Comment Accusations and prison for mistakes (Score 1) 316
There have been multiple documented cases where people (with no prior stealing) have forgotten to scan something in the cart or on the bottom, and stores like Wal-Mart and Kroger have them arrested for stealing.
If you let them scan your items they can't accuse you of stealing, but anytime YOU use self-checkout, you are opening yourself up to making an honest mistake, being accused of stealing, being arrested for stealing, and an eventual prison sentence. If you don't believe me, search youtube for "self checkout falsey accused". The top hit is about a woman in Alabama who just won a $2.1M lawsuit from Wal-Mart. Even after she won her shoplifting case (which Wal-Mart didn't even defend), Wal-Mart kept harassing her for $200 via a law firm.