legality of a vending machine eating your money?

[WallyRobot]

What is the legality of a vending machine eating your money?

Let say you put in a $5, it gives you no change and no product.

Could the owner/operator simple say that you agreed to give it money willfully but they are under no obligation for the quality of the product/service( in this case being nothing given). Something like that or is this some form of thief/fraud?

Thanks.

 

[FlyingRon]

Has this happened to you?

If they won't refund your money, you have a civil claim against them. You can try small claims. What state are you in?

 

[WallyRobot]

Has this happened to you?

If they won't refund your money, you have a civil claim against them. You can try small claims. What state are you in?

Florida.

This and other worse situation like this have happen to me.

Do you think it would be criminal if it was proven the vending machine operator. Almost anyone can buy and setup a vending machine. You can buy them on ebay for under $1,000. There are some high school student who post video of it on youtube. Some of these guys look kind of sketchy and there are video of them repairing these machines by making their own makeshift repairs by soldering the circuit board, etc..

You know how in the old days(maybe still going on), the carnivals use to have games that they modified to give themselves the advantage. Well maybe vending machine could also be modified same way.

I am wondering if this is only civil or if it can raise to the level of criminal if it was not an accident but rather on purpose.

 

[Taxing Matters]

What is the legality of a vending machine eating your money?

Let say you put in a $5, it gives you no change and no product.

Could the owner/operator simple say that you agreed to give it money willfully but they are under no obligation for the quality of the product/service( in this case being nothing given).

The vending machine operator might say that, but it wouldn't make it true. The vending machine is an offer to sell the goods indicated on the machine for the price stated. When a customer puts the money in the machine, they are accepting the offer and a contract is made. If the machine takes the money but does not dispense the product, there is a breach of contract for which the buyer could sue. Of course, suing for, say, 75 cents would not be worth the time or money you'd spend on it, but you could do that if you liked.

I am wondering if this is only civil or if it can raise to the level of criminal if it was not an accident but rather on purpose.

If the vendor purposefully set it up to take money but not provide the product then there would be the potential for criminal charges for fraud.

 

[Zigner]

Florida.

This and other worse situation like this have happen to me.

Do you think it would be criminal if it was proven the vending machine operator.

Don't leave me hanging...what do you think the vending machine operator did?

Almost anyone can buy and setup a vending machine. You can buy them on ebay for under $1,000. There are some high school student who post video of it on youtube.

The word you are looking for is "entrepreneur"

Some of these guys look kind of sketchy and there are video of them repairing these machines by making their own makeshift repairs by soldering the circuit board, etc..

Yes, that's generally how repairs to electronic circuit boards are done.

You know how in the old days(maybe still going on), the carnivals use to have games that they modified to give themselves the advantage. Well maybe vending machine could also be modified same way.

I suppose it could be done...but to what end? A few extra bucks before people stop using the machine? That wouldn't make any sense.

I am wondering if this is only civil or if it can raise to the level of criminal if it was not an accident but rather on purpose.

It might - but the chances of that happening are slim. It's much more lucrative to simply sell the marked-up goods at a profit.

 

[quincy]

How much of your money did a vending machine eat? Five dollars?

When a vending machine (or any coin operated machine) does not operate as intended, you contact the vending machine operator. Sometimes it is merely a coin or product stuck in the machine and it is an easy fix. You should be given a refund for any money lost as a result of the malfunction.

If the machine was set up specifically to defraud its users of money, you report the machine operator to authorities.

Vending machines and other coin-operated machines are not just set up randomly. They have a license to operate in a particular location.

 

[Zigner]

This and other worse situation like this have happen to me.

I find that...intriguing. In over half a century on this planet, I don't believe I've lost more than $5 total in defective vending machines.

 

[quincy]

I find that...intriguing. In over half a century on this planet, I don't believe I've lost more than $5 total in defective vending machines.

There was a vending machine at my workplace that always malfunctioned. It would take your coins but not dispense the purchased items. I lost a small fortune in that machine before it was finally replaced. Haha.

 

[Just Blue]

Every machine that I have seen/used has the name/number of the vendor on it. On the rare occasions that it would eat my money I would simply call and they would send me a check or, if it was a machine at work, hand the lost money over when they came to restock the machine.

 

[Zigner]

There was a vending machine at my workplace that always malfunctioned. It would take your coins but not dispense the purchased items. I lost a small fortune in that machine before it was finally replaced. Haha.

Once is a fluke.
Twice is a coincidence.
Anything more is a pattern.
Didn't you see the pattern?

 

[quincy]

Once is a fluke.
Twice is a coincidence.
Anything more is a pattern.
Didn't you see the pattern?

I am a slow learner.

 

[zddoodah]

What is the legality of a vending machine eating your money?

This question doesn't make much sense as phrased. Obviously, unless the machine has been misprogrammed, a vending machine "eating" money is a result of a mechanical or electronic error.

Could the owner/operator simple say that you agreed to give it money willfully but they are under no obligation for the quality of the product/service( in this case being nothing given). Something like that or is this some form of thief/fraud?

Anyone can "say" anything, but there's no crime here. I've never seen a vending machine that didn't have a number to call in the event of something like this.

Do you think it would be criminal if it was proven the vending machine operator.

This is an incomplete sentence, so I'm not sure what you might have been trying to ask. Of course, it could be a criminal matter if the machine operator rigged the machine to not give change.

Some of these guys look kind of sketchy

Well...it's always a good idea to judge folks based on their physical appearance.

 

[quincy]

... Well...it's always a good idea to judge folks based on their physical appearance.

No it isn’t.

 

[Just Blue]

No it isn’t.

I think there is an implied in zddoodah's last comment.

 

[quincy]

I think there is an implied in zddoodah's last comment.

I hope so.