Content warning: This article describes some disturbing, gross behaviour based on the post shared
A few years ago, a store employee was caught on security footage engaging in some seriously stomach-churning behavior. The clip then made its way online and was just reshared by Reddit user InsaneMocktail on the subreddit Trashy. The goal behind the investigation into the security footage seemed to have been simple, based on the on-screen text: “The time we were trying to figure out who had been stealing.”
As the post title on Reddit warns, “They were looking to find out who was stealing money and saw something much worse.” What makes what you see so much worse is that it looks like this is a fast food employee, based on the tiles, the employee’s headset, and the placement of the cash till by the window. The post can be found here, but please explore it at your own risk; it is an incredibly gross watch.
The video of the security footage notes that the video was captured in 2018. In it, there is a clear moment where she opens the cash drawer, pulls out some cash, and tucks it into her back pocket. Every other clip shows her repeatedly itching her crotch. A distressing number of times, she reaches into her pants to do so. Then she was caught sniffing her hand and even putting her fingers in her mouth.
Gross on many levels
Worse, all of it in very clear view of the camera. As one Redditor pointed out, “Taking orders, handling money, touching the register. There are waaaaaaay too many people on earth. And lastly- how ginormously ST–ID does one have to be to not consider the cameras pointing at the freaking register?”
They then continued to rant, “And another thing now that we’re here; how compelled with OCD is she that she can’t stop her blood churninginly reprehensible obsession, even at work? I can’t get over this video, her act in public is freaking me out!”
The overall reaction was one of pure disgust. One user commented, “Yeah, I’m never touching cash again.” Another echoed that sentiment, writing, “I gave up cash during covid and never looked back, I also coincidentally never got covid.”
The sheer visceral reaction to the video is palpable in the comments section. One person noted, “I’ve seen a lot of sh–t on the internet in my days. This sh–t is foul af. Ruined my morning coffee.” Another noted, “This was a sad day to have eyes.” Earlier this year, a steak house released security footage of a customer who plucked armpit hair to dodge his bill.
Others pointed out inevitable consequences of the footage. One user noted, “She gets arrested for theft and “pruning” herself.” Another wrote, “Unhireable forever.” One user simply summarized the collective feeling of everyone, saying, “What did I just see?” In a different gross instance, a TikToker caught a cruise passenger using a fork to scratch their foot.
The behavior in this video brings up the broader conversation about how dirty cash can actually be. According to the Cleveland Clinic, your wallet is essentially a petri dish. Infectious disease specialist Kruti Yagnik, DO, explains that researchers have found all kinds of things on bank notes and coins, including salmonella, the virus that causes polio, and even traces of cocaine.
They have also found norovirus, which is typically transmitted via a fecal-oral route. Dr. Yagnik notes that there is essentially poop on your money, along with plenty of other things you really don’t want to think about. Money is a high-touch surface, just like your phone or a door handle, and because it circulates through the population for years in places like food service facilities, it’s a perfect home for microorganisms.
Despite how gross that sounds, Dr. Yagnik clarifies that you are actually more likely to make yourself sick by worrying about the germs on money than you are by actually touching it. Even for something as infectious as COVID-19, the risk of transmission through cash is minimal. The Cleveland Clinic reports that the risk for cashiers is slightly higher because they handle money so frequently, but it is still quite low.
If you are feeling a bit uneasy after hearing all of this, the best approach isn’t to start washing your dollar bills. Per the Cleveland Clinic, that will only damage the currency or get it flagged as counterfeit. Instead, you should focus on good hygiene habits.
Dr. Yagnik suggests washing your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with warm water and soap after shopping, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers when you can’t get to a sink, and avoiding touching your face until you can clean up.
Published: Aug 23, 2026 10:30 am