Costco looks to crack down on membership cheats, announces card scanners

In an effort to crack down on shared memberships and prevent nonmembers from sneaking in, Costco is installing card scanners at the entrances of its warehouses, the company announced on its website.

The popular destination for bulk shopping has until now had a notably lax entrance policy, requiring shoppers simply to flash their membership cards to an employee as they walk into a store. The new scanners, which will check the name and photo on the card, will be monitored by employees.

“Prior to entering, all members must scan their physical or digital membership card by placing the barcode or QR Code against the scanner,” the Costco website says. “Guests must also be accompanied by a valid member for entry.”

If a guest does not have a photo included on their membership card, they will be required to show a valid photo ID.

The scanners have already been installed at the Burbank Costco, one member told The Times, where they created a bottleneck as customers slowed to scan their cards and ask questions.

“If your membership is inactive, expired, or you would like to sign up for a new membership, the attendant will ask that you stop by the membership counter prior to entering the warehouse to shop,” the company said.

The big-box retailer is known for its budget-friendly, bulk assortment of products and has 139 locations in California, the most of any state. The company did not specify the timeline for the membership card scanner rollout.