These are the details of the rip-offs at fresh & easy. They have stores across the U.S. i selected places, pray your city has NOT BEEN SELECTED. The upshot of this complaint was they stole the money from my bank account and did not return it. Then, the regional manager Mr. Meyer -- his full name will be revealed next week -- said to make the situation right he would send me a $40 gift card -- they had ripped off $70. That was May 16. This is June 8.


Jennifer at your Escondido store at 10 a.m. Saturday told me to email you about my being ripped off around 3 p.m. Friday, May 15. I also spoke with Eric Arnold Friday night about this and he argued with me, even though the proof is on bank statement, which I will produce at this and later times.

Around 3 p.m. Friday -- and apparently you have videotape surveillance you may check -- I went into your store and purchased groceries. As I finished scanning, paid and was about to bag the groceries, an older femal dressed in your uniform rushed up with a $3-off coupon, saying, "I thought I was going to miss you, but here is a $3-off coupon."

I was hesitant, and in a hurry to get to an appointment, but she took my debit card and then proceeded to take my groceries, saying this was the only way to do the refund, de-scanned them and stacked them up on the tray outside the scanner. I said, why don't you take off a couple of products and do the refund. I should have said forget it.

She scanned all te items again, but prevented me from packing them for some reason, physically scanned the card again, wouldn't return it to my possession, and convinced me to enter the pin numbers. Aother bad move letting her do this.

This did not work, or somethinng. She scanned the items AGAIN, it didnt work. She de-scanned them again, all the time not returning my card despite my asking her to do so.

As my bank account statement clearly shows, and I am posting this FYI, but will produce the actual statement at a court and at the San Diego County Dept. of Agriculture, Division of Weights and Measures while filing a formal complaint if something is not done immediately...

05/15/2009 
FRESH & EA 415 & 425 N ASH ESCONDIDO CA 
Purchases 
 
-$27.33
$18.68
05/15/2009 
#06705 ALB 1570 W. VALLEY ESCONDIDO CA 
Purchases 
 
-$28.92
$46.01
05/15/2009 
FRESH & EA 415 & 425 N ASH ESCONDIDO CA 
Purchases 
 
-$33.90
$74.93


The $27.33 is what the groceries cost. The $34.31 that was refunded at the point of sale does not show up, but the $33.90 charge does and was not refunded. I also was charged $5 from the bank for some reason on this.

In other words, $33.90 was stolen from me. It is not in my bank acount. I needed this money for purchases today, Saturday, and do not have it.

In speaking a length to Arnold, he disputed these charges, saying he checked the register tapes and the $33.90 transaction does not exist.

The entire process has wasted my time from the moment I tried to leave your store and spent an additional 15-20 minutes to dealing with Arnold over the course of Friday -- I was busy with other matters and this was a stupid hassle -- and now writing you. It ripped me off as well. Also, Jennifer -- she gave no last name -- told me to call a 310 area code number today because the "corporate office is open Saturday" which, obviously it isn't. That cost me whatever long distance charges.

I need that money returned in whatever way, shape or form although obviously it does no good at this point and GREATLY messes me up. I am going to complain to county consumer regulating authorities about your store and will sue in small claims court or another venue if an attorney advises me otherwise. I do not know the name of this "employee" who initiated the situation, but she is a disgrace. Eric and Jennifer similarly have been useless in this process. Nice personnel you have at your store.

I think your store has serious issues. I even made a special stop out of my way to go there Friday. While I liked the food, unless some serious rectifying of this situation occurs, I will never shop there again and publicze this incident through various sources including Web sites -- mine and others -- and local media -- Turci Files, Consumer Bob.

Additional details.The receipts I have show this to have happened at Register 007 between at lest 3:04 p.m. and 3:10 p.m. Friday, May 15.

Yours,