Stealing cartridges

[pmbguy]

A guy once phoned me saying that he works for a private hospital X that would like to sell their unused/sealed original cartridges which they have no use for as the machines have been replaced. I negotiated a rock bottom price and the gentleman dropped them off and I paid cash. Then a few months later I got another call from the same guy wanting to sell the same cartridges again. It sounded a bit strange because I thought I bought all their unused cartridges last time. When I asked why they still have these cartridges he hesitated and said they discovered more in storage. At this point I got very suspicious. I told him that I just need a few days to get cash in and that I will phone him when I am ready. If I was a crook I would have just bought the dam things as I would be making a huge profit, anyway, I phoned the hospital and got through to a gentleman who I think was the hospital manager. I explained the situation to him and I told him that I had already sold the first batch of cartridges. I gave him the cartridge codes and the name and number of the guy in question. He told me that it does sound fishy and that he will investigate. He phoned me back a few days later and confirmed that the guy in question was confronted and confessed. I apologized for having bought the first batch and he told me not to worry and that he is extremely grateful that I brought this to his attention.

Since then I have been contacted by other people wanting to sell unused cartridges. I now go to the businesses and speak to the owner/manager to make sure it is legit. Most often it is legit, but one guy put the phone down when I said I want to come to his work to get the cartridges.

In a big business it is easy for somebody to steal them without you noticing it and just as easy to sell them. So guys lock your cartridges away and keep a good record of them.

[IanF]

I am glad I am a small business but with the price of Ink Jet cartridges it is tempting to change to compatibles once your warranty is over.

[pmbguy]

Are you talking about your big machine Ian? Because those large format inkjets don't cope to well with compatibles, especially if you printing photo quality images

[IanF]

Yes the big machine. The prints are magic but the cost

[Dave A]

I had to recover one of my vehicles from the pound last year after it had been unlawfully borrowed at gunpoint. As one might expect, the process comes with a whole lot of paper work which has to come out of a printer, and I watched with some bemusement when it came to printing time.

The printer was a fairly big desktop printer in the room, and while I was waiting as the clerk/detective was typing up all manner of things on his PC, there was a steady stream of people coming in to use the printer for copies. Each of them came in with their own toner cartridge and paper! The default condition of this printer was without either.

When it came to printing time for my clerk (or is it detective), he duly unlocked a drawer in his desk, took out his toner cartridge and paper, put it in the machine, did his printing, removing the cartridge and paper and duly locking it away again after he was done.

It seemed so bizarre to me, naturally I had to ask what this setup was all about. Apparently management had determined that it was best to issue each staff member with their own paper and toner cartridges, which they would have to draw and sign for, and on occasions even account for.

Officially it was because prior to this arrangement the paper and toner was running out at such a pace that whenever anyone had anything to print, there never was any paper or toner and they'd have to go to stores to draw more anyway. But I suspect it may well have been as a result of a situation such as you have discovered... excessive shrinkage.

Quite a shrewd solution, actually. Instead of tracking per printer consumption, you now track it per individual. Sad that's what it takes to stop the thieving from within, though.

[pmbguy]

I had to recover one of my vehicles from the pound last year after it had been unlawfully borrowed at gunpoint. As one might expect, the process comes with a whole lot of paper work which has to come out of a printer, and I watched with some bemusement when it came to printing time.

The printer was a fairly big desktop printer in the room, and while I was waiting as the clerk/detective was typing up all manner of things on his PC, there was a steady stream of people coming in to use the printer for copies. Each of them came in with their own toner cartridge and paper! The default condition of this printer was without either.

When it came to printing time for my clerk (or is it detective), he duly unlocked a drawer in his desk, took out his toner cartridge and paper, put it in the machine, did his printing, removing the cartridge and paper and duly locking it away again after he was done.

It seemed so bizarre to me, naturally I had to ask what this setup was all about. Apparently management had determined that it was best to issue each staff member with their own paper and toner cartridges, which they would have to draw and sign for, and on occasions even account for.

Officially it was because prior to this arrangement the paper and toner was running out at such a pace that whenever anyone had anything to print, there never was any paper or toner and they'd have to go to stores to draw more anyway. But I suspect it may well have been as a result of a situation such as you have discovered... excessive shrinkage.

Quite a shrewd solution, actually. Instead of tracking per printer consumption, you now track it per individual. Sad that's what it takes to stop the thieving from within, though.

Wow! That’s very clever indeed – genius actually


While we’re on the topic, I had a client who claimed faulty cartridges and I proved to him via usage pages that they were being used up (Not the first client to make such a claim). He did not really believe me and we had many “conversations” about it. Anyway, the one day they asked me to come sort the printer out because it was displaying an error and could not print. I repaired a faulty sensor and plugged in the printer and it began printing all the pending jobs. Low and behold it printed out fliers advertising his employees’ printing business! It goes without saying that we solved his cartridge mystery that day.

[pmbguy]

Yes the big machine. The prints are magic but the cost

@Ian - PM me the cartridge codes and what price you are paying. I might be able to find a supplier for you that's cheaper

[IanF]

Wow! That’s very clever indeed – genius actually


While we’re on the topic, I had a client who claimed faulty cartridges and I proved to him via usage pages that they were being used up (Not the first client to make such a claim). He did not really believe me and we had many “conversations” about it. Anyway, the one day they asked me to come sort the printer out because it was displaying an error and could not print. I repaired a faulty sensor and plugged in the printer and it began printing all the pending jobs. Low and behold it printed out fliers advertising his employees’ printing business! It goes without saying that we solved his cartridge mystery that day.

It is hard to compete against competitors who sell below cost. But you soon learn that you can't compete against competitors selling below cost and look for better customers

[IanF]

@Ian - PM me the cartridge codes and what price you are paying. I might be able to find a supplier for you that's cheaper

I have just bought a complete set so should be alright for a while, but I will send you a list tomorrow

[pmbguy]

Cool, I will see what I can do

[wynn]

. Apparently management had determined that it was best to issue each staff member with their own paper and toner cartridges, which they would have to draw and sign for, and on occasions even account for.

When I was in the navy a lot of consumables requisitioned had to be accompanied by the used item, so if you wanted a new paintbrush because the old one had no bristles left you had to turn in the old brush before they gave you a new one and if you wanted more paint you had to turn in the old paint tin first.

[Houses4Rent]

That helps, but in that case people will just turn in their old private stuff...

[Justloadit]

That helps, but in that case people will just turn in their old private stuff...

Not when it is company logo branded and accompanied by a serial number

[dellatjie]

When I started reading the original post here, I immediately thought of something that happened to us, and that it might have been related:

We owned a computer shop. Someone phoned one day to order a huge amount of toners, I think selling price was something like R150 000. We asked for a deposit, in order to be sure that we can order that many toners. He forwarded a very legit-looking EFT proof of payment. I instructed staff not to release any stock until I gave them permission to. The customer never pitched. I phoned ABSA after 2 days with the reference number of the payment, and they confirmed that it was not a legit reference number. I phoned the guy to tell him that the money is not in yet, trying not to sound suspicious. He just never phoned back.

On a second occassion, we also got a telephonic order for R90 000. The customer sent me a proof of payment for an eft, but in my bank account payment was shown as a cheque deposit. He asked me us to send it to him via Postnet. We reported the matter to the police in the area the toners would be delivered, and set-up a fictitious waybill along with Postnet. Police just told us that the crime didn't happen in Jhb, therefore it is not in their jurisdiction to do anything, and of course Postnet wasn't willing to take matters into their own hands. I ended up paying an outrageous fee for the cheque being cancelled.

In both cases, this might have been what the guys had in mind, selling the toners stating that they bought the wrong ones and making a fortune out of it!!