Own up or stay quiet?

[Snappy]

My cousin bought some shoes today costing �110, she bought some other things as well and paid using her credit card. When she got home and looked at the receipt, they only charged her �1.10 for the shoes! Should she own up, will the shop contact her or will she get away with this bargain?!!

[Buenchico]

The last time this type of question was asked, I think we managed to establish that if your cousin fails to return and pay the difference, she'll be guilty of theft as defined by Section 5(4) of the Theft Act 1968.

We also managed to establish, however, that most people would just keep quiet about it!
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Money_and_Finance/Questio n206327.html

Chris

[dot.hawkes]

where did she buy the shoes?

[dot.hawkes]

What brand are they?

[Ward-Minter]

Forget the law, i think she should keep them but put, say, �30 into a charity. I would opt for an animal one.

[dot.hawkes]

Actually the store , if they spot it, can do a transreversal on the first transaction and recharge the correct amount, it will probably be Monday before the manager spots it on the polling report but they should do, and then they can cancel the original and recharge, quite legal as you were signing for �110.00 and it is something most stores would do regularly.

[stormin]

Dot is 100% correct. Don't expect to get away with this.

[gary baldy]

I must admit that when i used to work in a shop i have undercharged someone on a credit card and then recharged the credit card for the difference at the end of the day.
i was worried i had done something wrong but i later found out it was perfectly legal.
As far as the moral dilemma goes - sod em. Keep quiet and just hope you get away with it. The shoes sound over priced anyway!

[funkymoped]

i thought that because she has tentered the goods for payment (and paid) she has commited no offence.

what happens if you turn the situation around. the goods were �1.10 but you were charged �110, has the shop got a legal obligation to work through thousands of reciepts it find who overpaid ??

i think that "because she has paid for the goods, she has the right to keep them." maybe not legally or morally the right thing to do, but she has offered them for payment and been charged...

[Snappy]

She bought them from Hobbs at House of Fraser

[Snappy]

She obviously will pay if she has to!

[Clanad]

Someone once said "Character is what you do when no one's watching"...

[gary baldy]

It might be case of 'having to' she will just get charged (if they notice!) and on her credit card bill she will see two transactions - one for �1.10 the other for �108.90.

[funkymoped]

after the sale, can a shop prove the goods were priced at the higher price ?

this is just my ignorance showing here. how can a shop charge twice for the same item, the second deduction after you have left the shop and without you having to sign for it ???

also, did the reciept state the full amount or was there a decimal point between the �1.10

how can you be charged after you have left the store, but cant return to the sales counter (after you leave the counter or building) if YOU have been short changed in a cash sale.

not doubting anyone, just trying to work how the system works...

[candybar]

obviously veryone has their own opinions about what would happen. but personally id say just forget about it. it is the shops error not yours (or your cousins) and it is up to them if they notice it and chose to contact you again. they cannot charge money out of your account without first telling you even if it is the correct amount you should have paid. anyway, you might not have even noticed you were undercharged and so cannot be charged with theft as someone else said.

[spudqueen]

Personally, if it was a small, privately owned shop then I'd feel really guilty and have to own up, however if it was one of the 'big' stores eg House of Fraser then no, I probably wouldn't own up.

[dot.hawkes]

I am going by Debenhams Policy which I have to follow. The mistake would be picked up by the Hobbs concesion manager I would imagine, the HOF back office staff would not realise. Come Monday morning when he/she is doing her weekly returns she will spot an iten for �1.10, check the barcode and realise what has happened, the original transaction will be reversed and no longer exist and the new one will replace it. if the customer had been overcharged the same thing would happen but it is not as easy for the manager to notice.

[Greedyfly]

I work in a shop and this happens every now and then - tough on the shop. Im with Ward-Minter on this - there fault. But donate something too correct the balance on things.

[Greedyfly]

In refference to the charge that Dot is talking about. I work for a huge retail store and whenever this happens it is taken as a 'hit', our fault our problem. Never known that to happen, not saying it doesnt but I have never seen it.