Usually, if still near the store premises, I would go back and demand for the correct change. However, if I found out only when I got home or when I'm in another location, I often just let it be. Distance is one factor that prevents me from pursuing justice. However, if the change happens to be a big sum, I would by all means go back to the store and demand the right amount along with a negative feedback. To avoid such a scenario, always check your change before leaving the store and make it a habit.
Sometimes it's malice (cashier trying to steal change) or sometimes it's ignorance (the amount of teenage cashiers that don't know basic arithmetic is startling.) But it's a great idea to always double check your receipt and your change. There was a scam going on a while back where a cashier would do a "cash back" transaction without the customers consent and pocket the cash. If you didn't look at your receipt you would never know you been robbed!
Lmao. I don't wish them any harm, to be honest, because I have never been unaware of what was happening long enough to allow them to ever take advantage of me or steal money that was not theirs. Other's may be in agreeance with you though lol. They don't try to take a lot of money all at once. It is usually twenty to thirty pence that they try to short change you at a time, but I am guesing that it all adds up when you are doing it to people throughout the day.
@DreekLass, Of course the whole family probably congregated and planned about their strategy, lol. They probably count at the end of the day how much money they were able to steal, lol. I'm lucky that the stores around my vicinity are honest.
If it has happened twice then they are either deliberately trying to steal from their customers, or they are just not paying attention (much more likely), I'd shop somewhere else. Personally I haven't left a shop short-changed in years because I always check my change before I leave the shop. And if they give me too much change I will admit it.
Now my suspicions are confirmed, this cashier in the 711 store that I go to is purposely stealing coins from customers! At first she gave me insufficient change, then she told me on my next purchase that it's short of one peso despite me thoroughly counting it, so I gave another 1 peso to her, then today I bought junk food and drinks and she told me the amount was P42 instead of only P40, so I pointed to the screen and said the total amount is only P40, then she retracted and said that she only said P40. I clearly heard her charge me P42! Not good, a pilfering employee! Avoid, avoid, avoid! I now wonder if the soft ice cream has really increased it's prices, since she told me a higher price than what I was used to before.
I hope they are getting together and planning it, because there is something chilling about the idea of each family member just being inherently dodgy enough to think to give the wrong chance, as opposed to them having planned it first lol.
@DreekLass, Well, whether they planned to scam people or not, they should not do it in the first place. If each family member secretly scams customers and not telling their family about it means that there is someone upright in their family that would oppose to what they're doing.
I agree. They should not be doing it at all. I actualy dread to think of how much extra money they earn a month just on giving people the incorrect amount of change alone, on top of the sales themselves. They must do it off the record though, because they would not be able to account for the extra money in correlation to the sales right?
Yes I have been given the incorrect change, this has happened when a young cashier is forced to make change in her head and has no idea how to subtract or count up to find the right amount. Cashiers rely on the electronic cash register to tell them the change to make. Take that away and you are left with cashiers unable to figure out the difference. I was once given over $20 too much because the young cashier had no idea how to make change. I eventually taught her how to do it since I didn't want her till being out so much money on her shift. I once had a cashier not punch in the amount and over charged my visa for 2 small packs of sunflower seeds. I did the mental math on the way to the car so I was able to turn around and tell the young lad he was incorrect and did the math for him. Again, another scam. You have to be so careful these days and watch to make sure that items are scanned in correctly and you are charged correctly.
@DreekLass, Yes you're right, but I think if there was extra change in there then they would just be mum about it and not blab it to anyone. Better to have excess than insufficient money, right?
Oh totally, that happened to me and it was quite a loss on my part. I got a cab ride and I never realized I gave him a higher bill that what was expected and I never noticed that until I was out of the cab. What I hated about this though is that the driver never bothered to check if he got the correct amount, I assume he knew but I guess a 20 dollar change is worth keeping on his part.
When I ride a public transportation I also notice that some drivers don't bother to count the coins that you give to them. They probably assume that you gave the right change. In your case, a $20 paper bills in excess seem noticeable, so maybe he did purposely keep the excess money to himself.
This hasn't happened to me yet or at least not that I'm aware of, or at least probably not that often. I do have the habit of not counting change before I leave though especially when I'm tired or in a hurry and I admit that I do have to change that behavior of mine because one day it might end up making me lose a lot since a big amount can come in the form of just one piece of paper cash that is missing. I will have to remind myself each time to be more disciplined I guess.
Well, I am not sure what to think at this point, because they own the store. Their family owns the store, so obviously they are the ones who govern their own books. But at the same time, they have to pay tax, so I am sure their income gets monitored just like everyone else's. unless they put the stolen change somewhere other than their bank accounts. Maybe they spread it between themselves.
I rarely pay in cash, I always use debit or credit. Living in a huge city like I do, it's not that safe to walk around carrying cash. With that said, whenever I need to pay cash I watch for the change. It can be that the person really didn't pay attention, or can't do math to save their lives! Or of course, some people will return less change on purpose hoping you won't notice. Be whatever reason, you need to watch for your change - it's on your best interest not to lose your own money! And it actually goes for when people give you more change than they should as well... it happens! You should return the difference to them and warn them about it. I think what's fair is fair. If I don't get the right amount back, be it more money or less money that I'm owed, I say it.
I was just thinking about that double standard today. People are the first to cry out when they realize that they have been short changed, but when the person behind the till gives you more than they were supposed to, people want to keep quiet about it. I have been guilty of this in the past lol.
I remember being given incorrect change a couple of times. Once was at a supermarket. It wasn't much, around 20 cents, but I think it was a genuine mistake and not an attempt to steal. I told the cashier, they apologised and gave me the money. The second time was at a fast-food restaurant, but I only noticed the mistakes after I'd already left the shop. It wasn't much money either so I just let it be.
That happened to me on several occasions but like you, i also noticed it too late so i just let it go. I just don't know if it's worth the hassle of confronting the manager/staff and create potential conflict. In my head, if the amount lacking is minimal, i'll just let it go, think of it as a tip or something.
These days what I keep noticing is that if it's small change that's awkward to cobble together from the till, the cashier will sometimes just take for granted that you're ok with not getting your small change. BUT I think that's wrong, I still prefer to be told if they're short of silver and copper, and if I'm I ok with not being given my 5p or not. I know a lot of people don't like small change, and usually drop it into the charity boxes near the till. I'd rather give it to charity than continue to contribute to the retailer's bloated bank account LOL
