I had made a purchase at JCPenneys in Middletown Ny. The cashier told me I could get a discount if I signed up for a JCPenney credit card. I agreed as I shopped there frequently and put my purchase on the card.
A few weeks later I paid the exact amount that I owed with cash at the junior's register, as I was told I could pay at any register. I also made a small purchase totaling approximately twenty dollars at the same register. A couple weeks after this when I went to pay for the second transaction expecting a bill of Twenty I was told my bill was well over what was anticipated.
When I questioned my bill I was told that I had never made a payment on my card and now had a late fee for my first purchase. I said that there must be some mistake as I had paid in cash weeks prior. I was told that there was no evidence that I had ever paid and there was nothing that I could do but pay it again. Upset I went to the store and asked to speak with management. I explained how I had paid, how much, when, and on what register. They told me that without a receipt (Which I did not have the foresight to save) I had no case and would have to pay my bill again plus the late fee. I demanded to see security footage since I knew it would show me paying my bill. The manager told me she would get back to me in about a week after she spoke with security. She never got back to me.
I called the store again and again to speak with her and was told she wasn't available. Finally after about two weeks she answered and said the cameras didn't find anything. I asked what exactly they saw and she said she couldn't answer that. I asked if they saw the register or me at all and she said she couldn't say. I asked if anyone checked the camera at all and she "couldn't say" basically they never checked the camera dispite the fact that the cashier either took my money and pocketed it or put it in the wrong account, the store had no interest in even checking up on this and instead ignored my attempts to find out the truth and covered up the whole thing. I never even received an apology from them. What bothered me the most was their reaction. Everyone acted like I must be lying. If I was, why would I ask to see footage of myself paying the bill? No one at JCPenney seemed concerned that their employees could be stealing customers money they just wanted to get rid of me.
I wrote numerous times to JCPenney, becoming very frustrated at their non-response. I absolutely refused to pay the bill twice out of principle. Eventually (weeks later) the company after many e-mails agreed to take the amount off my bill. But even doing so I felt it was more because I was an annoyance to them than that they believed me, which was more important to me. They never answered any of my questions regarding the event and I never found out what actually happened. (Was the employee really a thief or just incompetent? Was she fired or does she still work there?)
Since the incident I have not stepped into the store. Now I park on the other side of the mall where as before I always parked outside JCPenney. Now I rip up every catalog they send me and refuse to buy joint gifts there with my friends and ask them never to buy from there for me. I will never trust that company again and they will never get another cent of mine.
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