A saleswoman with 30 years of experience told how to find out if you are being overweight

Body kit is the most common option for deceiving buyers. If you purchase goods by weight, and not in factory packages, then at least once a week, without noticing it, you overpay for air. However, there are many ways to save money and get exactly the amount of product you need - just know exactly how cunning traders cheat.

How to cheat on the scales

In large retail chains, scales work properly and show accurate weight. Of course, they, like any other equipment, tend to fail, so if you notice that the numbers on the scoreboard “jump” strangely, changing from larger to smaller, do not rush to start a scandal. Call the seller or manager and ask them to look into the situation - in most cases the problem will be solved within a few minutes.

But in small stores where there is no self-service, sellers often overweight - some in order to cover the shortage, while others give themselves an increase in salary. The situation is similar at the market: when buying a kilogram of strawberries or tomatoes, you risk getting only 800 g. Moreover, if you have already left the counter, it will be difficult to prove the seller’s guilt.

The most common methods of deception are:

• "Blind Seller" To avoid being caught cheating, the merchant pretends that he has poor eyesight. For example, instead of one, he sees a seven on the scoreboard, and a six seems to him like an eight.In this case, the only way to recognize that you are being overcharged is to carefully monitor the numbers and calculate the cost of the goods yourself.
• "Approximate count." A bag of cucumbers or sugar is literally thrown onto the scale, causing the arrow to move chaotically from side to side. Waiting until it is fixed on a specific division is not part of the merchant’s plans - he immediately picks up the goods, determining its actual weight based on the maximum readings. If you notice this behavior, ask the seller to weigh the products correctly.
• "Plus one hundred." A small value is recorded on the scales in advance, usually 50–100 grams. Then it is automatically added to the weight of the products. Vigilance will help you avoid overpaying - look at the scale board when the seller picks up the goods. If any number other than zero appears there, it means you are being deceived. Demand that the virtual add-on be removed and the cost recalculated.
• "Entertaining mechanics." A fishing line or a thin strip of tape is attached to the bowl. When placing goods on the scales, the trader steps on the free end of the fishing line and pulls the bowl down, which is why the arrow shows the weight 200–500 g more than the real one. It is easy to detect deception - just use control scales.

Remember: by law, scales must be located so that the buyer can see the exact weight of the goods. If they are installed in the back of the sales tent or filled with boxes, this is a sure sign that the seller is dishonest.

Checking scales using improvised methods

If you doubt that the scales in a store or market are working properly, use a simple life hack - put any item on it whose exact weight you know. It could be a mobile phone, a set of keys, a notebook, glasses or something else.The item chosen as a “measure” should be weighed in advance on precise scales. Thus, knowing that your smartphone weighs 180 g, and your car key weighs 40 g, you can easily determine whether you are being deceived at this outlet or not.

Do not hesitate to defend your rights, be sure to reprimand the seller if you see that he is weighing you down. Only at first glance it seems that 20 or 50 g of underweight is a mere trifle that is not worth arguing. Calculate how much money you “give” to merchants every day, not receiving enough goods, and you will see that an impressive amount accrues in a month.