Race Factor Used In Wal-Mart Refund Scam

Friday, April 13, 2012 at 7:29 AM

Ralanda McKinnon

Dearborn County Law Enforcement Center

(Aurora, Ind.) – A Cincinnati woman is accused of swapping UPC codes on merchandise she returned to Wal-Mart so she could receive more money than she paid.

According to an affidavit filed by Aurora Police in Dearborn Superior Court II, Ralanda C. McKinnon would call managers at tri-state area Wal-Mart stores and make a complaint regarding a church or racial issue to convince the manager to approve a cash refund to her without showing identification.

McKinnon, 49, of Fairfield, Ohio, allegedly called the co-manager at the Aurora Wal-Mart with a complaint for a refund on September 21, 2011.

“Due to her complaint, she was granted a cash refund without showing identification,” investigators alleged in the affidavit.

Later the same day, she brought a weight set to the Aurora Wal-Mart’s customer service desk. The cash refund given to McKinnon was for two treadmills valued at $1,182, an asset protection officer at the store told police.

The store’s security did not catch on to the scam until the asset protection officer at the Wal-Mart in Florence, Kentucky sent out an e-mail about McKinnon on January 4. She had allegedly defrauded the store there with the same scam, using a weight set and fake treadmill UPC.

McKinnon goes by nearly 30 different aliases including Ralanda Lakeshaw, Florence Police later told Aurora Police.

A warrant was issued for McKinnon’s arrest on March 15. She was arrested Wednesday on charges of Theft and Delivery of False Sales Documents, both Class D felonies.

A judge ordered McKinnon held on $20,000 cash and $50,000 surety bond.