this time without a donation. According to the cashier this donation option has been on the checkout payment terminals for a few weeks/ Kerri Thoreson , Main Street, Coeur d’Alene Press. More here.

Question: Have you noticed the same thing as Kerri re: debit/credit card purchases at local retailer?