TikToker Aerostotle Carter has been posting a series of videos on her detailing her experiences as a former Walmart employee. Recently, she went viral for claiming that some of the security cameras located throughout the store aren’t actually recording, joking that viewers can go ahead and take whatever they want from particular sections without having to worry about being caught.
“Things you should know about Walmart from an ex-employee part four,” Carter says in the clip. “Them little cameras that be like in toys and shit-” The TikTok then cuts to a still image of a video game department at a Walmart store, which has a security camera attached to the product rack, hovering over the titles.
She continues speaking, “Like these right here? Go on and take whatever it is that you want because it’s not recording. Don’t even work, it’s just there.”
@aerostotlecarter #greenscreen #fyp #foryou #walmart #aerostotle #aerostotlecarter #mysaerostotle #myscarter ♬ Sneaky Snitch – Kevin MacLeod
The Daily Dot spoke with Carter about the video via email. “I’m sure a lot of retail companies use some type of fake recording equipment to help with stealing. I can’t speak for every Walmart, but I’ve had my fair share with the ones that didn’t actually work,” she wrote.
The TikToker added, “Actually, it all came from somebody else’s TikTok. I seen it when I was still employed. A man said that those specific cameras didn’t work and I thought, hmm let me check it out.”
Carter clarified that the video was “just for laughs” and wasn’t completely certain whether the cameras worked or not.
“I always said I would talk about things like that once I quit and it was all just for laughs honestly,” she wrote. “I can’t 1000% say if they really work or not though but again I made the video just for laughs, not anything serious.”
According to Fortune, Walmart loses approximately $3 billion every year due to theft. While this number may seem staggering, it’s 1% of the chain’s $300 billion annual revenue. Target, by comparison, earned $106 billion in revenue in 2022, and purportedly lost $400 million in the same year.
Walmart has been implementing new technology in its retail stores in self-checkout areas to help curb theft. However, both customers and employees have noted that it can often lead to more headaches, and ironically, more theft.
Then there are instances of missed scan detection purportedly failing, leaving customers in humiliating situations where they’ve been accused of stealing after attempting to scan items that weren’t registered by the machine.
Business Insider delved further into the chain’s missed scan detection technology, stating that the cameras outfitted at the self-checkout counters are outfitted with artificial intelligence technology. But, again, some employees are stating that it’s not all that intelligent.
TikTokers who viewed Carter’s video shared some Walmart secrets of their own.
User @thicc_anus said, “Do not shop produce, they take returns and put them hoes right back on the shelf no washing or nothing.” Another user @tafariiib penned, “Look for the red light though, no red light most definitely take what you need.”
There were other commenters who said Carter’s claim isn’t entirely true, like @icsully3.
“Actually it depends the store you are at,” they wrote. “High frequency store have the cameras.”
User @_kylale appeared to agree, writing, “[I don’t] know what walmart you worked at but the one I worked at them cameras was def on. AP was not playing.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Walmart for further comment.
