As an anti-theft measure, clothing stores attach security tags to certain items that will set off an alarm if you try to leave with the tag still on the garment. Some tags will also ruin an item of clothing by spilling ink from the tag if you try to remove it yourself. This is usually not a problem as long as the tag is removed before you leave the store, but sometimes employees can miss a tag at checkout – or you receive an item that was shipped from the store and ordered online, only to find out who packed it and left the tag on. Oops. If you find yourself in this situation, here's what you can do.

But first – this goes without saying, but don't steal from a store. It's not nice and it's illegal. This post is meant to be a remedy for a legitimate situation we've all been in at one time or another. Use this information for good, people.

The unfortunate reality is that there is no magic method for removing security tags on clothing, which vary in shape and function. The best you can do is simply return to the store, explain what happened, show them your receipt, and hope they believe you. If returning to the store isn’t an option or you can’t find your receipt, here are a few methods to try. The right method really depends on the tag, and all of these methods are potentially disastrous if ink is involved, so be careful.

Many security tags have a raised portion at the top, as you can see in the image above.