Using big bills to pay for small purchases

[Pharm Girl]

We recently got warned about watching for short change artists where I work. A co-worker told me she saw a demonstration once where she used to work. She said it is amazing how easy it is to get confused in that situation.

[BuryMe]

They just explained it. If one gets through, you get funny money, and they get a free pack of gum and 99$ besides.

That's not a short change scam, that's just counterfeiting.

[BuryMe]

Basically what the customer will try to do is pay for something like a soda for say $1.00, and they will give you a hundred or a fifty, it always starts with 1 of those denominations. When your till pops open, they will try to get you confused by saying something like, "Oh wait, I have a twenty." And when you give them back the hundred or start counting money back to them, they will keep changing their mind on what denomination of currency they want to give you, thereby confusing you until your head is spinning and don't remember how much you owe them. Very easy for them to do. Word of advice, if anyone ever tries to switch things around after your till pops open, tell them "I'm very sorry, I cannot do that." and continue giving them their change. Don't worry if they get mad, because your boss should see it your way after you told them that the person might have been a short change artist. You never know, and the customer may very well simply be an idiot who can't make up their mind, but why take a dumb risk?

Ok, the story makes sense, but your solution has always been my stance, too. Once the till is open, I won't let people change the amount they're giving me, leaving them no room for the scam.

Not letting people change their minds once the till is open is even suggested by the company I work for. Not a hard rule, but they have clearly said that the won't accept a customer complaint if we refuse a smaller bill after they've tried to use a bigger one.

I guess I just don't get afraid of it like a lot of other people do. When some one tries to use a big bill for a small purchase, the last thing on my mind is a scam of some sort. Counterfeit, maybe, but never that they're trying to scam me.

[Lady_Foxfire]

I was going to mention this in my previous post, but it slipped my mind. There's absolutely nothing sucky about using a $20 to pay for a very small purchase. Most of my drawer is in small bills, so unless I get like 10 or 15 people in a row paying with twenties, I'm not in danger of running out. If I start to run low, I put up the "need $1s" sign. It's really, really not a big deal. Don't beat yourself up over it.

[pzychobitch]

One day I at work, one of my first customer paid for $7.xx worth of stuff with a hundred dollar bill, then got mad at me when he got a stack of 5s as change.

Screw him. The store had just opened. How could I already have bigger bills?

Though I have to admit, I don't see how paying with a bigger bill than necessary leads to a scam of any sort.

To the guy: Don't complain, it's all money and spends the same way.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Ok, the story makes sense, but your solution has always been my stance, too. Once the till is open, I won't let people change the amount they're giving me, leaving them no room for the scam.

Not letting people change their minds once the till is open is even suggested by the company I work for. Not a hard rule, but they have clearly said that the won't accept a customer complaint if we refuse a smaller bill after they've tried to use a bigger one.

I guess I just don't get afraid of it like a lot of other people do. When some one tries to use a big bill for a small purchase, the last thing on my mind is a scam of some sort. Counterfeit, maybe, but never that they're trying to scam me.

The policy at the swamp is that you never let the customer start swapping bills. You just give them the amount of change they're entitled to and if they ask for different bills, you shut your drawer and ship them off to the service desk.

[XCashier]

Though I have to admit, I don't see how paying with a bigger bill than necessary leads to a scam of any sort.

That's not a short change scam, that's just counterfeiting.

You didn't specify short-change scam; you just said "scam of any sort". Counterfeiting is a scam, too.

scam (skæm)

— n
1. a stratagem for gain; a swindle

[PatchO'Black]

Of course, sometimes folks simply don't want to be carrying around larger bills, as some places just won't accept them. However, if one is using a larger bill simply to break it into something smaller, then they should be understanding if a cashier asks them for something smaller.

[GroceryGIrl]

I don't really mind large bills unless it's first thing in the morning when the store opens and there's hardly anything in the register float to make change.

[EricKei]

I don't really mind large bills unless it's first thing in the morning when the store opens and there's hardly anything in the register float to make change.

The point exactly I could swear that there are some customers who intentionally pay for tiny purchases with big bills (when they have plenty of smaller ones) on purpose. Maybe they think we're impressed or something...? (hint: we're not).

I personally like to keep as many "big bills" as I can so my wallet doesn't end up with that "stuffed turkey" look that is so appetizing to thieves >_> Then again, my idea of a "big bill" is a twenty I did delivery and waiting long enough to dislike the feeling of going home after a long, tiring day with a pocket full o'ones.

[simplyanother]

At Glitter Hell, we only start the draw with about 75 dollars, total. I can't even remember how many times I've had a customer come in...right after we open--buying something for 1 dollar, and handing over a 50. or a 100 dollar bill.

I just call for change (which means a manager type person who has been granted the magical keys of helpfulness has to come from whatever place they're hiding in to fetch me more money). 9 times out of 10, they don't want to wait for change, and miraculously produce a smaller note from their wallet.