QUESTION
Is it illegal for vending companies to NOT stock their machines with change so their customers are reimbursed fairly?
Asked on Feb 07th, 2014 on Bankruptcy - New York
More details to this question:
I am a 2nd year college student who currently lives at our schools dorm hall. I frequent the vending machines as sometimes I do have a craving for snacks and such especially while studying. It has been a frequent occurrence that the vending machines do not produce change when you put in the dollar amount as advertised. Example, I bought a drink tonight for "$1.25" but had to put in singles because it would not accept my change. After I put in my 2 singles, The machine would not give me back my 75 cents in change. I notice that this is a frequent occurrence at these vending machines as I have had to get a refund for one of my dollars personally from the school when one of the machines would not give my dollar back. My legal question is. Is it illegal for vending companies to NOT stock their machines with change so their customers are reimbursed fairly? I figured since these machines never get fixed, that they are purposely "rigged" which makes me annoyed since college student don’t have much money to start with.
6 ANSWERS
If the vending machine company is aware of the situation then it might be guilty of fraud, but unless most of its machines have the same defect and it has a lot of machines, the local DA is not going to take much interest in the matter. It would be more effective to complain to the appropriate campus administration official, especially since the campus gets a payment for allowing such machines to be there.
Answered on Feb 14th, 2014 at 5:01 AM
Ronald A. Steinberg
Report it to the college. Of course its illegal.
Answered on Feb 14th, 2014 at 5:01 AM
Personal Injury Attorney serving Kent, WA
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The machines are designed to reject payment where proper change can not be given. File a complaint with the school administration and demand that they fix the problem or get rid of the provider.
Answered on Feb 13th, 2014 at 3:47 PM
Personal Injury Attorney serving Charlotte, NC
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Paul Whitfield and Associates P.A.
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Report it the proper authorities and get on with your life. Do you know how much time it takes a lawyer to handle a lawsuit? who will pay for that?
Answered on Feb 12th, 2014 at 2:51 PM
Debt Collection Attorney serving Chicago, IL
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I don 't know that you have enough to allege that the machines are purposely not stocked with change. However, the machine should display a warning that it has no change to give. There also should be a procedure for making refund requests that are honored. If the machine fails to display a warning and you can't get a refund, consumer protection laws are probably being violated.
Answered on Feb 12th, 2014 at 2:43 PM
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney serving Syracuse, NY
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Andrew T. Velonis, P.C.
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"Figuring" is one thing, "proving" is another. You might be right, and that could be considered fraud, and in NY a violation of the General Business Law. Get everybody in the dorm to raise a fuss every time it happens: there is a phone number for the company that owns and services the machine, and if they get 10 calls a week or 50 calls a week, then it becomes worth their while to deal with it rather than ignore it.
Answered on Feb 12th, 2014 at 2:32 PM