‘A lot of stores are like this’: Macy’s worker convinces woman she’ll get $250 off $800 purchase if she signs up for store card. Then she realizes she got scammed
Store credit cards have always been a mixed bag. They promise big savings on the spot, and it may sound like a no-brainer when you’re standing at the register with a full cart.
But between hidden caps, confusing terms, and sky-high interest rates, these offers can unfortunately backfire. And as one Macy’s shopper recently found out, what sounds like a deal can quickly feel like a scam.
Woman Says She Got ‘Scammed’ by Macy’s Worker
TikToker Olivia (@olivia_monreoe218) shared a storytime that struck a nerve with viewers, describing her frustrating experience with Macy’s after signing up for its store card.
In her video, which has racked up more than 29,000 views, she begins, “So I got scammed opening a store card at Macy’s.”
She explains that she and her husband were shopping for suits, specifically “two suits, two dress shirts, and two ties,” and the total came to around $800.
At the register, the employee allegedly offered them a store card promotion. “The lady at the register was like, ‘Do you wanna open a store card and save 30% today?’” Olivia says. “Initially, he’s like, ‘No,’ but I’m like, ‘Maybe this will make sense.’”
After doing the math, she figured they’d save about $250. “We put it under my name,” she continues. “And when it came time to sign and pay for it, the bill still said $800. I was like, well, where’s the 30% off?”
The employee reassured her that it would appear later. “She’s like, no, no, when you get your bill, the 30% off is gonna be there,” Olivia says. “That’s when I should have known. That’s when I should have known this was a scam.”
The worker even encouraged her to wait a few weeks for an even better deal. “She said it’d be 40% off in a couple weeks, but we needed the suits right away,” Olivia says. The employee promised to “put her name on the receipt” if any issues came up.
She Finally Gets the Bill
Weeks later, Olivia got the bill, and instead of $250 off, she saw just $100. “I called customer service, and of course, they’re like, ‘Oh, it’s 30% off or max $100 off,’” she says. “That’s [expletive]. If you’re gonna call it 30% off, it should be called $100 off your purchase.”
She also claims the employee told her she’d get a shopping pass for continued discounts that week. “No,” she says flatly. “I wouldn’t have gotten anything off if I’d bought more things.”
When she called Macy’s again, she says customer service gave her two options: return everything or accept an additional $50 off. “I should’ve never signed for the purchase without the 30% actually being off at the register,” she says. “The reason they wait is because now it’s been three weeks, you’ve probably worn or opened whatever you bought.”
Was This a Scam?
Discount limitations are actually pretty standard, but workers are expected to disclose them clearly. Many major retailers cap their new-account discounts at a fixed dollar amount, a detail easy to miss in the fine print.
According to Macy’s own website, the “New Account Discount” maxes out at $100 in savings. The policy states: “Applicants who qualify for immediate approval are eligible to receive a New Account Discount of 20% off in stores and 30% off on macys.com, limited to a total of $100 in savings.”
In other words, Olivia technically got the right discount; she just didn’t know the cap existed. But the real issue, viewers pointed out, is that the employee apparently failed to mention it.
Commenters Advise Against Getting Store Cards
In the comments, users flooded in with similar stories and warnings.
“Macy’s tried to get me to open a credit card with them,” one person wrote. “I have excellent credit and was offered a card with a 35% APR! I said yeah, no thanks.”
Another said, “Most store cards are a ripoff.”
Others claimed this kind of misleading sales pitch is widespread. “I’ve done retail my whole life,” one user said. “They’re gonna say anything to get you to spend your money.”
Someone else shared their mom’s experience: “She got 30% off, returned the items, and then got charged 30% because she returned it. They wouldn’t budge until I called for her.”
@olivia_monroe218 Def didn’t need a store card for $100 off #macys #scam #creditcard #customerservice ♬ original sound – Olivia Monroe
Do Store Cards Hurt Your Credit?
According to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, store credit cards, also known as retail cards, can be risky if you’re not careful.
Most are closed-loop cards, meaning they can only be used at the issuing retailer. They often come with high interest rates and lower credit limits, which can hurt your credit utilization ratio if you carry a balance.
“The riskiest thing about having a store credit card is the temptation to overspend,” the NFCC explains. “They incentivize you to return to the store more often than you would otherwise, meaning you could end up with more credit card debt.”
The organization also warns about the checkout pressure that Olivia experienced. “You’re being encouraged to make an impulse decision,” they note. “You’re not likely to review the card’s terms and conditions before accepting the offer.”
The Mary Sue has reached out to Macy’s via email and Olivia via TikTok messages.
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