Memphis Shopper Demands Accountability After Home Depot Employee Allegedly Steals Five Hundred Dollars In Bitcoin

A Memphis man is fighting for a $500 refund after a Home Depot worker allegedly stole bitcoin from his phone. Read about the ongoing reimbursement dispute.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 6:59 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Action News 5

A Brief Handover Leads to Significant Digital Theft

What began as a simple request for assistance at a Poplar Avenue retail location quickly spiraled into a complex case of digital robbery. A retired shopper, seeking a low cost item, handed his smartphone to a store associate to help identify a specific product from the company website. According to the victim, the employee then ascended a ladder under the guise of seeking better cellular reception, a move that placed the device out of the owner's immediate sight and provided a window for unauthorized financial activity.

Coordinated Deception Within the Coinbase Application

The mechanics of the theft involved a sophisticated attempt to erase digital footprints in real time. While positioned on the stepladder, the worker reportedly accessed the customer's Coinbase account, initiated a $500 transfer of bitcoin to an external wallet, and deleted the automated confirmation emails to delay discovery. The victim, who remained unaware of the breach until two days later, highlighted the vulnerability inherent in sharing personal devices, even within a trusted corporate environment.

Corporate Acknowledgement Followed by Administrative Silence

Once the theft was reported to management, the store took immediate steps to verify the resident's claims through an audit of their internal surveillance systems. The video evidence confirmed the suspicious behavior, leading to the swift termination of the employee involved. However, the victim notes that while the personnel issue was addressed, the financial fallout was not, as his subsequent attempts to secure a refund for the stolen assets were met with a lack of definitive action from the regional office.