Ten Eastern Carolina dollar stores fined for price scanner errors

RALEIGH, N.C. (WITN) - Ten Eastern Carolina stores have paid hefty fines after state regulators discovered excessive price scanner errors at their cash registers.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services fined 52 stores in 33 counties.

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler says they continue to see about a quarter of all price scanners fail inspections.

“Overcharges cost consumers so we remain vigilant in inspecting stores in order to protect consumers,” Troxler said. “Remember it is always a good practice to check your receipt as well as the price on the shelf to make sure you are paying the correct amount and alert managers if the prices don’t match.”

Stores are penalized if they fail a follow-up inspection. All of the businesses fined during the fourth quarter of last year were dollar stores.

• (Bertie) Family Dollar at 114 South Commerce St., Aulander paid $10,000 in fines. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 14 percent based on seven overcharges in a 50-item lot. The store failed follow-up inspections in September and November and will be re-inspected.

• (Bertie) Family Dollar at 1307 South St., Windsor has paid $10,000 in fines. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 32 percent based on 16 overcharges in a 50-item lot. The store failed follow-up inspections in September and November and will be re-inspected.

• (Chowan) Family Dollar at 1823 Virginia Road, Edenton paid $5,000 in fines. An initial inspection in October 2022 found an error rate of 18 percent based on 9 overcharges in a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in November found an error rate of 15 percent based on 45 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store will be re-inspected.

• (Duplin) Dollar General at 317 West College St., Warsaw paid $1,680 for a failed inspection. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 12 percent based on six overcharges in a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in October found an error rate of 5.67 percent based on 17 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store passed inspection in December with an error rate of less than 1 percent.

• (Duplin) Family Dollar at 404 West Main St., Beulaville paid $3,710 in fines. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 8 percent based on four overcharges in a 50-item lot. The store has failed two follow-up inspections in September and November and will be re-inspected.

• (Hertford) Family Dollar at 1216 East Memorial Drive, Ahoskie paid $10,000 in fines. An initial inspection in August found an error rate of 24 percent based on 12 overcharges in a 50-item lot. They failed two follow-up inspections in September and October. The store also failed a December inspection with an error rate of 31.67 percent based on 95 overcharges in a 300-item lot and was assessed an additional $5,000 fine.

• (Hyde) Family Dollar at 13115 U.S. 264, Swan Quarter paid $8,410 in fines. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 26 percent based on 13 overcharges in a 50-item lot. The store failed two follow-up inspections in September and November and will be re-inspected.

• (Perquimans) Family Dollar at 206 Ocean Highway, Hertford paid $17,685 in fines. An initial inspection in January 2022 found an error rate of 28 percent based on 14 overcharges in a 50-item lot. The store also failed four follow-up inspections between March and November. The store will be re-inspected.

• (Washington) Dollar General at 724 U.S. Hwy. 64 East, Plymouth paid $5,735 for two failed inspections. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 34 percent based on 17 overcharges in a 50-item lot. The store also failed inspections in September and November. The store will be re-inspected.

• (Washington) Dollar General at 7102 U.S. 32, Roper paid $5,000 in fines for a failed inspection. An initial inspection in August 2022 found an error rate of 16 percent based on eight overcharges in a 50-item lot. A follow-up inspection in September found an error rate of 10.67 percent based on 32 overcharges in a 300-item lot. The store passed inspection in November with a 1 percent error rate.

If you have a complaint about price scanners, you should call the Standards Division at 984-236-4750.