Walmart shopper shamelessly films her shoplifting attempt at self-checkout (original) (raw)
Shameless Walmart shopper records her shoplifting attempt at self-checkout only to be caught by AI
Walmart had to ban a TikToker for two years from local stores after the young woman filmed herself getting caught trying to shoplift but getting busted by new AI technology at the self-checkout counter
A TikToker calling herself Nesha is now banned from local Walmarts for two years after her recent on-camera theft tip got her caught immediately
A shameless Walmart shopper decided to film her shoplifting antics for TikTok - sharing the video even though she got caught by the store's high-tech surveillance and a laughing employee.
TikTok user Nesha shows herself dragging items across the self-checkout counter but not really scanning them. Suddenly, the computerized register clocks her, and alerts an employee. The video then fast-forwards to a laughing attendant in a blue Walmart vest with her hand covering her mouth. The woman behind her was laughing too.
"POV: When you usually don't get caught, and now you're banned for 2 years from all Walmarts in my area," Nesha captioned her viral video, which has racked up over 2.2 million views.
- Walmart shopper 'profiled' at checkout over hoodie comes up with cheeky response
- Walmart shopper slams new self-checkout policy and vows never to shop there again
Nessa was attempting to sneak a backpack through the self-checkout by pretending to scan it. She is stopped in her tracks by an alert on the computer screen reading, "Associate is on the way," halting any further scanning or payment process.
A store associate arrives and after scanning her card, the screen flashes a "Missed Scan Detected" warning, complete with a video replay of the shopper failing to scan the backpack's barcode. Nesha then turns the camera to the employee, who can't help but cover her mouth with laughter.
TikToker Nesha loves filming her antics for TikTok, even if it gets her banned from Walmart (
Image:
x/@ohthatsnesh)
Walmart's new anti-theft measures appear to work, according to a shoplifter caught red-handed (
Image:
tiktok/@ohthatsnesh)
Despite the employee's initial amusement, Nesha reveals in her post, "Even though she laughed ... she called the manager, police and had us escorted outside," adding the hashtag "#stealinggonewrong."
Interestingly, a 2023 LendingTree survey found that about 15 percent of consumers confess to having intentionally stolen items at self-checkouts, but only a third of those shoppers ever get caught, according to the Post.
Walmart is beefing up its anti-theft technology. According to Gitnux, the superstore behemoth faces a staggering $3 billion loss annually due to shoplifting. To combat this, Walmart has leveraged artificial intelligence as part of its arsenal, deploying AI-powered "Missed Scan Detection" cameras specifically designed to slash theft and inventory shrinkage. Business Insider first spotted this move in stores in 2017.
However, Walmart isn't stopping there; the retailer has recently introduced innovative tech upgrades at their self-checkout stations. The latest evolution includes testing out 'invisible barcodes' on its Great Value products, making it ridiculously easy for customers to scan items just by waving them over the scanner.
Nesha has continued to laugh about her experience on her channel (
Image:
tiktok/@ohthatsnesh)
Pretending to scan items is not a scam individuals can get away with anymore, thanks to new AI (
Image:
tiktok/@ohthatsnesh)
These nifty invisible barcodes, reported by The Daily Mail, were made public by Walmart in 2019 thanks to a deal with Digimarc. They are imperceptible to human eyes but cover the product entirely, transforming the checking out experience.
Digimarc is the brains behind this ingenious solution aimed at accelerating patrons' checkout processes. Thanks to Digimarc's tech brilliance, patrons will no longer have to fumble to find barcodes or twist products awkwardly to ensure a successful scan.
To top it off, Walmart's investment in this game-changing technology amounts to an incredible $3 million contract with Digimarc.
The folks at Digimarc dished to the media outlet about the benefits: "The scanning speed goes up significantly," and they pointed out the clear customer-centric advantage: "Hunting for barcodes during the scanning process becomes unnecessary, which eases the self-scanning for customers. The imaging cameras can also pick up several products simultaneously."
Additionally, they mentioned that the barcode acts as a deterrent for potential thieves, especially as grocery stores have witnessed an uptick in shoplifting incidents.