Katelyn Ingram
COM 3330-05
Writing Assignment #3: TV News Story Final Draft
February 24, 2011
{***TONY***}
A CHICK-FIL-A EMPLOYEE GETS CHEATED OUT OF 150 DOLLARS BY A CUSTOMER AT THE VININGS LOCATION TODAY.
POLICE SAY THE SUSPECT IS A LIGHT SKINNED AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE OF MEDIUM BUILD WITH SHORT BLACK HAIR. 18-YEAR-OLD CASHIER BEN MCFEE TELLS US THAT THE SUSPECT CONFUSED HIM INTO GIVING HIM THE INCORRECT AMOUNT OF CHANGE BACK FROM HIS PURCHASE.
{***TAKE SPLIT***}
CHANNEL 2’S JENNIFER SNOW IS AT THE VININGS LOCATION NOW TO SPEAK WITH MCFEE AND THE STORE’S OPERATOR...JASON BILOTTI. JENNIFER?
TONY...
ACCORDING TO MCFEE, THE SUSPECT HANDED HIM SEVERAL DIFFERENT LARGE BILLS TO PAY FOR THE MEAL...EACH TIME DEMADING HIS CHANGE BE RETURNED TO HIM IN A DIFFERENT FORM. BILOTTI SAYS THE YOUNG CASHIER...HOWEVER...IS SOMEWHAT TO BLAME.
(***A ROLL***)
EACH TIME A EMPLOYEE RECEIVES A BILL LARGER THAN 20 FROM A CUSTOMER...THEY ARE NOT COUNTERFEIT.
OPERATOR BILOTTI SAYS THIS ALSO SENDS A MESSAGE TO CUSTOMERS THAT CHICK-FIL-A IS SERIOUS ABOUT BUSINESS AND THAT MCFEE DID NOT DEMONSTRATE THIS CONCEPT TO HIS CUSTOMER.
{***SOT***}
<12:52 I rarely call a manager to check my bills. I always just thought I could do it myself, and that it was no big deal. But now I know that it’s more than just checking money, it’s about sending a message. After this scam, I will always have a manager check my money in the future.02>
{***AUDIO:CUE***}
ACCORDING TO BILOTTIE...WHEN THE CUSTOMER SEES THE EMPLOYEE NOT TAKING MONEY SERIOUSLY...HE KNOWS IT WILL BE EASIER TO PULL OFF A SCAM.
LIVE IN VININGS...CHANNEL 2 NEWS...JENNIFER SNOW.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Writing Assignment 1: Basic News Story
Katelyn Ingram
COM 3330-05
Writing Assignment #1: Basic News Story
February 8, 2011
A male employee was scammed out of $150 at a Chick-fil-A in Vinings according to shift supervisor Katelyn Ingram. Ben McFee, 18, was the victim of a scam aimed at confusing him into giving the suspect more change than he was owed according to Ingram.
Around 9:30 p.m. a customer gave McFee a $50 bill to pay for a $3 Chick-fil-A Deluxe chicken sandwich and the man received $47 in change, said McFee. Then McFee recalls him saying “wait, let me pay with this hundred, and I want the change in five-dollar bills.”
McFee says he did not have enough $5 bills and the situation continued to get more confusing. According to another Chick-fil-A employee, the customer had not given back any change he had received, but McFee had handed him back the $50 bill.
McFee says he then handed him back the $100 bill and told the man he was going to get his supervisor, a comment overheard by two employees and another customer. The customer had $47 in change, the initial $50 he paid with, and the $100 bill says McFee.
Upon returning from the back office with the supervisor, the man was gone according to Ingram. A fellow employee saw him walk out of the door, get in his car and drive away.
“The man took more money than he was owed. He tricked me. I was so confused,” McFee told local police that were called to the restaurant by Ingram.
“This is one of the oldest scams in the book. We see it all the time and unfortunately there isn’t really anything we can do about it,” said Police Officer Joe Campbell.
McFee described the man as African American, medium build with wavy black hair cut close to his head. He also recalled the man’s car as an older model SUV that was either dark blue or green, but he said the darkness made it difficult to determine.
“This guy knew what he was doing. He had probably been scoping us out, saw the young kid and knew it was about time to close. He struck at the perfect time,” said the Chick-fil-A Vinings owner and operator Jason Bilotti.
Employees are instructed to get a supervisor or manager when they receive a bill over $20, according to Ingram. McFee did not do this.
“Having an authority figure check large bills not only ensures they are not counterfeit, but also shows customers that we are serious about business and not being scammed,” said Bilotti.
According to McFee, he rarely gets a manager when he receives a large bill. He said the customer had probably noticed this, and targeted him for that reason.
This is not the first time a scam like this had occurred at this location according to Ingram. A few months prior, another employee was scammed out of $50 in a similar situation.
“Things like this happen, unfortunately. At the end of the day it doesn’t kill us, but we want to send the message out that it will not happen again,” said Bilotti.
COM 3330-05
Writing Assignment #1: Basic News Story
February 8, 2011
A male employee was scammed out of $150 at a Chick-fil-A in Vinings according to shift supervisor Katelyn Ingram. Ben McFee, 18, was the victim of a scam aimed at confusing him into giving the suspect more change than he was owed according to Ingram.
Around 9:30 p.m. a customer gave McFee a $50 bill to pay for a $3 Chick-fil-A Deluxe chicken sandwich and the man received $47 in change, said McFee. Then McFee recalls him saying “wait, let me pay with this hundred, and I want the change in five-dollar bills.”
McFee says he did not have enough $5 bills and the situation continued to get more confusing. According to another Chick-fil-A employee, the customer had not given back any change he had received, but McFee had handed him back the $50 bill.
McFee says he then handed him back the $100 bill and told the man he was going to get his supervisor, a comment overheard by two employees and another customer. The customer had $47 in change, the initial $50 he paid with, and the $100 bill says McFee.
Upon returning from the back office with the supervisor, the man was gone according to Ingram. A fellow employee saw him walk out of the door, get in his car and drive away.
“The man took more money than he was owed. He tricked me. I was so confused,” McFee told local police that were called to the restaurant by Ingram.
“This is one of the oldest scams in the book. We see it all the time and unfortunately there isn’t really anything we can do about it,” said Police Officer Joe Campbell.
McFee described the man as African American, medium build with wavy black hair cut close to his head. He also recalled the man’s car as an older model SUV that was either dark blue or green, but he said the darkness made it difficult to determine.
“This guy knew what he was doing. He had probably been scoping us out, saw the young kid and knew it was about time to close. He struck at the perfect time,” said the Chick-fil-A Vinings owner and operator Jason Bilotti.
Employees are instructed to get a supervisor or manager when they receive a bill over $20, according to Ingram. McFee did not do this.
“Having an authority figure check large bills not only ensures they are not counterfeit, but also shows customers that we are serious about business and not being scammed,” said Bilotti.
According to McFee, he rarely gets a manager when he receives a large bill. He said the customer had probably noticed this, and targeted him for that reason.
This is not the first time a scam like this had occurred at this location according to Ingram. A few months prior, another employee was scammed out of $50 in a similar situation.
“Things like this happen, unfortunately. At the end of the day it doesn’t kill us, but we want to send the message out that it will not happen again,” said Bilotti.
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