[zencycler]

The most Walmart had a right to do in this case was to refuse her cash. If her story checks out, she's due a LOT more than $200.

No, because from the store's point of view, the issue isn't the suspected attempted use of fake money as much as the attempt to take their merchandise by paying with fake money, which is tantamount to attempted shoplifting.

So if the store is allowed to temporarilly detain someone on the suspicion of shoplifting, they should also be able to detain them for suspected counterfeiting, so either one can be properly investigated, since either act, if successful, would have resulted in the theft of the store's merchandise.

We are going to bankrupt our businesses, the Walmarts and the Mom and Pops alike, if juries keep handing out large awards anytime a customer is aggravated or inconvenienced because of the stupidity of a store employee or manager - not to mention encouraging the con artists to come out of the woodwork and start creating victim scenarios to enable them to sue. Heck, why jump in front of a speeding car and risk serious injury or death, if all you have to do is spend a couple hours standing around in the department store. I'm sure this lady wasn't a scammer. But make her rich over this, and the scammers will and con artists will descend like the vultures they are.

[cynwoody]

Walmart injured the woman as a result of their gross incompetence. This is demonstrated by the fact that their employees were (1) not trained in the use of the iodine pen, (2) damaged the bill (proving ill will towards the customer instead of careful preservation of evidence) and (3) humiliating her in front of other customers.

Walmart needs to pay up. Admittedly, $75K is probably too much, but she deserves a chunk of change. If it happened to me, I'd probably settle for expenses plus firing the employees involved, with negative references.