I was accused of aluminum can "rackateering"

[Derek.Sheriff]

I used a luggage scale to weigh out 6.1 lbs of aluminum cans, which I took to a scrap yard here in Phoenix. The owner weighed them and said "5lbs". I took out my luggage scale (I know it's not DOT certified for commercial purposes) and weighed them again. I told him that a 1lb discrepancy was too much for me, gave him his $ back and told him I'd keep my cans.

He then started acting very paranoid and said I was questioning his integrity. I said that I was only questioning the accuracy of his scale and that I was disappointed because I came to his yard because he pays .70 a lb, unlike the reverse vending "cash for cans" machine that only pays .40 a lb. He the said that I was engaged in racketeering and said something about people who transport cans across state lines.

First, this was a yard near where I live. Second, I didn't know it was illegal to take cans to other states to sell (not that I would bother anyway). Why would he accuse me of racketeering? Anyone have a clue?

[Neckro]

Some states require you to pay a CRV for cans/bottles/glass bought, And you get that CRV back when you recycle the items in the state. So cans outside of the state are 'draining' the CRV budget.

[justoneguy]

He then started acting very paranoid and said I was questioning his integrity. I said that I was only questioning the accuracy of his scale

he was trying to shift the guilt.
the state has a dept of weighs + measures that needs to pay him a visit.

[Derek.Sheriff]

Some states require you to pay a CRV for cans/bottles/glass bought, And you get that CRV back when you recycle the items in the state. So cans outside of the state are 'draining' the CRV budget.

Right, I had thought about that too. I seem to remember that those cans and bottles were specially marked in those states. Or maybe my memory is defective...

[Neckro]

Some states require you to pay a CRV for cans/bottles/glass bought, And you get that CRV back when you recycle the items in the state. So cans outside of the state are 'draining' the CRV budget.

Right, I had thought about that too. I seem to remember that those cans and bottles were specially marked in those states. Or maybe my memory is defective...

Yeah a bottle I just check said CA CRV 5c

[natsb88]

Throw a bag of sugar on your luggage scale to see if it reads 5 pounds. In PA the scrap yard scales are certified at least once a year by the state.

[Derek.Sheriff]

Interesting article:

http://articles.latimes.com/1992-02-08/ ... cling-fund

I get the idea behind the article. I just don't understand how this yard owner thought a case could be made that I was involved in such a scheme. Probably trying to scare me into not reporting him to the AZ dept of weighs + measures.

[Derek.Sheriff]

Throw a bag of sugar on your luggage scale to see if it reads 5 pounds. In PA the scrap yard scales are certified at least once a year by the state.

Yeah. I did kind of the same thing with a 10lb dumbbell and it was accurate. I also took the cans to the reverse vending machine and it gave me .40 lb for 6lbs of cans. So I'm pretty sure his scale was off. He said it could have been caused by wind or something else.

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but it makes me mad to think other people might have been getting ripped off for amounts that would add up to a lot of $

[psi]

The accusation sounds like a diversion tactic as you say, if he really believed that were true then why would he bring it up after he had already paid you for the cans?

[Neckro]

I find it funny that he'd say that over 6lbs of aluminum. Big money.

[Mossy]

I find it funny that he'd say that over 6lbs of aluminum. Big money.

How many pounds does he buy in a week, though? He might not be off by a pound all the way up, he might have set the scale to show the net wt, assuming a 20% tare.

I've heard of buyers assuming added water in the cans so they only paid a % of the measured wt.

[hobo finds]

I believe that the yards round the ounces in there favor. So your 6.1 weighed 5.15 and he payed for 5 lbs.

[chris6084]

Why would he accuse you of bringing cans over the state line? AZ is not a deposit state. Does he think somebody would pay CA deposits and bring them to AZ and loose the deposit? What a joke.

[ffej]

Not that i'm a lawyer, but if he paid you knowingly that you were running some type of " scam " doesn't that make him a co-conspiriter (sp?) ?

a lot of scales in scrap yards are off...in the yards favor, funny how that happens.

[01GTB]

I know that I got beaten out of few dollars a few months ago. We pulled in and dumped the steel and went to the area where they take the non-ferrous. I usually haul in about 100 pounds of cans when I go. I have six baskets that hold about 17.5 lbs each when full. A few were not completely full, so I figured I had about 88-90 lbs. Anyway the place was packed and nearing closing time, so they said to just drive around to the vehicle scale and they would dump my cans in the crusher. They did that, threw the baskets back in and said to run back across the scale. I really wasn't thinking about it. I knew we had to get back and do some copper, brass and cast. After we cashed out, I looked at the receipt and noticed I had 80 lbs of cans. Of course the vehicle scale reads in 20 lb increments. You have 89 lbs, you're getting paid for 80 lbs. I guess it could have worked out in my favor if I had a couple more pounds.

[Lemon Thrower]

He then started acting very paranoid and said I was questioning his integrity. I said that I was only questioning the accuracy of his scale

he was trying to shift the guilt.
the state has a dept of weighs + measures that needs to pay him a visit.

+1

[Know Common Cents]

Here in the middle Midwest, the scrap buyers must have certified scales. The smaller scales must have an annual inspection sticker attached and the ones for large loads of scrap steel must be posted for public viewing in a prominemt place. One could argue that it's just a revenue generator by the city, but at least one has some assurance it's close to being right.

Would be easy for a buyer to advertise a higher price if they usually stiff everyone a few pounds. More people selling there and less cash out of pocket for them.

[Derek.Sheriff]

Would be easy for a buyer to advertise a higher price if they usually stiff everyone a few pounds. More people selling there and less cash out of pocket for them.

Good point!

[abe]

He then started acting very paranoid and said I was questioning his integrity. I said that I was only questioning the accuracy of his scale

he was trying to shift the guilt.
the state has a dept of weighs + measures that needs to pay him a visit.

+1

+2 maybe thats his way of making an illegal bonus