# Being short changed deliberately in pubs



## Happy Days (14 Oct 2005)

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this........ as it has happened to me quite a lot over the last couple of months - 3 times in one week and exactly 1 euro every time!!

For example
I was in a well known GAA Pub near Croke park a few months back and had 3 rounds of drinks - all okay till I went up the fourth time - I got short changed 1 euro.  I knew straight away cos it was only two drinks each time - when I asked him for the receipt (thinking maybe they had raised the price after such an hour) the bartender looked at me like a deer caught in headlights - without saying a word he went to the cash register and took a euro out and handed it to me (no receipt given) - I never mentioned that he left me a euro short - he knew!!

So I called the manager - (20 mins later he arrives a 12 year old!!) told him he had a thief behind the bar - his response "if you were given a euro too much would you have complained??" - he didn't get the fact that anyone can make a mistake - but his barman was clearly on the take (in cohoots with the second guy behind the bar I might add as he had a little chat with him after I asked for the receipt)

so there you go thats just one example - I could write pages on my other instances which happened in  2 different convenience stores , an airport mini shop and another pub in the centre of the city .............
the funny thing is ....... I was 1 EURO SHORT EVERYTIME!!

I now ask for receipt with everthing - I trust no one - anyone else have this experience recently???


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## Grumpy (14 Oct 2005)

*Re: The One Euro Rip Off............*

Happened to me twice in an hour between 5 and 6pm last Christmas Eve.
They know people are tired and maybe even had a drink or two.
One may have been accidental, the other maybe not.. shop assistant blushed when asked for full change.
Why are we afraid to name and shame.State the facts only ie. that we were short-changed...not that we were robbed.
I`m weary of .."the vast majority of ........... (Gardai?/Civil Servants? Consultants?" are beyond reproach".
Please don`t ask me for definitions or question my vigilance.


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## Humpback (14 Oct 2005)

*Re: The One Euro Rip Off............*



			
				Happy Days said:
			
		

> when I asked him for the receipt (thinking maybe they had raised the price after such an hour) the bartender looked at me like a deer caught in headlights - without saying a word he went to the cash register and took a euro out and handed it to me (no receipt given) - I never mentioned that he left me a euro short - he knew!!


 
This exact same thing has happened me a couple of times in a famous fast food place in Blanchardstown.

I suspected I was shortchanged, asked for a receipt, and immediately the person behind the bar went to the till and gave me back more change.

I still insisted on getting the receipt which caused them enormous difficulties.


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## Ms X (14 Oct 2005)

*Re: The One Euro Rip Off............*

Same happened me in a busy pub in town to the tune of €5. When I asked if I had the correct change she gave me a fiver from the till without even checking what she had already given me.....


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## onekeano (15 Oct 2005)

*Re: The One Euro Rip Off............*

Same again here in well known pub in Glasnevin this week.

.......


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## MOB (16 Oct 2005)

*Re: The One Euro Rip Off............*

I used to work in a shop, and therefore then to be conscious of the correct way to do things on a till.  I haven't noticed being short-changed (perhaps I haven't been looking - new resolution), but I have often noticed items not being properly rung in.  I am afraid I haven't forced the issue by asking for a receipt; perhaps I should.

I have a particular dislike of the well planned fraud, because one rather imagines that this will be persistent and systematic, rather than perhaps some young idiot filching the bus-fare home.  For example, if you go into a take-away and order burgers, it will always be rung in by the systematic fraudster, because burgers can be counted and checked against the sales printout from the till.  However, bags of chips can only be estimated, so it is easy enough to get away with not ringing in a couple of bags per hour in a busy chipper.


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## Brendan Burgess (16 Oct 2005)

*Re: The One Euro Rip Off............*

If the same person or same pub is ripping you off on some sort of predictable basis, you could inform the Gardai or maybe the Director of Consumer Affairs. It would be hard to prove, but if I am shortchanged, I tell the manager of the pub. Assuming that he is not in cahoots with the barman, it alerts him to keep an eye on things.

Brendan


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## Westbound (17 Oct 2005)

A bar man friend (manages bars) of mine once told me that it's a bad night if a barman doesn't make at least €20/€30 a night through short changing. In a busy bar it's like the proverbial candy from a baby.


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## davido (17 Oct 2005)

I was reading this thread last week and based on what was being said I decided that from now on I would make a conscious effort to check my change.  Lo and behold, I was in a newsagents in the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre (there are a few of them in there and I'm not naming which one it was) at the weekend  and it happened to me.  I was told the purchase price of the items I was buying and the change came in €1 short.  I checked the change as I was walking away and when I turned back to point out that I had been short changed, the till was opened and my money was given back to me without me having to utter a word.  It's seems to be very easy to get away with it because a €1 coin can be easily swapped for a €2 coin.  I will have to keep an eye out all the time now.  So, thank you AAM, you might save me a few bob......


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## Jess (17 Oct 2005)

Now that you mention it, I've had the feeling that I've been short changed on a few occasion (€1 returned instead of €2) in newsagents etc but I didn't check for sure on any occasion. I will from now on!


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## ClubMan (17 Oct 2005)

How do you have a feeling that this happened if you didn't check your change?


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## Humpback (17 Oct 2005)

Just to be clear here, before we get carried away. It's not a conspiracy amongst all shop keepers and bar workers in this country to rip us off by short changing us.

I was shortchanged 20c last night in my new local shop. It seemed to be a genuine error on the part of what appeared to be a very inexperienced shop assistant. Gave the benefit of the doubt and moved on.

If this happens regularly in the same shop however, (same person or otherwise), then there'll be an issue.

Until then, I'm happy to leave it as an honest mistake.


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## Jess (17 Oct 2005)

ClubMan said:
			
		

> How do you have a feeling that this happened if you didn't check your change?


 
Unless I'm handed back notes (€5, €10, €20's etc) I don't always scruntinise a handful of lose change, particulary if I'm in a hurry or if my daughter is with me and I am distracted. But on a few occasions when I would have thought the change should have included a €2 and I glanced quickly at the handful of coins in my hand and only saw what looked like a €1, I have for an instant, wondered if it was right. It's almost always been on occasions when I've already started to walk away and am in the process of throwing the change into my purse so I'm literally just glancing at it. But in that instant I've had the 'gut' feeling that the change is not right. But thus far I've brushed it off and just decided it might have been a €2 and it looked like €1. Don't recall this problem prior to introduction of Euro.

Does that make sense?

So after this post I will take the time to check the lose change when at all possible because I have a 'feeling' (call it a woman's instinct!) that I too have been short-changed in the past!


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## ClubMan (17 Oct 2005)

Jess said:
			
		

> It's almost always been on occasions when I've already started to walk away and am in the process of throwing the change into my purse so I'm literally just glancing at it. But in that instant I've had the 'gut' feeling that the change is not right. But thus far I've brushed it off and just decided it might have been a €2 and it looked like €1. Don't recall this problem prior to introduction of Euro.
> 
> Does that make sense?


Not really. If you had a gut feeling that you got the wrong change, went off anyway and only after the fact reckon that you were short changed then it doesn't make much sense to me.



> So after this post I will take the time to check the lose change when at all possible because I have a 'feeling' (call it a woman's instinct!) that I too have been short-changed in the past!


Better to check your change and be sure than to rely on some sort of instinct that probably doesn't exist.


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## Jess (17 Oct 2005)

Clubman, what doesn't make sense to you? I've said that on a few occasions I've been handed change that I think, on quickly glancing at it, was wrong, but that for various reasons I didn't have time to count /check at that time. I couldn't stand up in court and swear on a bible it was wrong, but it's happened on a few occasions, partiucalry with €1 and €2 as outlined in this thread, so I'm now aware I need to take the time to count the change to be sure I'm not being short-changed.

My instinct is powerful and certainly does exist and there are times I absolutely rely on it!  However, with regard to this topic I doubt any of us would disagree that of course it's best to check ones change for accuracy.


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## Brendan Burgess (18 Oct 2005)

I have deleted a lot of the posts which attacked ClubMan and his style. We are updating the Posting Guidelines as follows:





> Please stick to the topic in a thread
> Occasionally, the thread veers off in a new direction from the original subject. Please avoid doing this. Moderators will delete posts which do not stick to the subject.



There are lots of people whose style I like. There are many whose style I don't like. I simply ignore the ones I don't like.


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## casiopea (18 Oct 2005)

cas

I am deleting all posts not relating to the subject.

Brendan


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## angie (19 Oct 2005)

got short changed in a taxi. Fare came to 8.50 and hubby commented that it was expensive were coming from our local to home so do the route at least once per week and usually pay around 7. Driver barked thats whats on the meter and hubby said ok but you did go the wrong way which he had and we had to point out. anyway hubbie gave him 20 and then gave him the 50 c and driver gave back 10. Hubby said you left me short and driver got very abusive and started shouting about going to the guards etc and then threw back the 50c hubby said no its the 2€ the 50 c is yours and your man gave him the 2 and muttered about a tip. He then got out of the taxi and threatened to thump hubby - very strange scary experience but I wonder how many fares does he decide to deduct his own tip from esp when people are in a taxi because they've had a few drinks. ditto in pubs do they decide to heklp themselves to a tip i wonder. unfortunately we were too shocked to take the number but def makes you more wary. Many's the night we would have had a few more drinks and blindly hand over fists of money without taking any notice ah well I suppose buyer beware is the lesson.


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## Omega (19 Oct 2005)

Drink at home whenever possible and avoid being ripped off by - bar owners - bar staff - and taxi drivers!


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## CCOVICH (19 Oct 2005)

angie said:
			
		

> unfortunately we were too shocked to take the number but def makes you more wary.


 
Did you get the taxi firm's name?  They should be able to tell you who it was, or you could complain to them.


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## brodiebabe (19 Oct 2005)

All taxis should be equipped with machinery to give a receipt, I always ask for one.


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## DrMoriarty (19 Oct 2005)

On the night of the ill-fated Switzerland match, I found myself with some workmates in a local hostelry I wouldn't normally frequent and, when the eejit of a barman gave me change from €20 instead of the €10 I'd handed him, I — for the first time in my life! — said nothing and pocketed the change... (bad karma, I know!) 

But if a crooked taxi driver ever threatened to "thump" me for catching him short-changing me, I'd report him to the Guards and call a solicitor pronto.


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## RainyDay (20 Oct 2005)

If the taxi incident occured in Dublin, report the driver to the Carriage Office (which is run by the Gardai).


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## tomthumb (20 Oct 2005)

Thought it was just me!   Bought three drinks, cost about 13.50 and handed over 15, waited and waited and waited but no sign of change.  Eventually caught the barmans attention and asked for my 1.50 change.  The look I got and finally he threw and I mean threw 1.50 in ten and twenties across the counter in the rudest of ways.   Other people looked and I explained all I had wanted was my change back!  I experienced this taking automatic change in some countries in Eastern Europe where if you give money more than the bill, they assume its their tip?  Is it coming here now?


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## angie (20 Oct 2005)

We honestly more stood there looking at each other and yes it was Sat nite we'd had a few drinks and just didn't think.  Hubbie thought it was a particular company and rang them but they wouldn't do anything as it was a pick up and not a call from the base and we were not 100% certain that it was that company.  We will be a lot more careful in future though about looking at the number etc when we get in.


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## Gunnerbar (20 Oct 2005)

This thread was started to highlight the dishonesty of shop and barworkers, to their customers. Your actions have exactly the same effect; only to the owner. With this kind of mentality, is it a wonder there is so much thievery around!

Was this some kind of oneupmanship. The only person you're ripping off is the owner even if it's the first time you did it! You're not getting back or punishing the worker!

I'm not preaching what you should do or not; that's nothing to do with me. 

But chipping in with " I 'm one of those" (effectively) in this thread seems a bit, well, ou of place! 

It's also saying that if I'm being dishonest to a shop/barowner then it's ok, if they are to me! Although it's staff we're talking about.


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## Gunnerbar (20 Oct 2005)

DrMoriarty said:
			
		

> when the eejit of a barman gave me change from €20 instead of the €10 I'd handed him, I — for the first time in my life! — said nothing and pocketed the change..



Sorry, the last post was reffering to Dr Moriartys last.


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## DrMoriarty (21 Oct 2005)

Hang on — I as much as admitted that my action was dishonest ("bad karma"), and, as I said, it was the first time I'd ever done anything other than say immediately "Oh, hold on, you've given me too much..." 

The main reason I didn't go back was that the barman in question is an obnoxious so-and-so, who also has quite a reputation for "accidentally" short-changing customers, and I suspect that the (millionaire) owner loses a lot more than €10 a night to his own staff. You might call this rationalising a dishonest action on my own part, but I'm certainly not implying that "if I'm being dishonest to a shop/barowner then it's ok, if they are to me!"

Also - there is a slight difference between a customer not pointing out a shopkeeper/bartender's own mistake to him, and a shopkeeper/bartender deliberately short-changing a customer (or many customers). I agree with those who've said above that if you don't bother to check your change, you shouldn't whinge afterwards about being "ripped off". Does the reverse not apply to an incompetent shopkeeper/bartender?

In any case, it would seem there's certainly a lot of this-kind-of-thing around...*



When the fáilte falters

Click to expand...





Jane Halligan from Shankill in Dublin writes to echo concerns from other readers in connection with retailers either overcharging or failing to deliver on promotional promises, or occasionally both.

Her son is travelling to Japan this month and she wanted to give him "kitsch Irish souvenirs" - lapel pins, fridge magnets, stickers - to dole out in some of the schools he plans to visit as part of the trip. "I found myself doing something rather unusual for an Irish person and rubbing shoulders with a lot of tourists," she writes.

She was surprised at the high price tags attached to some of the "cheap tat" on offer in shops selling Irish souvenirs but what really sparked her ire was the number of times shops accidentally overcharged her. "I was overcharged for items in three of the four shops," she says. "The only place I was not overcharged was the tourist office in Andrew Street."

In one shop she was charged €8 for three fridge magnets, which had a price tag of €1.99 each or three for €5. In another outlet she was charged €11.90 for two flags which were priced at €4.95 each or two for €8, and in a third shop she was asked for €7 for three lapel pins despite the fact that they had a price of €1.99 each or three for €5.

"In each case, as you can see, what I was being charged isn't even the item price multiplied by the number of items purchased, never mind the special offer! I must also point out that the special offer price was in each and every case up in bold lettering in full view of the cash desk."

She says that when she pointed to the big signs displaying the real prices she received an apology and was charged the correct prices. "My point is that these are tourist shops where the shopper may not speak English at all or not well enough to argue the issue or may not notice the overcharge in the bustle of sorting out strange currency."

She does allow for the possibility that on each occasion the overcharging "was a slip of the finger" but says that as it happened in three out of four shops it left her feeling that "in 'rip-off Ireland' your average tourist is being systematically overcharged. Perhaps our national slogan of 'Céad míle fáilte' should be more accurately 'Caveat emptor'."

Click to expand...

 © The Irish Times, 21 October 2005*


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