Short Fueling Tricks At Petrol Stations

[bijuiser]

Originally Posted by noopster

To my surprise he stopped it at just 300/-. I asked him why he stopped and he says, "300 right?"

Same happened with me twice, at the same pump and the same attendant. How do they cheat here? As he starts from 0 stops at 300, then reset the meter and start filling again from 0, add both and give me the final bill.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by bijuiser

Same happened with me twice, at the same pump and the same attendant. How do they cheat here? As he starts from 0 stops at 300, then reset the meter and start filling again from 0, add both and give me the final bill.

The trick here is to distract the user and start pumping again without resetting the meter, then claim later that a reset was done. So in this case, if Anoop was not paying attention (which thankfully he was), the attendant would've only given him an additional 1400 INR worth of fuel (on top of original 300 INR worth of fuel pumped), and claimed he gave fuel for the full 2000 INR, which actually dispensing only worth 1700 INR total (300 + 1400 top up after falsely claiming a reset).

Lots of unsuspecting customers fall for this trick everyday, in a majority of fuel stations across the nation.

[amin]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

The trick here is to distract the user and start pumping again without resetting the meter, then claim later that a reset was done. So in this case, if Anoop was not paying attention (which thankfully he was), the attendant would've only given him an additional 1400 INR worth of fuel (on top of original 300 INR worth of fuel pumped), and claimed he gave fuel for the full 2000 INR, which actually dispensing only worth 1700 INR total (300 + 1400 top up after falsely claiming a reset).

Lots of unsuspecting customers fall for this trick everyday, in a majority of fuel stations across the nation.

I faced a similar instance twice at the Kargil Petrol Pump (a Bharat Petroleum Pump) near Gujarat High Court on S.G. Highway in Ahmedabad. https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/...ed=0CHIQ_BIwCw

I used to get a refill done at this pump while on my way to work on a regular cycle. This is a very busy pump, especially during the office commuting hours.

The first time the attendant pulled up this trick pretty smoothly and I got carried away by the reputation of the filling station.

However, the next time I went to the pump for a refill and asked for ₹2000/- worth of diesel, the attendant coolly started pumping fuel after showing me the pump set at zero... but he stopped at ₹200/-.

And as I reminded him that I had asked for ₹2000/- worth of diesel. He immediately started pumping again right upto ₹1800/- telling me that "..its alright Sir, I thought I heard you say ₹200 and set it at ₹200/-. But I will fill another ₹1800/- worth of diesel. That should make it ₹2000/-" I failed to realise that when I clearly told him ₹2000 then why the confusion (Do hazaar and Do Sau do not sound similar by any chance). It dawned on me as soon as he completed the fill at ₹1800/-

When I reminded him that he needs to fill it upto ₹2000/- since he didn't reset the pump, his supervisor also reprimanded him sensing trouble and he relented.

That was the last time I visited this pump!

I switched to an HP COCO pump closer to home in Gandhinagar and am more vigilant now!

[samish_g]

I would like to share my experience while returning from Tirupati last week. As there are no gas stations in Tirumala, I decided to tank up in Tirupati after coming down the hills. I pulled over an Indian Oil petrol bunk and enquired if they accept cards. He initially said yes, but later asked me to verify once with the senior attendants in the office room. I did so and was assured that they do so. Relieved, I asked the attendant to fill the tank. He started filling (after resetting to zero and the customary request to confirm so). But to my amazement, he did not set the nozzle to the "auto" mode, but kept his finger pressed on the trigger. I was about to enquire what was he upto, when one of his fellow attendants came up to me and started asking (in Telegu, a language I do not quite understand)about the vehicle mileage (mine is Etios VD). I suspected something foul, kept my eye on the meter. It was incrementing really very slow. Seeing that their trick may not work, the second attendant again asked me which type of fuel I prefer (normal of Xtramile). As soon as I said "normal", the first attendant stopped the filling and asked me to shift to the next counter. The counter read Rs. 31.78. I sensed trouble. Immediately gave him Rs. 32 and drove off without uttering a word.
Stopped in the next HP station for tanking up.

Points to be noted: 1. If you feel that the attendant is playing truant by not setting to "auto" mode, immediately ask him the reason for the same (as sometimes the older dispenser nozzles have a slightly bigger diameter and it does not fit in the fuel filler pipe properly. In this condition, the gun cannot be set to "auto" mode. In my case, the dispenser pipe was the newer type and would have entered the filler pipe easily).

2. Before starting to fill, repeat at least two times the quantity and grade of fuel you desire to fill.

Regards,

Samish

[hangover]

I would be wary about no transaction fee type credit cards. Some of them require that the card reader itself has to be provided by the same bank. Else you may be surprised.

One other thing. Don't fill up when you see the fuel truck unloading at the pump. All the muck and dirt in the UG tank gets displaced at each refill. Come back after an hour or so.

[Spinnerr]

Was I SCAMMED, may be not… I don’t know!!

Location: BP Petrol bunk, Inner Ring road, Bangalore
This is between Sony world signal and Ejipura junction; next to Shilton Royal hotel.

I drive a Bolero; the one without a remote fuel lid opener. So I always get down, open the fuel lid with the key myself and stand next to the chap while filing up Diesel. Shell has been my regular filling station for the past few years.

On 15-Apr’2015; I happened to be running below the 1/4 point mark; so I thought of topping up. Drove into the BP fuel pump, got down; opened the fuel lid, stood next to chap and said. Diesel full tank. He murmured the sacred mantra “Zero sir”. At the very moment; another chap steps in front of me, asks "Cash or card". I said, "Cash". He then points to the hoarding saying new offer “SMS bill number win bike”.

I look at the hoarding; read the content, nod my head. Switch my gaze back at the meter and see it blinking at Rs.234.XX. All other displays blank (liters, density, etc). Since it was a request to fill up the tank; the chap had stepped aside. I call out to grab his attention. He says “Oh, power cut”. The attention diverter had moved away; the diesel filler goes into the office room as if to switch on the back up power.

Comes back; says; please note the amount; resets the machine and starts over again. And I am left wondering did I just get scammed? Had it not been for the attention diverter; I don’t have anything else to suspect.

While brooding over it, I forgot all about the fuel vending machine's bill. I could have asked him to generate the last bill.

And unfortunately I was the only guy who was filling up during those few mins. Others were either pulling in, or paying up.

[Shubz]

Originally Posted by hangover

I would be wary about no transaction fee type credit cards. Some of them require that the card reader itself has to be provided by the same bank. Else you may be surprised.

One other thing. Don't fill up when you see the fuel truck unloading at the pump. All the muck and dirt in the UG tank gets displaced at each refill. Come back after an hour or so.

Haha! Interesting!

Sir, do you think they are filling an underground water tank? There are enough filters and stuff to ensure muck and dirt isn't pumped into the vehicles tanks.

[RedTerrano]

Originally Posted by bijuiser

Same happened with me twice, at the same pump and the same attendant. How do they cheat here? As he starts from 0 stops at 300, then reset the meter and start filling again from 0, add both and give me the final bill.

Ok. I am still confused. How did he cheat?

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

Ok. I am still confused. How did he cheat?

Lets say I go to the pump and ask for Rs 1000 worth of petrol.
The attendant fills Rs 200 and stops.
I ask him why.
He pretends he heard 200 and grins. "Oh you wanted 1000"
He then continues to fill till 800 and says "done".
I tell him its only 800.
He says "no, it is 800 + 200 filled earlier"

The scam is that he did not reset after 200.
Most of the times, people do not bother looking at the meter reading. They just feel that they have seen zero. See the example below:

Originally Posted by Spinnerr

He murmured the sacred mantra “Zero sir”. At the very moment; another chap steps in front of me, asks "Cash or card". I said, "Cash". He then points to the hoarding saying new offer “SMS bill number win bike”.

I look at the hoarding; read the content, nod my head. Switch my gaze back at the meter and see it blinking at Rs.234.XX. All other displays blank (liters, density, etc). Since it was a request to fill up the tank; the chap had stepped aside. I call out to grab his attention. He says “Oh, power cut”. The attention diverter had moved away; the diesel filler goes into the office room as if to switch on the back up power.

Comes back; says; please note the amount; resets the machine and starts over again. And I am left wondering did I just get scammed? Had it not been for the attention diverter; I don’t have anything else to suspect.

Whenever they crowd around you it is ALWAYS a scam. You should immediately stop the vending and tell both the guys that you are leaving without paying because you didn't see zero.

In you case, I suspect the meter reading was not reset and the second person's deliberate movement at the exact same moment means it was programmed. Did you remember seeing zero?

Anyway the maximum potential loss for you was only Rs 234, small compared to the learning.

[RedTerrano]

Originally Posted by alpha1

He says "no, it is 800 + 200 filled earlier"
The scam is that he did not reset after 200.

Ah! I understand now.
Well, I pay what I see on the display. If you are going to reset, you should have shown me the zero the 2nd time as well. (not that you really need to reset).

[hangover]

Originally Posted by Shubz

Haha! Interesting!

Sir, do you think they are filling an underground water tank? There are enough filters and stuff to ensure muck and dirt isn't pumped into the vehicles tanks.

Water contamination is most common. It gets in during rains or while loading.
The staff may ignore water content.
Leaking seals may allow contaminants even through filters. Microbes grow if there is the slightest water content. In cold weather water settles at the bottom.
Rust formation is a danger if it's a steel tank.

One secret- by law a % of fuel is considered as evaporation loss. It's about an inch or two of the trucks tank. That's a lot considering its size. Maybe 50-60 liters. Often it does not evaporate. That's then sold.

So it's best to allow fuel to settle down after a delivery.

Cheers.

[hangover]

Originally Posted by hangover

Leaking seals may allow contaminants even through filters. Microbes grow if there is the slightest water content. In cold weather water settles at the bottom.
Rust formation is a danger if it's a steel tank.
So it's best to allow fuel to settle down after a delivery.

If you are interested, please refer to the civil aviation guide for fuel storage.
Go directly to part II in the document here: http://dgca.nic.in/ftppub/D2H-H3.html

Fuel is fuel. The same rules apply for petrol pumps.

[rki2007]

The only way to safeguard us from these short fueling stunts is to pay complete attention looking at the meter without answering to any of the questions. I do that all time. I don't bother to answer these guys. Let them get offended.

I wish we had a digital metre in our cars which can indicate the exact litres of fuel in the car.

[hangover]

Originally Posted by rki2007

I wish we had a digital metre in our cars which can indicate the exact litres of fuel in the car.

Brilliant idea. Like a trip meter you could then reset a sub-meter on this quantity gauge before a fill up. It could easily show the exact last 5 refills with a time stamp. And an erasable location coordinate.

[sumzup]

Originally Posted by hangover

Brilliant idea. Like a trip meter you could then reset a sub-meter on this quantity gauge before a fill up. It could easily show the exact last 5 refills with a time stamp. And an erasable location coordinate.

Hello,
Due to the volatile nature of petrol (especially), it would be difficult for any gauge whether mechanical or digital to give you exact quantity at any given point in time. Let me explain, in summers and during the day time petrol tends to expand and during winters or at nights it tends to contract. This is due to the low density of petrol leading it to being sensitive to temperatures, and accuracy of gauges then would be debatable which will lead to altercations at the bunks. Also, the tanks which are made of fiber expands over a period of time due to usage and would hold more fuel after a few years than when it is new.
Cheers