Some digital scales also have relatively low weight limits, and if you exceed the limit of the scale some will indicate an error, maybe with the word ERR, but some will just flash the highest weight that they record. It might "flash" on and off to indicate that it is an erroneous reading, or it might not.
Even balance beam scales can be off of they're not calibrated correctly, and some doctor's offices are not very good about keeping their scales calibrated. In Illinois I went to a doctor's office with three balance beam scales. One was WAY off and weighed about 12 lbs heavier than the other two. Every time I was weighed on that scale, I would say, "this scale isn't accurate, it weighs heavy." The nurse would say "I know," but write down the scale's noted weight anyway. Once the doctor came in and congratulated me on my weight loss after I weighed on the correct scale. I told her "no, I didn't lose an ounce, I just got weighed on the "broken" scale during the last visit. She nodded and also said "oh I thought they'd gotten that fixed." As far as I know, it never was fixed.
My doctor's office now, has two huge digital scales with support bars, so even if you're shaky (like my husband without his cane) it will weigh accurately. Even they are off from each other by a little under 1.5 lbs (which I only know because my husband once weighed on both scales in the same day).
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