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Charlotte Family Dollar fined for price scanning error

The store failed three inspections from June to September, officials said.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An east Charlotte Family Dollar was fined over $4,000 by the state of North Carolina for repeatedly failing inspections for price checks, officials said. 

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Standards Division fined four stores statewide for the errors, which resulted in customers being overcharged at checkout. The violators were in Forsyth, Mecklenburg and Moore counties. 

The Family Dollar at 4455 Central Avenue in Charlotte was fined $4,340 after failing at least three inspections. The state said an initial inspection in June found a 5% error rate in a 100-item check. A second inspection in July found an 8% error rate and a third inspection in September discovered a 4.67% overcharge rate. Officials say the store is scheduled to be reinspected. 

“Scanner errors cost consumers money,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said. “With the holiday season approaching fast, our Standards Division remains vigilant in inspecting stores across the state to ensure consumers are not being taken advantage of.” 

If a store has more than a 2% error rate on overcharges, inspectors bring their findings to management and schedule a more intensive follow-up inspection. Undercharges are also reported but don't count against a store. Stores are subject to fines for failing a follow-up inspection and will be subject to reinspection every 60 days from the last inspection until getting below the 2% threshold for overcharges. 

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