Police warn: Self-checkout scam preying on seniors in San Mateo
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Some scams don’t appear in the usual digital spaces or come disguised as suspicious emails—instead, they unfold quietly and deliberately, right in the middle of a perfectly normal day, often during something as mundane as a trip to the store or a stop at a local market.
While a number of crimes lean heavily on speed, surprise, or even brute force, there are others that depend almost entirely on creating just enough comfort or familiarity to slip past our guard in moments when we least expect it.
And for certain members of the community—particularly older adults who tend to be more trusting or simply polite in public spaces—that very instinct to be kind or cooperative can become the precise vulnerability scammers aim to exploit.
In one California county, local police have now issued a warning to residents, making it clear that even the seemingly ordinary setting of a checkout line may no longer be immune from subtle, real-time forms of manipulation.
In a new alert, the San Mateo Police Department is flagging a rising self-checkout scam specifically targeting elderly shoppers.
The setup involves two suspects: one engages the victim in conversation, while the other quietly adds high-value items—sometimes over $1,000—to the transaction.
According to police, the initial suspect builds rapport by asking the victim to help pay for “essential” items like baby formula or medicine.
Once the victim agrees to help and becomes distracted, the second suspect quickly scans in multiple hidden items.
Stores like Safeway and Target have reportedly been common sites for this scam, with police noting that self-checkout lanes give scammers the perfect opportunity to operate discreetly.
In a video statement, Officer Andrew Peak explained, “The first suspect will approach that community member, ask them out of the kindness of their hearts to pay for something like food or baby formula.”
“And while the victim is distracted, another suspect will scan multiple other items, sometimes totaling over $1,000.”
Also read: Are you being scammed at checkout? The hidden threat retail shoppers need to know about
These incidents are far from random or impulsive acts; rather, they are carefully orchestrated, thoroughly practiced, and growing ever more daring in both execution and scope.
In addition to the self-checkout scheme, San Mateo police are also alerting the public to a second scam involving “jewelry swaps.”
This tactic typically involves a suspect—often targeting women—who offers to perform a religious or spiritual blessing.
During this interaction, the suspect makes physical contact and discreetly removes valuable jewelry from the victim without their awareness.
It’s a distraction technique cloaked in kindness, and authorities say it’s been happening more frequently.
Both scams share a common thread that goes beyond tactics—they operate by exploiting human vulnerability, taking advantage of people’s natural inclination toward kindness, and using subtle misdirection to shift attention at just the right moment.
Also read: A cruel funeral fundraising scam just emptied a Chicago man’s wallet—here’s what went wrong
Police have also observed that many of the suspects involved tend to use rented or temporary vehicles, a detail that makes it much more difficult for license plate readers and surveillance tools to trace their movements after the fact.
That level of calculated planning strongly suggests that these events aren’t simply one-off cases, but rather part of a much larger, organized pattern that’s playing out across different communities.
Authorities in San Mateo are actively encouraging anyone who suspects they were targeted—or even just knows someone who might have been involved—to step forward and report what happened, no matter how small the detail may seem.
Read next: This woman's sneaky self-checkout trick got her banned from every Walmart—learn what NOT to do!
Have you or someone you know experienced suspicious behavior like this in a checkout line? Would you know what signs to watch for, or how to respond in the moment? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—and help spread the word to protect those who may be most at risk.
While a number of crimes lean heavily on speed, surprise, or even brute force, there are others that depend almost entirely on creating just enough comfort or familiarity to slip past our guard in moments when we least expect it.
And for certain members of the community—particularly older adults who tend to be more trusting or simply polite in public spaces—that very instinct to be kind or cooperative can become the precise vulnerability scammers aim to exploit.
In one California county, local police have now issued a warning to residents, making it clear that even the seemingly ordinary setting of a checkout line may no longer be immune from subtle, real-time forms of manipulation.
In a new alert, the San Mateo Police Department is flagging a rising self-checkout scam specifically targeting elderly shoppers.
The setup involves two suspects: one engages the victim in conversation, while the other quietly adds high-value items—sometimes over $1,000—to the transaction.
According to police, the initial suspect builds rapport by asking the victim to help pay for “essential” items like baby formula or medicine.
Once the victim agrees to help and becomes distracted, the second suspect quickly scans in multiple hidden items.
Stores like Safeway and Target have reportedly been common sites for this scam, with police noting that self-checkout lanes give scammers the perfect opportunity to operate discreetly.
In a video statement, Officer Andrew Peak explained, “The first suspect will approach that community member, ask them out of the kindness of their hearts to pay for something like food or baby formula.”
“And while the victim is distracted, another suspect will scan multiple other items, sometimes totaling over $1,000.”
Also read: Are you being scammed at checkout? The hidden threat retail shoppers need to know about
These incidents are far from random or impulsive acts; rather, they are carefully orchestrated, thoroughly practiced, and growing ever more daring in both execution and scope.
In addition to the self-checkout scheme, San Mateo police are also alerting the public to a second scam involving “jewelry swaps.”
This tactic typically involves a suspect—often targeting women—who offers to perform a religious or spiritual blessing.
During this interaction, the suspect makes physical contact and discreetly removes valuable jewelry from the victim without their awareness.
It’s a distraction technique cloaked in kindness, and authorities say it’s been happening more frequently.
Both scams share a common thread that goes beyond tactics—they operate by exploiting human vulnerability, taking advantage of people’s natural inclination toward kindness, and using subtle misdirection to shift attention at just the right moment.
Also read: A cruel funeral fundraising scam just emptied a Chicago man’s wallet—here’s what went wrong
Police have also observed that many of the suspects involved tend to use rented or temporary vehicles, a detail that makes it much more difficult for license plate readers and surveillance tools to trace their movements after the fact.
That level of calculated planning strongly suggests that these events aren’t simply one-off cases, but rather part of a much larger, organized pattern that’s playing out across different communities.
Authorities in San Mateo are actively encouraging anyone who suspects they were targeted—or even just knows someone who might have been involved—to step forward and report what happened, no matter how small the detail may seem.
Read next: This woman's sneaky self-checkout trick got her banned from every Walmart—learn what NOT to do!
