IRS setting sting operations at Target?

[shrevecity]

Originally Posted by joe73

It's absolutely illegal in many states for employees to accept bribes. Honest services fraud, etc.

Are the employees public officials? Nope they are employees of a private company.

When a bribe becomes illegal is when it involves a public official until then its just a kickback unethical possibly but not illegal.

What is bribery and what causes it?
What is Bribery Bribery often occurs when a person offers money or something else of value to a public official for the purpose of gaining influence over him or her. The purpose of bribery is to exert influence or pressure over the official's actions. Bribery is a crime for which both parties may be charged.

It maybe against a companies policy and could cause you to lose your job and possibly civil damages but its not a criminal situation.

[JeremyNick]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

Are the employees public officials? Nope they are employees of a private company.

When a bribe becomes illegal is when it involves a public official until then its just a kickback unethical possibly but not illegal.

What is bribery and what causes it?
What is Bribery Bribery often occurs when a person offers money or something else of value to a public official for the purpose of gaining influence over him or her. The purpose of bribery is to exert influence or pressure over the official's actions. Bribery is a crime for which both parties may be charged.

It maybe against a companies policy and could cause you to lose your job and possibly civil damages but its not a criminal situation.

Excel Reps and Target and Wal Mart employees should become publicly elected officials. That would remove all fraud and dishonestly in the retail sector of the hobby.

[jcardstore]

I'm genuinely concerned for anyone who believed this

[jcardstore]

Wait, and now that I've read this thread all the way through another dude really believes the police and target setup a sting operation to catch a rep selling product before it got to the shelves? What about that is illegal?

Sure is an unlimited amount of gullible people out there.

[mike1498]

The IRS is coming after Target employees?????

I hope they don't come after me next for accepting $5 tips for putting tables into grandma's minivan

[gopherfan]

Originally Posted by CanadianKid

Governments would never spend millions and millions of dollars to recoup pennies and wasted man hours that could be spent on more serious issues... therefore I don't believe a word of it.

A lot of times sarcasm doesn't translate on the internet. I feel like you mastered it here.

[Wombat]

"$5 tips for putting tables into grandma's minivan"

is that code for something?

[mike1498]

Originally Posted by Wombat

"$5 tips for putting tables into grandma's minivan"

is that code for something?

I guess it was a bad joke lol. Usually people need their heavier stuff put into their car and it's against corporate's policy to take tips for doing so. I don't ask but I won't deny it either. And obviously I don't report tips on my tax form. I guess it wasn't funny because it's not a bribe.

[gopherfan]

Originally Posted by JeremyNick

Excel Reps and Target and Wal Mart employees should become publicly elected officials. That would remove all fraud and dishonestly in the retail sector of the hobby.

Some more excellently used sarcasm. I am laughing.

[JeremyNick]

Originally Posted by mike1498

The IRS is coming after Target employees?????

I hope they don't come after me next for accepting $5 tips for putting tables into grandma's minivan

I charge her $10 for unloading them.

[whitmm]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

Wait, and now that I've read this thread all the way through another dude really believes the police and target setup a sting operation to catch a rep selling product before it got to the shelves? What about that is illegal?

Sure is an unlimited amount of gullible people out there.

Wouldn't that be theft by the rep if they were selling Target's product to someone? I guess I'm not 100% how these agreements work. If Excel strictly pays for shelf space and Target only sees money from that and receives nothing from the sale of the product, then there's no reason for them to care. But if they get anything from the sale of the product, they would care if the flippers were meeting the reps in the parking lot and buying all the product from them. They care about making their money.

Taking money to make sure certain people have access might not be illegal, but it is extremely unethical. Companies that openly allow that usually don't last long.

[whitmm]

Originally Posted by shrevecity

Are the employees public officials? Nope they are employees of a private company.

When a bribe becomes illegal is when it involves a public official until then its just a kickback unethical possibly but not illegal.

What is bribery and what causes it?
What is Bribery Bribery often occurs when a person offers money or something else of value to a public official for the purpose of gaining influence over him or her. The purpose of bribery is to exert influence or pressure over the official's actions. Bribery is a crime for which both parties may be charged.

It maybe against a companies policy and could cause you to lose your job and possibly civil damages but its not a criminal situation.

Bribery doesn't have to include a public official for it to be illegal. Bribery is illegal in the banking world. Sports players that accept money to throw a game aren't public officials. Companies that accept kickbacks for pushing certain products is a form of bribery and it's illegal

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by whitmm

Wouldn't that be theft by the rep if they were selling Target's product to someone? I guess I'm not 100% how these agreements work. If Excel strictly pays for shelf space and Target only sees money from that and receives nothing from the sale of the product, then there's no reason for them to care. But if they get anything from the sale of the product, they would care if the flippers were meeting the reps in the parking lot and buying all the product from them. They care about making their money.

Taking money to make sure certain people have access might not be illegal, but it is extremely unethical. Companies that openly allow that usually don't last long.

So I have no idea how that agreement with shelf space or whatever works I assume the vendor buys it all at retail from target and resells it to some other dude for a markup? Or they hold the product and wait for someone to get to the target and buy it all?

Unethical yes, illegal I doubt it. The police certainly wouldn't be setting up a sting operation to stop it tho

[whitmm]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

So I have no idea how that agreement with shelf space or whatever works I assume the vendor buys it all at retail from target and resells it to some other dude for a markup? Or they hold the product and wait for someone to get to the target and buy it all?

Unethical yes, illegal I doubt it. The police certainly wouldn't be setting up a sting operation to stop it tho

Yeah, I don't know the legal side of things with the vendor buying the product. But I could see there being legal issues with them showing up at the store and just taking the items to the register and buying it. On the clock vs. off the clock are different. But then I again I don't know how it works with the vendor being in charge of everything and the retail store is very hands off with these.

I don't see how this would be any different than the truck driver pulling all of the PS5's off the truck and making sure his friends got them. There can be a very fine between unethical and illegal. There could be contract violations involved with the vendor rep buying the product, but that's just speculation.

I could see Target getting law enforcement involved if they believed they had a large scandal on their hands, which this isn't. And there is zero chance they'd get the IRS involved.