What happens if you take a security tag off clothes?

What Happens if I Remove a Security Tag From Merchandise? You’ve just bought a new jacket. You get home, excited to show your friends and family your recent purchase. As you turn around, someone points out that the security tag is still on the garment.

If you actually bought the item, and you remove the tag (though this can be difficult without the right tools), you might get ink on your clothes or the device might emit a shrieking noise, but you wouldn’t face any legal sanctions. However, if you did not actually purchase the jacket, or you are still at the store and take off the security tag, you’re committing an offense.

In Iowa, this type of conduct is referred to as the removal of a theft detection device.

What kind of magnet Do I need to remove security tags?

Download Article Download Article You buy something new and bring it home only to realize the cashier forgot to remove the security tag. Ugh! Fortunately, you can get a security tag off at home without taking a trip all the way back to the store. We’ve put together an entire list of easy methods to safely and effectively remove different types of tags, whether you’ve got an ink or magnetic security tag.

1. 1 Place the ink cartridge of the tag face-down. The ink cartridge is the part of the tag that juts out of the plastic. It is on the opposite side of the pin, which is the round part of the tag.
2. 2 Pull the part of the clothing with the tag away from the rest of the clothing. Move it as far away as possible so the ink doesn’t ruin the clothing as much if the sensor cracks. Advertisement
3. 3 Slip a rubber band around the pin of the security tag. The rubber band should be large and thick enough to be strong, but thin enough to fit around the pin. This will loosen the pin.
4. 4 Hold the larger part of the ink tag with one hand.
5. 5 Pull the pin off with the other hand. The pressure of the pins should be strong enough so that the pin eventually pops off or easily pulls apart from the rest of the tag.
   • If the rubber band didn’t loosen it enough, try again with multiple rubber bands.

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1. 1 Place the item of clothing on the floor with the ink cartridge facing up.
2. 2 Take a very thin flathead screwdriver and place it along the edge of the raised square pyramid.
3. 3 Press down hard. This should pierce the plastic and pull it up.
4. 4 Continue to pop up the perimeter of the plastic.
5. 5 Remove the silver paper lining. You’ll be able to see the metal plate below it.
6. 6 Use the screwdriver to lift one of the metal arms that holds the pin in place.
7. 7 Slide the pin away from the tag. The pin should easily slide through the now-free hole and the tag should be removed.

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1. 1 Find a high-powered magnet. You can use a hard drive magnet or a rare earth magnet since most tags are deactivated in stores with electromagnetic devices.
2. 2 Place the dome side of the tag against the magnet.
3. 3 Pull the magnet away from the tag. The two parts of the tag should separate. If they don’t separate on their own, apply a little force. For instance, if you’re using a security tag that has a pin on the back, you may need to simply pull the pin out.

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1. 1 Freeze the garment with the ink tag. Freeze the garment overnight for best results.
2. 2 Rip open the tag. You can just use your hands, pliers, or the rubber band method. This will ensure that the ink won’t spill everywhere if you make a mistake – ink can’t spill if it’s frozen.

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1. 1 Gently pull the tag away from the clothing a few times. Do this ten or so times, until it loosens the pin a bit.
2. 2 Find a large nail. The nail should be bigger than the tag, and the head of the nail should be at least as wide as a penny.
3. 3 Pull the tag away from the clothing. Hold the long plastic part of the tag to the side.
4. 4 Hit down on the ink cartridge until it pops open. Without applying too much force, repeatedly strike down on the ink cartridge until it pops open. You may have to hit it twenty or more times to get it right.
   • Be careful not to hit it too hard, or the tag will be more likely to burst open.

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1. 1 Hold the security tag with the ink cartridge side up.
2. 2 Grip one of the sides of the rectangular tag with a pair of pliers.
3. 3 Grip the other side of the tag with a different pair of pliers.
4. 4 Gently bend each side of the tag down using the pliers. Don’t bend too hard or the tag will crack in half and spill ink everywhere.
5. 5 Keep bending until it pops open. This should loosen the pin and make it pop off.

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Many modern tags actually contain an electro-magnet, not an ink pouch; upon breaking it open, you will see for yourself that there’s no ink inside it.

1. 1 Put something between the tag and the head of the pin to give it some slack.
2. 2 Bend the pin back and forth until it breaks.
3. 3 Pull the tag straight back so the pin exits the hole it originally went through.
4. 4 Break open the tag.

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1. 1 Burn the dome-like portion of the tag with a lighter. After burning it for few seconds, it will, most likely, catch fire as it’s plastic.
2. 2 Use a knife or similar object to chop the dome.
3. 3

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Add New Question

• Question What kind of magnet do I need to remove a security tag? This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer Many security tags are deactivated in-store with an electromagnetic device. To remove them at home, use a high-powered magnet, such as a hard drive magnet. Place the magnet on a flat surface and lay the tag on top of it with the ink dome or cartridge facing down. You should hear a click letting you know the tag has deactivated. Wiggle the pins in the tag up and down to release them.
• Question Can I remove the tag by cutting the wire? This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer Most garment security tags have 1 or more pins inside that secure the cartridge to the body of the tag. You may be able to cut the wire if you can manage to get a wire cutter between the 2 halves of the tag, but these pins are thick and may be difficult to cut. Another option is to use a Dremel tool, but either method could damage your garment.
• Question Do these tags set off the alarms at the door? Quite often, yes, they are designed to set off an alarm, but this isn’t the case in every store.

See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

• Take a piece of cardstock and cut it with scissors just enough to slide it under the ink part of the alarm that way the ink won’t spread all over the garment when you try taking it off. This works for the rectangular tabs with the round pin fastener.
• You could also crack it open walnut-style with pliers.
• Use a hammer. A bit neanderthal but as long as there is no ink, it works in 3-4 smashes. Turn security tag sideways for better efficiency.

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• Thin, flathead screwdriver.
• Hammer
• Both hands (or a friend!)
• A sharp knife can be used in place of the screwdriver as it is easier to just cut the plastic pyramid off rather than pry it off
• High-powered magnet

Article Summary X If you brought an item of clothing home from the store only to find that the security tag is still attached, don’t fret. There are a few different ways to get those tags off without damaging your items. If it’s an ink tag, hold the larger part of the tag, which contains the ink cartridge, facing down.

Pull it as far away from the surface of the clothing as possible so you don’t accidentally get ink on it if the cartridge breaks. Wrap a rubber band around the pin that holds the tag in place. This will help loosen the pin. Grab the larger side of the tag with one hand and the smaller part with the other, then firmly pull the two sides apart.

If it still isn’t loose enough, try wrapping a few more rubber bands around the pin. If you don’t have any rubber bands, hold the cartridge facing up and carefully pry off the pyramid-shaped cap with a flat-head screwdriver. Peel off the foil seal underneath, then use the screwdriver to pry off the metal plate that holds the pin in place.

Then, you should be able to simply slide the cartridge up off of the pin and release the tag. Whichever method you use, it can also be helpful to put the garment in the freezer overnight to freeze the ink so it doesn’t spill when you pull off the tag. If you’re dealing with an electromagnetic tag instead of an ink tag, you may be able to get it off with brute force.

Wedge something between the tag and the head of the pin holding it in place, such as the edge of a flathead screwdriver. Grab the tag and wiggle it back and forth until the pin breaks, then break open the tag and pull it off. If you have a powerful magnet, such as a hard drive magnet, you can also try laying the tag flat on top of it.

Do security tags actually go off?

Detection Systems – Without a detection system, security tags are useless, Detectors typically are placed on both sides of each of the store’s exits. When the sensor passes the detectors, the alarm goes off. Most tags also can be programmed to set off an alarm if someone attempts to remove them without the proper tool.

What if cashier forgot to remove security tag?

You take it back to the store, with the receipt showing you purchased it instead of shoplifting, and they will remove it.

Are you supposed to remove tags from clothes?

Do Not Remove the Care Labels In Your Clothing. Here’s Why: We know the tags inside your clothing can be a nuisance. They often stick out, can be itchy, some are quite long BUT, there is important information on them that’s valuable to you and your dry cleaner. Every wardrobe (and household) item you purchase has a care label attached by the manufacture of the garment to direct you in how to wash, dry and treat the item.

1. The manufacturer is advising you on how to clean the item so that the item maintains its integrity and it remains in “like new” condition.
2. Detouring from any method advised will compromise the item and could possibly damage the item.
3. For your benefit if you’re washing at home, we recommend following the care label exactly if you want to extend the life of your clothing.

Here’s common care label icons you may see on your garments. For our benefit, we depend heavily on the care label to tell us how the item should be cleaned and we follow those instructions to a “T”. For example if it says hand wash cold and lay flat to dry, that is exactly what we will do for your item.

• If you must cut out your care label, try to keep the instructions for reference when you need to have it cleaned – especially it the item gets soiled or stained.
• Our stain removal experts have an array of stain removing solutions and having the care label helps choose the right solution so as not to damage the item.

-S.O. : Do Not Remove the Care Labels In Your Clothing. Here’s Why:

Do security tags have ink?

Benefit denial – Benefit denial tags see the stolen merchandise negatively impacted when the thief tries to remove the tag. The most common form is ink dye tags which release indelible ink when the tag is tampered with, effectively rendering the stolen item useless.

Do security tags make noise?

The tags will sound an alarm if they come to close to the antennas.

How do you remove a clothing label without cutting it?

How to Safely Remove Labels on Clothing Contrary to popular belief, it is not against the law to after you have purchased it. You are free to cut off the use and care tags, and remove the brand name label. The main reason people remove labels from their clothing is because they are itchy, uncomfortable, and stick out from underneath the apparel.

Remove external hang tag labels with a pair of scissors. Never pull or try to break those plastic hang tags, because you could accidently break a seam, put a hole in the clothing, or stretch it out. Examine how the label is attached to the clothing. Is it sewn into the seam, or separately? If it is stitched into the seam, unless you are skilled at using a sewing machine, it is better to carefully cut it out using scissors. For labels stitched in separately, use a seam ripper to remove the label. A seam ripper breaks the seam and allows you to detach the label without damaging the clothing. For any small bits of thread remaining, use tweezers to pull them out.

After removing the original labels, you can replace them, if you so desire, with customizable iron on clothing labels that do not stick out, poke, or itch. For more information about personalized labels for your clothing, call It’s Mine! Labels at 1-866-895-2235. : How to Safely Remove Labels on Clothing

Does security tag ink wash out?

What Happens When You Attempt to Remove Clothing Security Tags at Home? | Bravo TV Official Site It’s a retail nightmare: you’re about to wear something brand-new to a big event, and as you’re putting it on, you realize the store associate didn’t remove an unsightly plastic security tag.

• Uh oh! That scenario (sort of) happened to this season on as Kim and her sister Kyle got ready for Kim’s daughter’s baby shower.
• What is hanging out of your dress, Kim?” Kyle asked.
• Oh no, that comes right off, you just twist it,” Kim said as she yanked on the security tag and it popped apart.
• FWIW: The infamous tag on the dress looked like something called a b-tag, which stores use now to prevent shoppers from trying to return a pricey dress after they’ve worn it.

Once you snap that b-tag off, you’re committed to owning that dress for life. Kim pulled her dress out of a Bloomingdale’s bag, and a Bloomingdale’s PR rep confirmed to The Lookbook that the department store still uses in addition to traditional tags in-store for security purposes.

1. So let’s put that to bed! In the meantime, what should you do if you end up with a traditional security tag on an item you paid for and took home? “This happens all the time,” says Chris E.
2. McGoey, CPP, CSP, CAM.
3. The sensor can actually activate the door alarm when you return to the store or another retail store for that matter if it uses the same sensor technology.

It can be quite embarrassing for the innocent shopper.” Here’s Chris’s advice: “Take the dress back to the store and go straight to the return desk. Having a receipt is helpful to allay suspicion. Ask the person at the return desk to remove the tag with their special tag-removal tool.

Be aware that tag-removal is supposed to signal that the item was purchased so it will draw a certain amount of suspicion when you present a dress with a security tag still attached. However, it is a regular occurrence so it shouldn’t be a problem.” The “certain amount of suspicion” he’s referring is related to studies showing that retail associates often profile and make snap judgements about customers’ perceived honesty when they’re returning items, based on, cultural bias, poverty bias, gender bias, and age bias.

There are plenty of people posting online, however, who’ve skipped going back to the store and have tried to take the tag off at home with everything from rubber bands to lighters to heavy-duty magnets — even sticking ink tags in the freezer and then smashing the tag with a hammer.

Would this work? “Many crazy methods have been used by shoplifters to defeat store security measures,” Chris says. You could easily rip the garment while trying this, and if an ink pack explodes, that dress is probably dunzo. “We have had questions about removing the ink from security tags,” said Lorraine Muir, the ‘s director of Textile Testing and Research Services.

“If there is a heavy amount of ink on the fabric, it may not be possible to remove the stain. If only a small amount contacts fabric, it may be possible to lighten or remove the stain.” It all depends on the fabric, the composition and concentration of the staining substance, and how long the stain has set in.

1. If dark black ink in a security tag contacts a pink satin fabric made of silk, chances of removing the stain completely are low, although it may be possible to lighten the stain,” Lorraine says.
2. Jon Simon of DC’s is equally cautious.
3. We can remove almost all types of ink – but permanent ink is really permanent – and it would depend on what type of ink that retailer’s security tag was loaded with.

Unfortunately there is no way to know for sure until the customer brings us the garment for testing,” he says. “But we have about five different spotting agents that we use along with several techniques specifically for ink removal. Also, red dye is typically the most difficult to completely remove so if the piece is dyed red it would be less likely that we could completely remove the stain.” If it was a white dress, Jon says he could maybe bleach the entire dress to hide the stain, but it probably wouldn’t match the original white.

1. We called a few different mall chain stores and posed the question whether a tag could be removed at home.
2. Every store associate said it’s better to remove a security sensor in the store.
3. In other words, don’t try this at home—and a quick scan of your items for tags before you leave the store could save you a headache later.

: What Happens When You Attempt to Remove Clothing Security Tags at Home? | Bravo TV Official Site

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