Latest news with #overcharging
CBS News
12 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Metro Detroit Kroger stores overcharging customers, investigation finds
A recent investigation by Consumer Reports, The Guardian and the Food & Environment Reporting Network found that some Kroger locations are overcharging their customers for sale items. As part of the investigation, shoppers were recruited to visit 26 Kroger locations in 14 states and Washington, D.C. At half of the locations, they were overcharged for more than 150 items that had expired sale labels. Two of those locations are in Farmington Hills at West 12 Mile Road and Middlebelt Road. "It's really disappointing as a consumer," said customer Janice Ford. "You really expect the prices to be right, especially in this time." Ford said she has experienced this problem many times at Kroger, but not the ones listed in the report. She shops at the Canton Center Road location in Canton. "I've taken it to court a few times and won ... every time I've actually done it," she said. "I think it's a way to educate not only the store, but educate other consumers. We expect the prices to be right and we're counting on them to be right, so the store needs to honor that." In her purse, she carries a copy of the Michigan Scanner Law. It states that once a transaction is complete and the customer has a receipt showing what they paid for an item, they are entitled to report it to the seller within a 30-day period to receive the difference between the displayed price and what they were charged. According to the law, they are also entitled to receive a bonus payment ranging from $1 to $5. "I'll walk back, take a look at the item on the shelf, take a picture, so I have that along with the scanner law to really kind of fight my own battles to say the price was supposed to be this and that's what I'm expecting to pay," said Ford. Tammie Menci says she has encountered the same issue on several occasions. "A lot of times, I grab items that appear to be on sale," said Menci. "When I get to check out, I notice, if I'm paying attention to this certain item, that the item really wasn't on sale." She said that although customer service has paid her back the difference, the burden to double-check prices should not fall on consumers. "When I find out that I've been overcharged for an item that should have been on sale, it's upsetting as a customer because I feel that the store should be doing everything that they can to make sure that the customer sees the exact price of the item that they're getting," said Menci. A Kroger spokesperson provided the following statement to CBS News Detroit: Kroger is committed to affordable and accurate pricing, and we conduct robust price check processes that reviews millions of items weekly to ensure our shelf prices are accurate. The complaint noted by Consumer Reports included a few dozen examples across several years out of billions of customer transactions annually. While any error is unacceptable, the characterization of widespread pricing concerns is patently false. Kroger's "Make It Right" policy ensures associates can create a customer experience and addresses any situation when we unintentionally fall short of a customer's expectations. Connecting regular technology upgrades and our "Make It Right" policy to price accuracy is incorrect. It is also inaccurate to say the company reduced standards or labor hours. We have not done so, and in fact, the standards we set in 2017 remain the same today. We intentionally staff our stores to keep them running smoothly while creating an enjoyable place to shop. Our staffing decisions are data-driven to balance workload and schedules. For nearly two decades, Kroger's business model has been rooted in bringing down prices to attract more customers to our stores – and this is not changing. We respect our associates and our customers, and we conduct our business accordingly.
ABC News
16-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
State charges woman with dementia $137k while managing assets at a loss
An "overworked and under-resourced" state agency, the WA Public Trustee, is facing fresh allegations of overcharging a vulnerable woman to manage her assets while doing little to no work. The agency is set to face public scrutiny in a parliamentary committee hearing.
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Popular Greek tourist resort labelled 'ultimate rip off'
The first sundowner of the evening is always a holiday highlight - but not if you're paying through the nose for it. One of Greece's prettiest spots, the ancient Old Town of Rhodes, has been red flagged as a major hotspot for overcharging tourists, according to reviews on Google and TripAdvisor . The area's narrow network of streets are filled with places to imbibe everything from local Dodecanese beer to shots of ouzo, but according to some disgruntled tourists, a visit to Rhodes' Old Town also leaves visitors vulnerable to inflated prices - with a string of bars accused of 'scamming' tourists. One of the most common tricks, say drinkers, comes via the 'Rhodes Boot', a boot-shaped glass vessel that can hold up to two litres of beer. Customers at bars in the Old Town say when they've asked for a small or medium beer, they're frequently been presented with the 'Boot', and then charged handsomely for it, whether they drank it or not - with prices starting at around 10 euros (£8.40) for the sizeable drink. Reviews of the Chevalier Shisha & Cocktail Lounge Bar, which is in the main square of Rhodes' Old Town and enjoys the attention of tourist crowds all summer long thanks to its atmospheric setting, has been on the receiving end of some particularly scathing reviews. One person, who visited in April, criticised the 'very poor service' and 'shocking attitude', as well as claiming they were given a second menu when they paid their bill at the bar - with very different prices. While there are plenty of positive reviews for the shisha bar, which has a three-and-a-half star rating on TripAdvisor, another unhappy customer claimed the establishment charged them 32 euros (£26) for two small cocktails, despite advertising the price at 20 euros (£16). A similar post from last summer also flagged the lack of clear pricing, saying: 'There are no menus and they don't tell you prices of drinks until you're paying the bill. 'They don't tell you that if you order a large cocktail you will get a fish bowl, which is £35 and a large beer is a 2 litre boot, which cost £18.' It seems to be a similar story at The Gate, another bustling venue in Rhodes' Old Town, where drinkers also reported being unhappy at the lack of transparency when it comes to prices. Just two weeks ago, four tourists said they paid 60 euros (£50) for a medium beer, cider, and two medium frozen daiquiris, with the reviewer calling the cocktails 'the worst I have ever come across', and claiming they 'didn't taste any alcohol'. Another declared the venue a 'tourist trap', writing: 'There is a reason why the drinks menu has no prices. I thought it was safe enough to order a sparkling water. It cost €5 (£4.20).' The bar earned just two stars out of five from 154 reviews on Google - with the food described as 'standard' but the drink prices never clear according to those who've visited it. A short walk away, a bar named Rendez Vous currently has just 1.9 stars on TripAdvisor, with ambiguous prices again behind the low score. One holidaymaker on the sun-drenched island last month said Rendez Vous had 'horrible prices' and urged people to 'ask or check them before ordering anything'. Another revealed they'd paid 15 euros for two soft drinks, writing: 'A shame. The staff were cold and unpleasant, and the prices are a real scam. Two cokes charged at 15 euros? (£12.60)' Meanwhile at the Panorama Cafe & Bar, there was more bad news, with those who'd enjoyed a drink there in recent months split on their experiences. 'We go in, ask for 'one small, and one medium size beer'. Server repeats. But a little later two 'boots' arrive, one of about 2 litres, one of at least one litre.' When it comes to paying, the customer was told 'we don't do small beers', and served up a 20 euro (£16.80) bill. And it seems it's been going on a while; back in 2022, one person penned: You'll be provided a menu with no featured prices. 'After you're finished with your watered down cocktail, served with low quality alcohol, you'll be presented with an outrageous bill. Ours was 70 euros (£58) for 2 cocktails. If I could give zero rating I would.' Another visitor said the view was sublime, but the service not quite the same standard, writing: 'Overall: unacceptable shop, service, drink and boss', although they said the cocktails served were reasonably priced. Over in Italy, tourists were warned this week about a potential scam involving one of the country's most famous foods - gelato. Tourists have been urged to take care when ordering ice cream in Italian destinations this summer as they could be being duped. Italian gelato is world famous for its creamy texture with tourists often flocking to purchase iconic flavours such as pistachio and stracciatella . But they might not be getting the real thing. The Express reports that many tourists are actually buying a cheap copy of gelato with the cheeky scam particularly prevalent in Rome. Foodies at explain that classic gelato is 'churned at a much slower rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato denser than ice cream'. And there's also an easier way for tourists to spot inauthentic gelato. If the ice cream colours are particularly bright, it's generally a sign that you're not buying a real gelato. Classic gelato is usually pale in colour as makers don't use artificial food colouring during the process. Tourists can also check reviews on Google and Tripadvisor to find gelato cafes with particularly high ratings.
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Popular Greek tourist resort labelled 'the ultimate rip-off' for drinks
The first sundowner of the evening is always a holiday highlight - but not if you're paying through the nose for it. One of Greece 's prettiest spots, the ancient Old Town of Rhodes, has been highlighted as a hotspot for overcharging tourists, according to reviews on Google and TripAdvisor. The area's narrow network streets are filled with places to imbibe everything from local Dodecanese beer to shots of ouzo, but according to some disgruntled tourists, the Old Town also leaves visitors vulnerable to inflated prices. Reviews of the Chevalier Shisha & Cocktail Lounge Bar, which is in the main square of Rhodes' Old Town and enjoys the attention of tourist crowds all summer long, has been on the receiving end of some particularly scathing reviews. One person, who visited in April, criticised the 'very poor service' and 'shocking attitude', as well as claiming they were given a second menu when they paid their bill at the bar - with different prices. While there are plenty of positive reviews, another unhappy customer claimed the bar charged them 32 euros for two small cocktails, despite advertising the price at 20 euros. A similar post from last summer also flagged the lack of clear pricing, saying: 'There are no menus and they don't tell you prices of drinks until you're paying the bill. 'They don't tell you that if you order a large cocktail you will get a fish bowl, which is £35 and a large beer is a 2 litre boot, which cost £18.' It seems to be a similar story at The Gate, another venue in Rhodes' Old Town, where drinkers also reported being unhappy at the lack of transparency when it comes to prices. Just two weeks ago, four tourists said they paid 60 euros for a medium beer, cider, and two medium frozen daiquiris, and called the cocktails 'the worst I have ever come across', claiming they 'didn't taste any alcohol'. Another declared the venue a 'tourist trap', writing: 'There is a reason why the drinks menu has no prices. I thought it was safe enough to order a sparkling water. It cost 5€.' The bar earned just two stars out of five from 154 reviews on Google - with the food described as 'standard' but the drink prices never clear. Elsewhere, a bar named Rendez View currently has just 1.9 stars on TripAdvisor, with ambiguous prices again behind the low score. One holidaymaker on the island just two weeks ago said Rendez Vous had 'horrible prices' and urged people to 'ask or check them before ordering anything'. Another revealed they'd paid 15 euros for two soft drinks, writing: 'A shame. The staff was cold and unpleasant, and the prices are a real scam. Two Coke charged at 15 euros?' Some of the reviews on Google and TripAdvisor don't hold back when it comes to naming and shaming venues in Rhodes Old Town that they claim inflate prices Over in Italy, tourists were warned this week about a potential scam involving one of the country's most famous foods - gelato. Tourists have been urged to take care when ordering ice cream in Italian destinations this summer as they could be being duped. Italian gelato is world famous for its creamy texture with tourists often flocking to purchase iconic flavours such as pistachio and stracciatella. But they might not be getting the real thing. The Express reports that many tourists are actually buying a cheap copy of gelato with the cheeky scam particularly prevalent in Rome. Foodies at explain that classic gelato is 'churned at a much slower rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato denser than ice cream'. And there's also an easier way for tourists to spot inauthentic gelato. If the ice cream colours are particularly bright, it's generally a sign that you're not buying a real gelato. Classic gelato is usually pale in colour as makers don't use artificial food colouring during the process. Tourists can also check reviews on Google and Tripadvisor to find gelato cafes with particularly high ratings. One popular spot is Vivoli, a historic ice cream shop in Florence which is home to an iconic new treat. A €6 coffee dessert has become the latest Tuscan viral sensation, drawing crowds of tourists and creating hour-long lines outside the city's oldest gelateria.
BBC News
04-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Southend council refunding £2.3m in overcharged care fees
A council has said it will pay about £2.3m in refunds after overcharging people for the cost of City Council said there was a technical error when new software was set up in 2018.A total of 586 people had been contacted already, including 335 people who still received this care, a spokesperson said."I sincerely apologise for this error," said Labour council leader Daniel Cowan. "I am pleased to report that council officers have moved quickly to assess its impact, and we are putting things right."The council said it discovered that disability premium, enhanced disability premium and the carer premium were not factored in when new software was set up in 2018 to calculate a person's minimum income Care Act 2014 dictates that local authorities can charge for care, so long as these fees do not reduce an individual's income below this meant some people who received Personal Independence Payments or Disability Living Allowance, and some people receiving Employment and Support Allowance instead of Income Support, were paid too much for care in their homes; while living with family members; supported living; shared lives; extra care and day care, the council spokesperson said people who had overpaid and who were not in arrears would be offered a refund or given the option of using the overpayment to cover future fees."We are confident that we now have the systems and processes in place to stop this happening again," said Cowan. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
