Senator Calls for Federal Investigation After Call Kurtis Walmart Investigation
WASHINGTON (CBS13) -- Senator Barbara Boxer reacting from Capitol Hill said she didn't like what we found out about Walmart gift receipts.
"I'm asking the F.T.C. to investigate this matter and if it's true to take appropriate action," she said.
During our hidden camera investigation, we and our sister station in Philadelphia spent $106.85 at Walmart stores in the Sacramento area and New Jersey. When we returned the items using gift receipts we only received $62.32 back. Walmart kept $44.53 of our money.
An undercover producer said, "I thought it was more than that. The clerk responded, "It probably was, but you don't have a receipt with the actual price. I have to give you whatever comes up."
We launched our investigation after a West Sacramento Walmart store tried to short David Schmitz when he tried to return a make-up kit he bought as a gift.
"When I purchased the item it cost $15 plus tax. When I tried to return the item using the gift receipt i was offered $7.50 plus tax," he recalls.
Walmart eventually refunded him the full amount, but Schmitz was concerned about others.
"It's no different than having your pocket picked," Senator Boxer said. "It's just a way to extract money from hardworking middle class people."
The Democratic Senator sent a letter along with a copy of our investigation to the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission asking for an investigation into what she calls Walmart's "troubling gift receipt practices".
"The truth always comes out. You gotta press for it, and that's what we're going to do."
Walmart says its practice is to refund the original price paid when people use gift receipts. It blames the problem on confusion with its cashiers. A spokesperson says cashiers are supposed to press a button on the register when processing gift receipt returns to get the full price returned. After our investigation, Walmart sent out a memo to the more than 3,800 stores re-emphasizing its policy.
"We sent a high priority notification to store management to help ensure all cashiers and service desk associates know and follow proper refund processes," Lorenzo Lopez said in a video response released last week.
He added today, "We believe we've taken the appropriate steps to help ensure our process of returning items using a gift receipt is executed correctly."
Senator Boxer says customers deserve to be treated better.
"This shouldn't have to be an investigation. If this is happening, it needs to stop."
We reached out to the Federal Trade Commission to see if they will launch the investigation Senator Boxer is requesting.
"The FTC takes all such requests seriously and will give it careful consideration," said Frank Dorman of FTC Public Affairs.
