Companies like Walmart and Target have made significant investments in self-checkout machines because they can eliminate the need for cashiers and save up to 66% on labor costs. However, studies show that these gadgets frequently malfunction, requiring human intervention to ensure a smooth checkout process.

However, self-checkout kiosks are not without their drawbacks. Some retailers are said to have made up accusations of theft and shoplifting against innocent customers in order to boost their profits. These retailers prey on unsuspecting customers by accusing them of imaginary “crimes” they never committed and using self-checkout errors as an excuse.

Criminal defense attorney Carrie Jernigan recently utilized TikTok to warn consumers about the dangers of utilizing self-checkout kiosks. In her film, she makes it very evident that big-box retailers such as Walmart would go to great lengths to track down customers who might have inadvertently forgotten to pay for an item or left it in their basket. These firms even send out a team of attorneys to sue you, even if your “offense” was an honest mistake.