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Screwage in the system is commonplace; I remember once receiving a cable tv offer to get a free premium channel for a dollar a month for a year; at any time up to a year, I could discontinue it for free. When I did discontinue it, six months later because I didn't watch it, they charged me $10. Rules changed. I called the local county consumer protection agency and they told me it was legal. But they called the cable company, which backed down. Turned out they _always_ backed down when the county called, but no other time. They were counting on most people just grunting, feeling helpless and paying the money.
There's a large medical clinic in town owned by a fairly corrupt medical chain. They require $15 up front when you walk in the door as a general co-pay before you see a doctor; they even give you a receipt. But it _never_ shows up on your bill; you're down as not paying the copay. If you try to get through to their billing office, you'll have your number taken and nobody will ever get back to you. The only way to get satisfaction is to go down there, in the middle of a business day, _with_ your receipt and statement and wait there for an hour or so. Most people don't bother; they just pay the copay again on their statement. And management knows that they will.
Would I actively try to screw either of these companies? No. If somehow they made a mistake and didn't bill me for something, would I correct them? No, not for something small. Not only is helping a cheater of low priority, I'm not sure they'd even know how to accept the correction through their purposefully tangled bureaucracy. They're not worth the trouble.
On the subject of why privileged individuals want something for nothing... In the local paper a few years ago, a local prankster/social commentator tried an experiment. He and a reporter went out to a busy intersection in a very privileged community, and the guy stood there with a sandwich board on that read "I'll give you a dollar." He had a wad of dollar bills in his hand. Car after car whizzed by; obviously this was too weird for most people. But after a while, a new Mercedes pulled up, driven by a slender blonde dressed like money, she stuck her hand out. He gave her the dollar and she drove away without a word.
Some people just think the world exists to serve them; they are entitled. They'll shamelessly take advantage of anything they can because, well, it's their right. What's behind this? I dunno; skewed values, maybe a big personal lack. It's not a healthy way to be.
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