Being short-changed in shops ...

taxsaver

Many years ago I knew someone who worked in a newsagent shop and regularly short-changed customers as a way of increasing her income. The till was always correct as she kept a mental tally (quite bright girl really) of how much she was short-changing people by and 'drew' the money from the till whenever she had the opportunity to do so without being seen. :mad:

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

If you think you have been shortchanged by the assistant deliberately ringing up a lower denomination note, then calmly and firmly state that you have ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM in standing here and waiting for the manager to come and do a spot check on her till. Doesn't matter how long it takes (and saying the manager isn't here right now doesn't wash), you'll just stay here until they do it.

As in such cases, they will also invariably insist that the assistant empties their pockets (when they are forbidden to hold any cash on their person whatsoever when serving), if they are thieving, they will be caught or their services dispensed with when they are the only one who is repeatedly pulled up like this.



I always stand and check my change in front of them before walking away. And they are caught out occasionally this way.

Badger_Lady

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

If you think you have been shortchanged by the assistant deliberately ringing up a lower denomination note, then calmly and firmly state that you have ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM in standing here and waiting for the manager to come and do a spot check on her till. Doesn't matter how long it takes (and saying the manager isn't here right now doesn't wash), you'll just stay here until they do it.

I had to do this once at a charity shop... it was so embarrassing - I'm convinced that it was an honest mistake on the cashier's part, but she was convinced that I was trying to rip them off

Luckily I wasn't in a rush - I did some shopping next door, then the manager came out to find me and apologise. They counted the entire till and found themselves £15 up. Because I'd given them a £20 and had change from a £5!

ceridwen

After one or two incidents where I was left honestly wondering "Was it me or them?" I make a point of saying something like "Here's a tenner", for instance, when I hand over a £10 note for something costing less than £5. That way - I've made it plain I've just checked exactly which denomination note I handed over and I absolutely KNOW I've not absent-mindedly handed over the first note in my purse without having checked how much it is first.

Theres been no wondering "Was that them being a thief or me being absent-minded" since...

knittingcathy

I work in a pub and we have very old tills so we have to work out our own change. It is a mazing how many people coming for jobs just can't count. We have started a numeracy test as part of the interview process. Nothing complicated just if the bill came to £2.05 and you had a £20 note how many 1p,5p,10p etc. would you give in change. Out of 20 people applying only 4 passed it. Maybe it's not that they are being dishonest just can't count.

meritaten

I agree - short changing is often down to thieving on the cashiers part.
The most blatent one I have seen was in a pound shop - I had four items and gave the cashier the four pounds in coins - turned away to go and out of the corner of my eye saw her pocket the money.
I went round the shop again and watched her - every time someone gave her the right money it went straight in her pocket! thieving little witch! I knew another member of staff personally so went and had a quiet word, and we positioned ourselves and watched her for five minutes. my friend then went off to get the manager and she asked the little witch to come to the office - she then left ten minutes later - very red faced! she had worked there for months - they estimated that in that time she had probably stolen over two thousand pounds!!!!!!!!!!!
strangely - I never even got a thank you from the manager!

pigpen

Nope I never carry cash and pay for everything by card.

Cash transactions OH deals with.. he is so incredibly anal about shop practices having worked in one for years he never short changed anyone as he is painfully careful.. he loves to give the right money where possible.. and in some cases gives a larger note and some change so they owe him a smaller note or as few coins as possible as change, adds £200+ tesco shops in his head as we go round.. drive him mad because I wander off and come back with am arm load of stuff and fling it in lol.

mcjordi

pigpen wrote: »

Nope I never carry cash and pay for everything by card.

Cash transactions OH deals with.. he is so incredibly anal about shop practices having worked in one for years he never short changed anyone as he is painfully careful.. he loves to give the right money where possible.. and in some cases gives a larger note and some change so they owe him a smaller note or as few coins as possible as change, adds £200+ tesco shops in his head as we go round.. drive him mad because I wander off and come back with am arm load of stuff and fling it in lol.

hah. i add up the shopping in my head too..
ive been short changed by the odd 10p/20p but always challenged it.. may sound like a tight so so but thats my 10p :rotfl:

mmmsnow

I live in Glasgow City Centre and have had terrible problems with small newsagents short changing me. The first few times it happened, I challenged the cashier but there was a language barrier and I thought it was more hassle than it was worth (each occasion was only pennies). I just never went back to those shops if I could help it. The worst incident was a few months ago, I told the cashier he'd short changed me and he asked me how much by (it was over a pound) so he counted out some coins and handed them to me. It was still short so I told him by how much and, again, he counted out some coins and handed them over. In total it was still only 3/4 of what I was owed. I decided to just leave instead of teaching a cashier basic maths.

I'm now at a stage where I avoid corner shops like the plague unless I've been in there before and not had any bother.

suzybloo

I always check my change and would have no hesitation in challenging any short change. Its my money and I work hard for it so dont part with it lightly :-)