Shoppers turn Walmart self-checkout into personal slot machine

a reply to: crazyewok

a human made the mistake, not the machine. says so right in the OP.

originally posted by: MisterSpock

originally posted by: 4003fireglo

originally posted by: MisterSpock
I hate walmart as much as anyone, and I rarely(once a year) go there.

However, it's still wrong and the right thing to do would be to inform someone and get my proper amount due.

I realize that's is a rare opinion, and that most can't fathom having that level of principal. Even when it's in favor of something/one so undeserving of that "respect".

At the end of the day though, it's about me, knowing I'M IN THE RIGHT and that I've done the right thing. Knowing that I can't be labeled a hypocrite or ever be knocked down due to saying one thing and doing another.

I can't fathom this level of haughtiness. Even the real Mister Spock showed a bit of humility now and then.

The irony is that my position on the matter is simply a logical one. As for the "level of haughtiness", I'm aware that it could have been misinterpreted as such. Sadly, the reason it would be is because a basic level of morality is apparently such a lofty and unobtainable goal that it somehow appears to be misconstrued as an attempt at superiority.

Logical or not, I agree with you on the sitch. It's wrong to rip off someone, whether or not they're a machine. Like many people already pointed (see what I did there?) out, a person loaded the machine. It could very well have been on purpose, but if it was an accident then that bald headed man and co possibly got the worker in trouble. I am not disputing any of this. It was just the "most can't fathom having that level of principal" that got to me. I guess I'm blessed with good, honest friends, unlike the two nitwits who raised me.

originally posted by: 4003fireglo

originally posted by: MisterSpock

originally posted by: 4003fireglo

originally posted by: MisterSpock
I hate walmart as much as anyone, and I rarely(once a year) go there.

However, it's still wrong and the right thing to do would be to inform someone and get my proper amount due.

I realize that's is a rare opinion, and that most can't fathom having that level of principal. Even when it's in favor of something/one so undeserving of that "respect".

At the end of the day though, it's about me, knowing I'M IN THE RIGHT and that I've done the right thing. Knowing that I can't be labeled a hypocrite or ever be knocked down due to saying one thing and doing another.

I can't fathom this level of haughtiness. Even the real Mister Spock showed a bit of humility now and then.

The irony is that my position on the matter is simply a logical one. As for the "level of haughtiness", I'm aware that it could have been misinterpreted as such. Sadly, the reason it would be is because a basic level of morality is apparently such a lofty and unobtainable goal that it somehow appears to be misconstrued as an attempt at superiority.

Logical or not, I agree with you on the sitch. It's wrong to rip off someone, whether or not they're a machine. Like many people already pointed (see what I did there?) out, a person loaded the machine. It could very well have been on purpose, but if it was an accident then that bald headed man and co possibly got the worker in trouble. I am not disputing any of this. It was just the "most can't fathom having that level of principal" that got to me. I guess I'm blessed with good, honest friends, unlike the two nitwits who raised me.

And I'm sure you would agree, that by looking around what amounts to society today, that comment was more of a harsh sad truth than an attempt at elevating myself to a superior level.

Either way, I don't take things personally.

a reply to: Urantia1111


Happened to me. Cashed my paycheck but didnt check the envelope with the money til later that night. Found an extra $1000 in it. What a shock. Both my parents were in banking so I knew someone would get fired. Called the extra hours banking line and was at the door before the bank opened at 9am. The poor teller cried because she thought they would fire her if she couldn't find the missing money-she hugged me-I told her I was sorry for not checking til later that night. Never entered my mind to keep the money-and could have really used it but I knew she would be fired. I couldn't live with that and felt better after talking with the manager that she wouldnt lose her job over the mistake.

It seems the members have chosen and exposed their moral compass. It's either right or it is wrong, there is no grey area.

It's not the ethical/moral thing to do in exploiting the error.

At the same time, they didn't do anything illegal to take the money. It wasn't their fault the machine was improperly loaded. That should fall on the employee who loaded it wrong. If anyone's head should roll ... it should be his (or hers).

As we have often discussed here, the law isn't always ethical/moral. It just is.

originally posted by: luke1212
a reply to: crazyewok

a human made the mistake, not the machine. says so right in the OP.

Well that dip# needs to be sacked for gross negligence

originally posted by: crazyewok
a reply to: seasonal

Nope, not broke up about it.

They fired humans and replaced them with machines so if the machines # up then its the risk walmart took.

It was a human that loaded the machine with 20 dollar bills instead of fives. So your rail against machines is useless, it was the dumb humans again.

a reply to: TinfoilTP

Well the dumb human needs to get fired then

Though in your mind he is probably a terrorist as every one is a terrorist in yours eyes

a reply to: luke1212

Doesn't matter. A human worker may have made the mistake initially. The point is that the machine can't tell the difference and kept spitting out the $20s. A human teller would have seen the difference.

a reply to: Justso

Your experience of it was difference than ours.

Husband was a contract worker at the local military base. We went to pay bills and noticed a deposit of $65,000 in our account. Two days later, there was another bringing us to a bit over $130,000. Knew it wasn't ours. As soon as we reported it to payroll on MOnday morning (this happened over a weekend), they treated us like thieves. Froze our accounts. Demanded husband leave work in the middle of the day to go to the bank and fill out paperwork ... No thanks or anything.

Six months later, they did it all over again.

That time, we very carefully accounted for what should be ours and kept theirs untouched and let them discover their own d@mn mistake.

a reply to: ketsuko

Both of your stories show the risks of letting them know. Thank you both for sharing your stories.

a reply to: seasonal

Here is the problem with this situation: The Walton family will not suffer any loss from this situation. What will happen is that the store that made the mistake will have the loss deducted from its operating budget. Because of this they will cut employees hours to make up the shortfall (less on their paychecks) and the other employees will have to take up the slack (even more work). The Waltons win, and again the employees lose.

originally posted by: Deaf Alien
a reply to: luke1212

Doesn't matter. A human worker may have made the mistake initially. The point is that the machine can't tell the difference and kept spitting out the $20s. A human teller would have seen the difference.

actually, bill readers have been around for while now....the ones that can tell the difference between the denominations, it's just how much a company wants to pay for that tech.

originally posted by: MisterSpock
I hate walmart as much as anyone, and I rarely(once a year) go there.

However, it's still wrong and the right thing to do would be to inform someone and get my proper amount due.

I realize that's is a rare opinion, and that most can't fathom having that level of principal. Even when it's in favor of something/one so undeserving of that "respect".

At the end of the day though, it's about me, knowing I'M IN THE RIGHT and that I've done the right thing. Knowing that I can't be labeled a hypocrite or ever be knocked down due to saying one thing and doing another.

I did the right thing in a similar situation and returned the money. I was using a self checkout and had a $2 discount that the employee had to type in manually. He accidently entered 200 instead of $2.00. So not only were my groceries free but I got about $50 in change back. I was worried about the employee getting # for it. He was in training. So I explained what happened and returned the money at customer service. She didn't even bother looking at the receipt just thanked me for my honesty and said I could go.
I then watched the employee put the money in her pocket instead of the till. That's what being honest to a big grocery store gets you.

originally posted by: dug88

originally posted by: MisterSpock
I hate walmart as much as anyone, and I rarely(once a year) go there.

However, it's still wrong and the right thing to do would be to inform someone and get my proper amount due.

I realize that's is a rare opinion, and that most can't fathom having that level of principal. Even when it's in favor of something/one so undeserving of that "respect".

At the end of the day though, it's about me, knowing I'M IN THE RIGHT and that I've done the right thing. Knowing that I can't be labeled a hypocrite or ever be knocked down due to saying one thing and doing another.

I did the right thing in a similar situation and returned the money. I was using a self checkout and had a $2 discount that the employee had to type in manually. He accidently entered 200 instead of $2.00. So not only were my groceries free but I got about $50 in change back. I was worried about the employee getting # for it. He was in training. So I explained what happened and returned the money at customer service. She didn't even bother looking at the receipt just thanked me for my honesty and said I could go.
I then watched the employee put the money in her pocket instead of the till. That's what being honest to a big grocery store gets you.

Well, you did the right thing. That's worth something. Just because someone else chose not too doesn't invalidate your actions. Though in the case you mentioned it may seem that way.

I would have talked to the store manager after that, that would have really wound me up to see that. Plenty of cameras in the store, they would have been able to review the entire incident(original checkout, returning and pocketing of funds).

What law was broken... Contributing to the Delinquency of a Machine?

Lets see 20 mins one machine...

Ringing up an item every 30 seconds would be 40 total. 15 dollar profit times 40 equals 600 dollars...WOW I can see why this should be world news...lol

Walmart suck it up as a loss and don't waste 1000s of my police tax money to hunt down some delinquents for the loss of 600 bucks from your mistake.

a reply to: jimmyx

Oh I know. And you've illustrated other posters' point about companies not caring about small losses, only profit.

a reply to: MisterSpock
its not sad. 95%+ of the human race would have done the exact same thing. But you get to pretend to have higher morals on the internet, so theres always that shining light.

Me, forget telling anybody anything. I would have bilked the entire machine for myself, and not gone back to that store for a year.

Now from the legal perspective. The first one would be a pass, due to ignorance of the matter. However, any subsequent transactions by the same individual may possibly be able to be prosecuted as fraud with knowledge and intent due to them now knowing of the error. Still has to convince jury though. All of those bandits though would likely be intimidated into accepting diversion into PTI or probation.

originally posted by: worldstarcountry
a reply to: MisterSpock
its not sad. 95%+ of the human race would have done the exact same thing. But you get to pretend to have higher morals on the internet, so theres always that shining light.

Me, forget telling anybody anything. I would have bilked the entire machine for myself, and not gone back to that store for a year.

Now from the legal perspective. The first one would be a pass, due to ignorance of the matter. However, any subsequent transactions by the same individual may possibly be able to be prosecuted as fraud with knowledge and intent due to them now knowing of the error. Still has to convince jury though. All of those bandits though would likely be intimidated into accepting diversion into PTI or probation.

It doesn't bother me that you're calling me a liar, with absolutely no proof to back up the claim.

I realize that you're only doing it so that you can feel better and rationalize your own choices to yourself. Because afterall, if everyone would do it then how does that make me bad.