Would really like an honest, educated opinion on what I'm facing here.
A few weeks ago I quit a job at a department store where I was the manager (and only employee) of the cell phone kiosk. I left on a good note, ended on my two weeks, and bid everyone goodbye.
Three days ago I get a call from the police station asking me to be questioned. I declined to come in to the station but asked them what it was regarding. "Your last job. Ring any bells?" I replied no, I have no idea what you are talking about officer. He said he could say nothing further and I said I will say nothing further until I hear more about this. He pressured me to come to the station. I declined and said I had to go. Officer gave me his number and told me to call back at my earliest convenience. I called back a couple hours later after racking my brain on what it could have been.
The store filed a complaint against me because they claim I did something on my last day that was out of protocol to get my wife a phone at a discounted price. The officer was calmer this time and I made a statement of exactly what happened. He told me to just call the AP guy and get it sorted out and then the officer would let me know if they decided to press charges.
So I asked what the charges were and he avoided the question. I called the AP guy and said hey, let's get this sorted out, I think we have a misunderstanding. So apparently this was the problem : during my last week of employment, we threw a sale on several phones and a promotion on trading in old, unused cell phones for a $50 off coupon. This was a very successful sale and I helped a lot of folks out with this sale so I was familiar with it.
A lady came in and traded two phones but only needed to use the one certificate for herself and said I could throw the other one away or use it for myself/family. My wife was up with her contract so I decided to use the coupon that day to sign her up with a phone. I'm an authorized user on our account (duh) so she didn't have to be there for this to happen. The store was dead and I went ahead and rung up the phone to bring it home and surprise her.
The accusation - **THEY SAY** there were no trades that took place on file that day and all they see on camera is me ringing up a phone at $50 off, bagging it, and walking out the door. The coupons that print out expire that same day they are printed. To my knowledge they cannot be generated by themselves...only if someone trades in a phone and completes the transaction.
This was the nuts and bolts of the conversation. I told them over and over there should be a record both on camera and in the file cabinet that these trades took place. They "were looking into it". I called the company that does our trades and their lips are zipped. They won't give me any confirmation that they did or did not receive trades since I am no longer an employee. I have my receipts and everything to prove I bought the phone, but the issue is the coupon. Apparently they are so ticked over a $50 coupon that they are willing to press charges.
Now with that being said - this is all I know so far. what can I do to protect myself should this proceed further? The store contains all the evidence and I don't know the woman's name who traded in those two phones. What kind of charge could they possibly throw my way for a freaking coupon at a store?! If they want the $50 I'll give it to them, for crying out loud. Why would they go to all this work to press charges over a $50 coupon? Or is this just all hot air without a case to prove it? My wife was in the store that day and I consulted with her about a phone but planned on surprising her with it.
This seems so asinine to me and I can't believe I have to put up with this legal garbage almost a month after I left on good terms! I never in my life have had to deal with anything like this and have a completely clean record. Nothing, not even a DUI or seat belt violation. This was seriously not my fault.
Help?
A few weeks ago I quit a job at a department store where I was the manager (and only employee) of the cell phone kiosk. I left on a good note, ended on my two weeks, and bid everyone goodbye.
Three days ago I get a call from the police station asking me to be questioned. I declined to come in to the station but asked them what it was regarding. "Your last job. Ring any bells?" I replied no, I have no idea what you are talking about officer. He said he could say nothing further and I said I will say nothing further until I hear more about this. He pressured me to come to the station. I declined and said I had to go. Officer gave me his number and told me to call back at my earliest convenience. I called back a couple hours later after racking my brain on what it could have been.
The store filed a complaint against me because they claim I did something on my last day that was out of protocol to get my wife a phone at a discounted price. The officer was calmer this time and I made a statement of exactly what happened. He told me to just call the AP guy and get it sorted out and then the officer would let me know if they decided to press charges.
So I asked what the charges were and he avoided the question. I called the AP guy and said hey, let's get this sorted out, I think we have a misunderstanding. So apparently this was the problem : during my last week of employment, we threw a sale on several phones and a promotion on trading in old, unused cell phones for a $50 off coupon. This was a very successful sale and I helped a lot of folks out with this sale so I was familiar with it.
A lady came in and traded two phones but only needed to use the one certificate for herself and said I could throw the other one away or use it for myself/family. My wife was up with her contract so I decided to use the coupon that day to sign her up with a phone. I'm an authorized user on our account (duh) so she didn't have to be there for this to happen. The store was dead and I went ahead and rung up the phone to bring it home and surprise her.
The accusation - **THEY SAY** there were no trades that took place on file that day and all they see on camera is me ringing up a phone at $50 off, bagging it, and walking out the door. The coupons that print out expire that same day they are printed. To my knowledge they cannot be generated by themselves...only if someone trades in a phone and completes the transaction.
This was the nuts and bolts of the conversation. I told them over and over there should be a record both on camera and in the file cabinet that these trades took place. They "were looking into it". I called the company that does our trades and their lips are zipped. They won't give me any confirmation that they did or did not receive trades since I am no longer an employee. I have my receipts and everything to prove I bought the phone, but the issue is the coupon. Apparently they are so ticked over a $50 coupon that they are willing to press charges.
Now with that being said - this is all I know so far. what can I do to protect myself should this proceed further? The store contains all the evidence and I don't know the woman's name who traded in those two phones. What kind of charge could they possibly throw my way for a freaking coupon at a store?! If they want the $50 I'll give it to them, for crying out loud. Why would they go to all this work to press charges over a $50 coupon? Or is this just all hot air without a case to prove it? My wife was in the store that day and I consulted with her about a phone but planned on surprising her with it.
This seems so asinine to me and I can't believe I have to put up with this legal garbage almost a month after I left on good terms! I never in my life have had to deal with anything like this and have a completely clean record. Nothing, not even a DUI or seat belt violation. This was seriously not my fault.
Help?
