"You get what you pay for."

Good advice to consumers.

Right? Wrong!

We were shocked to find that some Tri-state merchants are making sure that you pay more than you get!

We took a hidden camera into the Colerain Play It Again Sports to do a little shopping.

Catcher's mitt: $4.99.

Not a bad price.

But when we went to the register, the cashier asked us for $5.31!

How did a $4.99 mitt suddenly become $5.31?

When we asked to see the receipt, sure enough, there it was in black and white:

"Total - $5.31"

It could just be an innocent register error, right?

But hold on a minute!

When we examined the receipt more closely, we noticed that an extra line had been added:

"Sales tax - $0.32"

How did that get in there?

We asked to speak to the store manager.

He explained to us that the $0.32 was added due to a 6.5% sales tax that - by law - consumers must pay in addition to the retail price!

But we weren't letting him off the hook that easily!

"Why don't you include this so-called 'sales tax' on the price tag of the mitt?"

He claimed that Ohio law doesn't require stores to include "sales tax" in the advertised price.

When we informed the store manager that he was secretly being videotaped for a "Don't Waste Your Dollar" segment, he became extremely uncomfortable.

"Look, that's the law. If you don't like it, call Governor Taft."

Talk about a scam!

And this was just one of dozens of stores in the Tri-state where this "sales tax" was secretly being added to purchases at the register.

Delhi Flower and Garden Center, IGA, neighborhood pony kegs - all scamming you out of your hard-earned money!

Even upscale stores such as Parisian and Talbots were adding on an extra 6.5% and laughing all the way to the bank! With your money!

When we called the Ohio chapter of the Better Business Bureau to inform them of the scam, they had this to say:

"Um, yeah. We'll get right on that."

So rest assured that the BBB is on the case!

But in the meantime, be careful where you shop.

Or you just may be the victim of a ...

Cash Register Ripoff!

I'm Zeb Petry for the Cincinnati Dealer reminding you - don't waste your dollar!