I've never had this one happen before. I was just checking my receipt from earlier this week and saw that the cashier added a charge for a $1 donation to ALS w/out asking me! What is that all about?!? Had I noticed it before I left the store, I would have felt like a big jerk asking them to remove a $1 charge for a charity.

That's odd...

Hmm. You know, I think I'd call the store manager and let them know it happened. She might be doing it to other customers as well. Maybe they have some sort of reward system going for whomever gets the most donations and she's making sure she wins

Last week everytime I went into CVS they asked me to donate to ALS. I donated on one of my cards a few days before, when the cashier asked me again to donate. I said that I already had and she said she was sorry, it just pops up on the screen and they have to ask...Maybe your cashier just pressed a wrong button.

Sometimes the cashiers mumble something and assume you are answering the way they want to hear. Hence a situation such as this could occur. May have been an honest mistake. I don't recall what ALS is, but if a reputable charity, just chalk it up to your good deed for the day. Also, you might want to mention it to the mgr next time but DON'T show the receipt or say which cashier. I would hate for a cashier to get reprimanded for an honest mistake. Hopefully, the mgr will address the matter to all the cashiers for a cautionary heads-up .

I gave cash at the door where they were having a bake sale, etc. I always press "no" on the screen about the donation, it feels funny to not give. Can you imagine how much they'd raise if all the AFCers did "yes" every transaction???

To the OP, that's pretty bad. I hope it was an innocent mistake like the PP said. But it's worth a call to the manager to just let him/her know in case the cashier is systematically doing this.

CTSunshine

ALS is also known as Lou Gehrigs (sp?) disease. It's a horrible disease, we have a close family friend who has it. I think it's really great that CVS is using its resources to raise $ for this...

CTSunshine

ALS would be about the worst thing you could have. A gal from high school has it and one of my best friends sister has it. I doubt they will last the year. They can no longer walk or talk.
I am thankful CVS is offering to help raise money for this cause.

Yes, it is a worthy cause. But it is possible the cashier did something wrong. If the OP didn't give the donation, it is stealing. You don't steal, even for a worthy cause.

If you weren't asked to donate or said 'no', call the manager tell them what happened.

I noticed that the little machines where you scan your debit, credit or gift card asks you if you want to donate and says yes or no. My little girl hit it one day. Maybe that happend. If not maybe you should mention to her if you see her next time. If anything she'll no to be more careful.

I was in CVS the other day and they have the cards (with the barcode) sitting right under the scanner. The scanner caught the barcode without either of us realizing it until I went to use coupons. She then noticed and said she was so sorry about it, but long story short... maybe the scanner picked it up.

Probably one of two things:

1) The registers have a pop up that comes up when we total the transaction that asks if you want to donate $1 to ALS. We have to hit yes or no. He/she could have hit yes on accident (or purpose I suppose, but let's give the benefit of the doubt). I know for me, a lot of times it pops up and "I'm not expecting it" because I don't think about it. The Yes/no buttons are right by the payment options we usually hit to accept your payment. Probably a very honest mistake.

2) The card reader also has a pop up on it that you can hit yes or no to if you get to it before we do on the register. If you weren't reading - which we all know many people don't because they hit yes to cash back when they don't want any - then you could have possibly hit yes.

Either way, it's probably an honest mistake. Just take it as your good deed for the day. It's only $1 and with all the money you save at CVS, why not? I know I've probably donated like $20 so far.

CVSEmp - is there a reward for employees who get the most donations? I think it's a really weird thing to scam someone for a charity donation of all things. It's not like the stories we've heard of cashiers scanning their ec card after the customers. B/c the cashier isn't making a profit off of my donation. I know I have been asked about it at the checkout before so I know they are supposed to ask. I definitely was not asked.

I do remember there was a lady behind me carrying three of the large pkgs of Basic paper towels and she was trying to put them on the teeny tiny counter space w/my stuff before the cashier finished ringing up my things. It was a bit of a mess for the cashier w/her getting nudgy, so maybe they were thrown off by that and hit the Yes button for the donation. I also remember that customer specifically b/c I assumed she was doing the weekly deal for the Basic and as I was walking away the cashier asked if she had an extra care card and she said No. Crazy.

If it was a "steal from the rich to give to the poor" thing, then they stole from the wrong person. Would I be in CVS at 9:20 pm scouring the aisles for the remaining Duracell and carrying a baggie of coupons and ecb's if I were rich? I do give the $1 to many of those things you're asked about at the register at the grocery store, etc, but then when I'm asked about it again and again for the next three weeks and say "I gave last week" or whatever, I'm sure they don't believe me. It would really add up if you gave every time you were asked, you know?

Maybe this unexpected donation will yield some good karma and a cvs email for me next week or at least some good scanner coupons!

Was your store having a bake sale/Candy sale? Mine was selling ziplocs of Gold Emblem candy & I got some for my 3 y.o. son & it was the same as donating.

I too think it's a mistake. My CVS sells stamps and where they have the bar code for stamps laid out, the scanner hits it every once and awhile. Maybe they have a bar code on their register? Don't know...

Hope it was innocent, but either way, Yah to go on donating!

I would go with mistake. I know sometimes just typing on my computer, I miskey something so I assume that a certain amount of times per day a cashier would do the same.

I had the same kind of thing happen, only I was "double charged" for the donation. Honest mistake that I didn't say anything about it. My friends husbands father died of this awful disease three years ago. It was hard for them to see him literally waste away before their eyes.