Maryland Lottery Retailers Are Ripping Us Off!
A dollar here, three there, ten here not every customer and not every retailer is ripping Marylanders off, but many are.
Here’s the problem: Customer A buys $5 worth of lottery tickets, it doesn’t matter what type: Pick3, Pick4, Bonus Match 5, etc, the problem is not game specific. The customer gives the lottery retailer $5 and the customer goes on his way.
Customer B walks up and hands the clerk a $40 winning pick 3 ticket and $31 worth of Pick 3 slips to play. So you would say the change is $9, wrong in this case the change is $4. You say Blimey! How could that be? Here’s the problem if the clerk does not enter in $5 received from Customer A then customer B only gets $4 back.
You still say, huh? How can this happen with today’s technology? Not to put all the blame on the retailers they do have equipment problems. Many Marylanders probably have seen these retailers practically using hammers on the machines to get the cash drawers open.
If the cash registers used to check out food purchases are sophisticated enough for food why does it not apply to the Lottery Machine itself. Last time I checked you must put the amount tendered in the machine before the cash drawer opens. And this amount is deducted from what you owe, leaving the change.
Someone forgot that part!
These days it does not matter to the clerk, the computer says you get $4 back and the computer is not wrong, the computer actually remembered $5 was still due from the previous sale. Oh my say isn’t so. (Whoops, Garbage In, Garbage Out, heard that somewhere guys) Actually you get a “bug-eyed look” on the clerk’s face when you question them. Point is a lot of people do not question it; they take the change and go. How many of these clerks are pocketing the overages. Are they wily enough to do this on purpose? If not, what are the retailers doing with the money? Oh an overage, we’ll keep that won’t we, just don’t report it.
The gains are much higher than the losses. Maybe. Now this is not to say it cannot work in reverse, I have actually received more money in change than I should have, but I know many people who have been ripped off.
These retailers hire kids that cannot count money; of course that simple art was lost 20 years ago. Would someone please train our workers! They throw them behind the customer service counter and expect them to do a multitude of tasks: Western Union, Rain Checks, Answering the Phone, Renting out Steam Cleaners, etc. All without proper training and an attitude to boot.
Buyer Beware In Maryland: Especially at Giant Food
(Not that I do not like playing the lottery, but come on folks!) This may apply to other states, you tell me?)
