Recently, Costco has been appearing to crack down on usage of its membership cards by non-members.
In the past few months, several videos on the topic have gone viral. One user claimed that they had to buy a membership card before leaving the store as they could no longer use their mother’s card. Another was not allowed to purchase items on her son’s card. Even more users were questioned by Costco staff and had their IDs validated before being allowed to purchase their items.
Now, another customer claimed that weight loss made her unrecognizable to Costco staff, causing issues at checkout.
In a clip with over 22,000 views, TikTok user Victoria (@thevictoriap) recounts the whole story.
“I can confirm that Costco is hands-down the hardest place in the world to get into,” she says in the video.
@thevictoriap #stitch with @butthatsmyopinion The weirdest experience to come out of my weight loss journey #costco #costcofinds #weightloss #weightlosstransformation #100poundsdown #gymrat ♬ original sound – Victoria
According to Victoria, she was doing a regular Costco trip when it came time to check out.
Upon showing her Costco card, the employee became confused, she says.
“At first I thought he was just, like, trying to be funny…[but] he keeps doing this: really studying my picture on the card, and my face in real life,” Victoria recalls.
“So he finally speaks up and goes, ‘This isn’t you,’” she continues. Victoria says she awkwardly laughed in response. But she says the man said to her “‘You’re not Victoria’” and accused her of using her sister’s card.
As Victoria reveals later in the video, she lost 100 pounds in the last year and received her Costco card prior to doing so. Still, she says it should have been obvious that she was the same person as the image on the card.
“I agree that I do look a little bit different, but … you can tell that I am the same person,” she says.
After going back-and-forth for a bit, she says the employee told her she needed to update her Costco ID photo if she wanted to continue using it.
“I voted earlier this week, and they cared less about my ID there,” Victoria states. In the caption, she adds, “The weirdest experience to come out of my weight loss journey.”
In the comments section, users shared their own Costco stories.
“I don’t have a photo on my card so they ask for see my ID,” claimed a user. “LIKE I AM BUYING GROCERIES WHY IS IT SO SERIOUS.”
“my card was ‘flagged’ at self co. She said it was a man in the photo,” shared another. “it was me 50 pounds lighter with a hat on. My name ‘hannah’ is on the card.”
“and this is why we left @Costco Wholesale and went with Sam’s club,” offered a third. “I gained weight and they said some crazy [sh*t] about my pic vs how I looked.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Costco via media contact form and to Victoria via Instagram direct message.
