Winnipeg business owner says overflowing bin that led to overcharge staged by garbage company 

That is not an error, it is a criminal act.

WM needs to be held accountable criminally..., this is theft and fraud

There should be legal ramifications on this. Seriously. This is criminal, not an exaggeration.

The only “error” the driver made was getting caught.

He summed it up perfectly: "They got caught stealing, so now they're going to give the money back."

Waste Management actually doubles down and backs up their driver by saying it was “unintentional” when the video clearly shows it was wholly intentional is just beyond absurd.

Next board meeting: "Remember to put "Check for Cameras" on the checklist before the driver starts his "operation".

Most people don't know but waste management is responsible for one of the largest corporate fines in history. They are a super shady company.

That's not an error; that's a crime.

That was a blatant attempt at theft. Some people need to be fired and charged with fraud.

Thank goodness they guy caught it on camera. It might be unsettling to have so many cameras everywhere but when things like this happen it's worth it.

I worked for waste management for 15 years and management and dispatch would have us do all kinds of tricks to scam customers. Absolutely the worst place I have ever worked.

"Unintentionally" Send these clowns to jail

How many other people has this happened to who didn’t have camera footage to prove it? This should be a fraud investigation.

How many other customers have they done this to? They need to face charges of fraud

We have been getting the same ridiculous overage charges at multiple properties for years now. We have to work with the account rep to get them reversed. For us what happens is that waste management fails to come on their designated pickup day. They've gone multiple weeks without picking up garbage, and then when they do come they take a picture of the overage and try to charge us for it. It's absolutely absurd and it continues to happen.

Everyone should be disgusted with their blatant lies. They only refunded him the overage charges because of video evidence. Shameful.

And this is a perfect example of why journalism is so important. This type of thing needs to be exposed.

I swear to god waste management did the exact same thing at a property I managed and I just never could prove it! Well done!

You can tell in their statement that they didn't want to take responsibility for their actions. Calling it unintentional, an error all while blaming someone else. Clearly they know you don't have an option to have business with anyone else so they can get away with it.

WASTE MANAGEMENT SHOULD BE CHARGED with deceptive practice in business.

Every customer of waste management needs to see this video

An unintentional error?? He’s staging a crime scene 😂😂

Waste management must have learned from the cops. We investigated ourselves and found no wrong doing

The only appropriate company response to avoid perceived complicity in the crime is "We apologize for the disgraceful action by our former employee, who has been suspended pending dismissal. We have refunded twice the amount overcharged, and will be investigating to ensure none of our other customers were affected."

So, we are just going to call stealing “an error” now?

_"Made an error"_ = We got caught intentionally overcharging. You can call it whatever you want, but we see it for what it is.

WM "services" my area. My recycle bin is 64 gallons. I upgraded from 32 gallons because it is free (no upcharge on bin nor increase in bill). I usually don't fill a 32 gallon bin, but occassionally need more. I live in western Washington, which means it tends to rain in the winter. Before upgrading to the 64 gallon bin I called WM to ask how extra recycling works. I was told that I could place 1 cardboard box next to the recycling bin at no additional charge. I explained that it was the rainy season and how that the cardboard box wouldn't hold up well. I was told that that was the policy. That lead me to finding I could get the 64 gallon bin for free, which I did. Shortly after I got the larger bin I had a broke down cardboard box that pushed one corner of the lid up about 2 inches. The bin was about 1/4-1/3 full. I could have bent the box over but didn't think it was a big deal. My next bill I was charged for overage on recycling. I called WM and they said the fee was because the bin was over-filled. I explained that the bin was only 1/4-1/3 full and that it was a single broken down cardboard box that pushed one corner of the lid up about 2 inches. I was told that if the lid doesn't lay flat it is considered over-full and that I would be charged the overage. I asked if I could put a cardboard box next to the recycle bin and fill it with recycle. I was told "yes". I asked if there was a charge for that and was told "There is no charge for the first cardboard box". I said, "So I could have not broken down that box and just left it next to the recycle bin and I wouldn't be charged". The answer was "that is correct". I asked what happens if the cardboard box is soaked with rainwater and can't be lifted without falling apart. I was told that I would be responsible for the cardboard box. WM charges a set bi-weekly fee to pick up recycle, this is NOT optional. You get charged whether you put out 0 gallons or 64 gallons plus 1 cardboard box. If the recycle bin lid does not Kay flat you get charged an overage fee, even if this is the only time you use the service in a year or years. If you use a cardboard box and it causes litter, you are responsible. You can't use a plastic tote, perhaps with a lid. If you place a cardboard box and wind blows items out, or blows the box causing it to tip and empty, you are responsible for cleaning the mess. If you place a cardboard box and it rains, destroying the box, you are responsible to clean it up. If you place a cardboard box and WM drops it, you are responsible to clean it up. WM also has a policy where garbage bags are not allowed in recycle. This means that when they dump the recycle bin into their truck's Hopper it is likely (as in almost every time) that some items will fall on the road, the ditch, and/or your yard. Then there is how after it snows, they won't pick up garbage or recycling. All it takes is a couple inches of slush. They will inform you that they will pick up on next regular day. We've had winters were some customers didn't get garbage and recycle picked up for up to 6 weeks. I've gone 3 weeks with no garbage and 4 weeks with recycle pickup (recycle is scheduled every 2 weeks). WM had no plans to remove the charges until enough people complained to the state utility commission. A few years ago they weren't able to complete routes, which they said was due to a lack of employees when I called them. WM informed me that I could take my recycle to the dump for free. Ignoring the time and gas to drive to the dump and probably wait in long lines. There was no mention of free garbage dump. I called the state utility board to inform them what WM was doing. At first they thought there was nothing wrong. Then I explained that WM's employee shortage is not the customer's fault. We should not be charged for service we aren't receiving. All I got from that was a discount from the normal rate. Of course the state allowed WM to increase their rates, likely including the costs of those discounts.

Wow, Waste Management's entire Corp operation is now suspect. Need to audit drivers and trucks to see how often this fraud has been perpetrated.

How is that unintentional? Every customer that uses their service that has had an overflow charge should sue their pants off. "A core value at WM is success with integrity." (1:36) I think I'm going to throw-up.

They should be ordered to pay him $1,000,000. They're not even taking responsibility for their crime.

DENY THE ALLEGATIONS?? IT'S LITERALLY RIGHT THERE AS CLEAR AS DAY!!! THAT'S THE MOST OPEN-AND-SHUT CRIMINAL CASE I'VE EVER SEEN! And it's probably that guy's _managers_ instructing him to do it--I mean, it's not like the garbage man himself gets a commission check for overloaded bins. I feel bad for the worker with the evil management.

I love how he unintentionally propped the bin open and also unintentionally moved the cardboard up. That's so cool, WM!

How many customers were charged and didn't have the video to show wrongdoing, this is outrageous!!!

Thank you Global News for putting them on blast. News FOR THE PEOPLE

Way to go you showed everybody thank you thats what matters when these people wanting out standing ovations for their so called good deeds

I used to drive for WM. There is a quota drivers have to attain in taking pictures of overloaded bins. If they don't make it they are reprimanded, also for every overloaded picture they take drivers are rewarded with gift cards.

with a bill of 340 for a normal bill of 60, that means that waste management charges 466% for their overage charge. 466%?? that's highway robbery for some very inept thieves.

This needs to be widely shared

1:59 The fact that the garbage man likely broke their windshield, due to forcing the garbage to stick out, is hilarious

We are sorry we got caught. In the future we will deactive or block your cameras before attempting to defraud you. The fact the driver wasn't fired proves he was following a company directive. The whole company needs to be investigated. Those responsible for this need to be charged.

What a bunch of verbal diarrhea from Waste Management!!! Driver, without question, did it on purpose. They all need to be held accountable and punished accordingly

This company should be taken to court, and fined HEAVILY. How many times have they done this to OTHER customers, and these other customers have been unable to defend themselves due to not having invested in a CCTV system?? Absolutely CRIMINAL behaviour.

This is pretty incredible.

that unintentional error in procedure was failing to look for surveillance cameras.

"We investigated ourselves and we found we did nothing wrong."

Waste Management would have sacked the driver unless their managers had told their drivers to do this to fleece their customers. Shocking!!! 🤑🤑🤑

How do you deny that? That is impressively brazen.

Take them to court and sue them for fraud.

What “error in procedure” causes an employee to stage a bin to look like it’s overflowing, plus take a picture as “evidence”? And if WM charged him nearly six time his usual bill, why did they then add an overage charge? Scamming their customer, and denying they did so when there’s a video record. Shameful!

You could only imagine how often this happens

It’s so important to have cameras.

seems like the "error in process" was that the driver did not check to see if cameras were present before proceeding.

Crooked driver, crooked company. Their response speaks volumes about their company...

"Unintenual" meaning driver was sick of having to stop and unlock bins all day and you ended up being the one he took his frustration out on. Good on you for following up and getting your $ back.

Get the lawyer's involved asap.

How do you deny what's on camera? This is a regular practice for them, they need to be charged with fraud and theft

Wow, that says a lot about the company

Don’t think I’d be dealing with that company ever again

UNREAL! TOTAL DESPERATION !

So glad you went public! ‘Unintentional error’?? This was so obviously deliberate.

On what planet can they state that the driver's actions were "unintentional"? Clearly the video shows him opening up a neatly closed lid and propping up the two open in order to overcharge! This clearly shows the company is in cahoots with this type of fraud. I wouldn't be surprised if the owners split the money with the driver. Disgusting! They should be prosecuted.

Truly global news

Thank goodness he had cameras

Managing the waste perfectly. That driver could be a career politician.

Waste Management showing their incompetence by releasing that statement about it being unintentional.

Something similar happened at my old job. Guy was caught stealing from our customer. Customer called up pissed. We made him return the items and told them he was fired. We didnt fire him. Just made sure he never went back to that place

the fact the company backed up the driver saying "there is no evidence to say that the waste was manipulated, whilst on camera commiting fraud

WM also fraudulently charged me the ~$300 incident fee for an overfilled bin. My security camera called them out on that as well. What a terrible company!

To hell with WM. How many people without cameras have been scammed by these jerks?

Places I've worked at have had similar issues with recycling. To the point where every dumpster has to be locked is the fact of life. If they find one non recycle item in the bin they can and will fine you. So when random people drive by and dump a Microwave in your bin, you get in trouble.

"we made an error in process" "where our driver forgot to check for CCTV cameras before trying to rip you off"

Yea caught red handed with their hands in the garbage jar!

The driver does not pocket the money so... Most likely the boss told him to do so and he gives him a share of the scam.

WM charged me an additional fee because my can was "overfilled" when the lid was pushed up about 2". But weekly I see other people have their kids unable to close. It's insane what companies are doing

this is why its always great to have surveillance installed

This is criminal. They need to be brought up on charges.

Thanks bud, i just cancelled all my bins with them. And advising all my business contacts to do the same.

He should sue for millions so they don’t do this to someone else. Also these kind of charges always fall back on us “The Customer buying this mans product”

dude, go to court and sue the heck out of them

F that! They need to be sued/charged.

The business owner needs to have criminal charges filed against the driver and WM for theft.

I used to have WM for my residential pickup. After a few years of the price constantly going up due to added fees, getting the runaround on the phone, not being able to speak to someone local, I canceled and went with a local company for less than 1/2 the cost. Their business is just down the street from where I work.

Now everyone out there who has had an overage charge is probably wondering if it was legitimate or not.

Imagine how many times its gone unnoticed???

This is no longer a civil matter. This is a criminal matter and should be treated as such.

How can they say this was an unintentional accident with a straight face

My family just switched from waste management in the US recently. They started only picking up or trash once a month due to "worker shortage". Once they got the trucks rolling again, still stayed at once a month. After we'd call and complained, the next couple weeks would be fine, then back to skipping. On the 3rd time complaining, nothing changed. We dropped them after not picking up after 4 weeks.

Claiming it was unintentional is insanity. How many other customers have been ripped off by these crooks?

Busted!!!, any additional denial at this point shows the level of corruption and how far it goes up the chain.....unbelivable!!!

Some of these companies really think people are completely stupid. Horrible

I’ve been hit for 3 overcharges this year already. It’s ridiculous.

"Not intentional" What a crock. So many crooked people and companies.

There is more to this story. There has to be an incentive for that truck driver to do what he did and that had to have come from management. My bet is the drivers are given bonuses for reporting over loaded bins. I have no doubt that WM made a conscious business decision to blatantly rip off their customers.

Just a reminder to everyone that if YOU get screwed by a company, you probably aren't alone. Report it! Make a fuss! Anything you do to hold them accountable could prevent others from being scammed down the line.

This same thing happened to me just last week. we fought it and they removed the charges but it was obvious based on the pictures that it was a half empty dumpster and they were propping it open.

Getting out of the truck? I called for six months straight about a large scrap of heavy cardboard that they had placed my container on, asking them to please pull it out when they came to empty. Was told the driver can't leave the truck for safety concerns. They emptied biweekly, and continually put the empty bin back on top of this scrap. After half a year, I finally caught up to them and waited until driver picked up full bin, and removed the piece myself. Fricken useless

Ya that’s called fraud. Buddy needs to call the cops, then call a civil lawyer and take them to the cleaners

How are they denying anything? its literally on video. they were told to do this.

Reminds of Richie Aprile from the sopranos 😂 “Double your garbage back if you’re not satisfied!”