I was refused entry in a local B&M store today

sheramber

Renfrewman said:

MattMattMattUK said:

nero33 said:

UPDATE

I have been in regular contact with Facewatch and I requested that they send me all evidence that was held on their system.

I was told they did not hold any CCTV/video of the alleged incident but would now involve B&M who held the evidence/footage.

Facewatch then contacted me same day to say:

"Following our recent communications, I escalated the incident to the Manager of Profit Protection for B&M Bargains on your behalf.

Unfortunately, there is no longer any CCTV footage available for this incident.

In light of this, and considering the information you have provided, I have resolved the matter by removing your record from the Facewatch system.

Your profile has now been permanently deleted, and  will no longer trigger any alerts going forward."

Clearly it is a huge weight off our shoulders and 4 months of stress took it's toll.

Facewatch were extremely professional and courteous throughout and I genuinely felt they were looking to help me from their first reply onwards.  I think they realised yesterday that someone at B&M may have made up an incident and didn't expect us to go through the processes involved in challenging their decision to ban.

It is highly unlikely that we'll ever set foot in a B&M store again.

Many thanks to all of you that took the time to read/reply/offer advice;

A really good result and good info for others in the future who have done nothing wrong. Well done on this!

Something similar happened to me in B&M.  I was stopped in the car park and asked to return to the store as a staff member thought they saw me shoplifting...was happy to do so! I was asked to empty my right hand jacket pocket...I did and it revealed six branded Tesco tattie scones...honestly you should have seen their faces! Did I get upset...not in the least especially as I got £50 of vouchers! Mistakes happen. OP fought for the right to shop in B&M and now that they can refuses to do so...a bit perverse I suggest?

You were given the chance to prove your innocence. The OP was not.

Would You have been happy to be refused entry the next time you went and told you had something in your in pocket you did not pay for when you left the store last time? 

How would you have proved them wrong?
 

The ban did not just affect B&M. It affected all stores who use Facewatch, which could be all the stores in their neighbourhood. 

nyermen

Renfrewman said:

OP fought for the right to shop in B&M and now that they can refuses to do so...a bit perverse I suggest?

Suspect it's not just about B&M, but that any shop that signs up to the service could also be an issue.

My worry is that here is a system where it's possible for a "suspicion" to be logged.  A positive (I guess) result at the end here, but I worry where this could evolve to for others.

It feels a bit like a credit records (I appreciate evidence in facewatch isn't quite as digital) - at least with a credit rating agency, you can challenge, and false information could result in the party who added the false information being possibly required to compensate losses.

born_again

Rule of thumb CCTV is only held for 30 days. 
So you would need to act fast to get a copy. 

Grumpy_chap

The use of CCTV is only going to increase, especially as staffed check outs are reducing in favour of the more cost effective self check out systems.  
I noticed I was getting checked at exit from using the scan-as-you-go facility, often full basket checks.  I then realised it is because of buying yoghurts "4 for the price of 3".  I would pick one and scan it four times, then place in the bag and then take three more from the shelf and straight into the bag.  The CCTV was clever enough to spot that.  
I now pick, scan, bag each one in turn.  No longer getting the regular checks.

nero33

Renfrewman said:

MattMattMattUK said:

nero33 said:

UPDATE

I have been in regular contact with Facewatch and I requested that they send me all evidence that was held on their system.

I was told they did not hold any CCTV/video of the alleged incident but would now involve B&M who held the evidence/footage.

Facewatch then contacted me same day to say:

"Following our recent communications, I escalated the incident to the Manager of Profit Protection for B&M Bargains on your behalf.

Unfortunately, there is no longer any CCTV footage available for this incident.

In light of this, and considering the information you have provided, I have resolved the matter by removing your record from the Facewatch system.

Your profile has now been permanently deleted, and  will no longer trigger any alerts going forward."

Clearly it is a huge weight off our shoulders and 4 months of stress took it's toll.

Facewatch were extremely professional and courteous throughout and I genuinely felt they were looking to help me from their first reply onwards.  I think they realised yesterday that someone at B&M may have made up an incident and didn't expect us to go through the processes involved in challenging their decision to ban.

It is highly unlikely that we'll ever set foot in a B&M store again.

Many thanks to all of you that took the time to read/reply/offer advice;

A really good result and good info for others in the future who have done nothing wrong. Well done on this!

OP fought for the right to shop in B&M and now that they can refuses to do so...a bit perverse I suggest?

Really? You might find it 'perverse' and are proud of your freebie vouchers, but I fought for the right not be found guilty of a crime I didn't commit and as is clearly stated in this thread, I was stopped from entering others stores using the FW system and stores such as Sainsbury's are trialling the FW system.

A rogue B&M staff member needed his or her !!!!!! handed to them on a plate for this false allegation against me.  

Why would I want  to give them any custom in future? 

nero33

MattMattMattUK said:

nero33 said:

UPDATE

I have been in regular contact with Facewatch and I requested that they send me all evidence that was held on their system.

I was told they did not hold any CCTV/video of the alleged incident but would now involve B&M who held the evidence/footage.

Facewatch then contacted me same day to say:

"Following our recent communications, I escalated the incident to the Manager of Profit Protection for B&M Bargains on your behalf.

Unfortunately, there is no longer any CCTV footage available for this incident.

In light of this, and considering the information you have provided, I have resolved the matter by removing your record from the Facewatch system.

Your profile has now been permanently deleted, and  will no longer trigger any alerts going forward."

Clearly it is a huge weight off our shoulders and 4 months of stress took it's toll.

Facewatch were extremely professional and courteous throughout and I genuinely felt they were looking to help me from their first reply onwards.  I think they realised yesterday that someone at B&M may have made up an incident and didn't expect us to go through the processes involved in challenging their decision to ban.

It is highly unlikely that we'll ever set foot in a B&M store again.

Many thanks to all of you that took the time to read/reply/offer advice;

A really good result and good info for others in the future who have done nothing wrong. Well done on this!

Thanks!  And a big thanks to everyone who pointed me in the right direction 

nero33

sheramber said:

Renfrewman said:

MattMattMattUK said:

nero33 said:

UPDATE

I have been in regular contact with Facewatch and I requested that they send me all evidence that was held on their system.

I was told they did not hold any CCTV/video of the alleged incident but would now involve B&M who held the evidence/footage.

Facewatch then contacted me same day to say:

"Following our recent communications, I escalated the incident to the Manager of Profit Protection for B&M Bargains on your behalf.

Unfortunately, there is no longer any CCTV footage available for this incident.

In light of this, and considering the information you have provided, I have resolved the matter by removing your record from the Facewatch system.

Your profile has now been permanently deleted, and  will no longer trigger any alerts going forward."

Clearly it is a huge weight off our shoulders and 4 months of stress took it's toll.

Facewatch were extremely professional and courteous throughout and I genuinely felt they were looking to help me from their first reply onwards.  I think they realised yesterday that someone at B&M may have made up an incident and didn't expect us to go through the processes involved in challenging their decision to ban.

It is highly unlikely that we'll ever set foot in a B&M store again.

Many thanks to all of you that took the time to read/reply/offer advice;

A really good result and good info for others in the future who have done nothing wrong. Well done on this!

Something similar happened to me in B&M.  I was stopped in the car park and asked to return to the store as a staff member thought they saw me shoplifting...was happy to do so! I was asked to empty my right hand jacket pocket...I did and it revealed six branded Tesco tattie scones...honestly you should have seen their faces! Did I get upset...not in the least especially as I got £50 of vouchers! Mistakes happen. OP fought for the right to shop in B&M and now that they can refuses to do so...a bit perverse I suggest?

You were given the chance to prove your innocence. The OP was not.

Would You have been happy to be refused entry the next time you went and told you had something in your in pocket you did not pay for when you left the store last time? 

How would you have proved them wrong?
 

The ban did not just affect B&M. It affected all stores who use Facewatch, which could be all the stores in their neighbourhood. 

Absolutely this.

The long term ramifications of this could have been disastrous for me or anyone else put in this situation.

nero33

born_again said:

Rule of thumb CCTV is only held for 30 days. 
So you would need to act fast to get a copy. 

You'd think they'd need to keep it if it has been used to accuse someone of a specific crime and might be required to backup that decision if the accused wishes to challenge/dispute their decision.

nero33

https://nation.cymru/news/shopper-falsely-accused-following-misuse-of-facial-recognition-technology/

Article from this week. Almost identical case involving B&M in Wales.

Renfrewman

nero33 said:

sheramber said:

Renfrewman said:

MattMattMattUK said:

nero33 said:

UPDATE

I have been in regular contact with Facewatch and I requested that they send me all evidence that was held on their system.

I was told they did not hold any CCTV/video of the alleged incident but would now involve B&M who held the evidence/footage.

Facewatch then contacted me same day to say:

"Following our recent communications, I escalated the incident to the Manager of Profit Protection for B&M Bargains on your behalf.

Unfortunately, there is no longer any CCTV footage available for this incident.

In light of this, and considering the information you have provided, I have resolved the matter by removing your record from the Facewatch system.

Your profile has now been permanently deleted, and  will no longer trigger any alerts going forward."

Clearly it is a huge weight off our shoulders and 4 months of stress took it's toll.

Facewatch were extremely professional and courteous throughout and I genuinely felt they were looking to help me from their first reply onwards.  I think they realised yesterday that someone at B&M may have made up an incident and didn't expect us to go through the processes involved in challenging their decision to ban.

It is highly unlikely that we'll ever set foot in a B&M store again.

Many thanks to all of you that took the time to read/reply/offer advice;

A really good result and good info for others in the future who have done nothing wrong. Well done on this!

Something similar happened to me in B&M.  I was stopped in the car park and asked to return to the store as a staff member thought they saw me shoplifting...was happy to do so! I was asked to empty my right hand jacket pocket...I did and it revealed six branded Tesco tattie scones...honestly you should have seen their faces! Did I get upset...not in the least especially as I got £50 of vouchers! Mistakes happen. OP fought for the right to shop in B&M and now that they can refuses to do so...a bit perverse I suggest?

You were given the chance to prove your innocence. The OP was not.

Would You have been happy to be refused entry the next time you went and told you had something in your in pocket you did not pay for when you left the store last time? 

How would you have proved them wrong?
 

The ban did not just affect B&M. It affected all stores who use Facewatch, which could be all the stores in their neighbourhood. 

Absolutely this.

The long term ramifications of this could have been disastrous for me or anyone else put in this situation.

In what way?