Petrol pump scam: How I caught the attendant trying to trick me

Went in to try XP95 - positive feedback on the fuel, but a bad experience at the petrol station.

BHPian swiftnfurious recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I usually stick to BP / Nayara in the city or even on highways and almost always avoid HP / IOC. However, a few friends gave very positive feedback on the XP95 and wanted to try this, so went to the IOC pump near the Chennai Airport (both BP & HP are also on the same line and all are COCO as I recollect).

Asked the attender to fill 10L in my Versys and the guy stops after filling 2L. I say it's 10L and

• He: "Thought you said 2L" (pretends to reset the meter and continues to fill).
• He: Cash or card? (distracts me from looking at the meter)
• Me: Card
• He: what card?
• Me: Hdfc
• He: Citibank has a lot of cash back
• Me: Ok

The pump shows 8L by now and he stops. I point it to him and he says he reset the meter after filling 2L and filled 8L after the reset.

Gave the card to him and he swipes for 10L worth. Asked for a bill and he prepares a handwritten bill. Told him I need the bill from the machine. He says no bills from the machine as we finished the fuel fill-up (the machine is yet to reset after mine). I asked him to meet the manager.

He is stuck now - calls his colleague to get the bill from the machine and the guy fiddles with it

• He: do you doubt me, sir?
• Me: Yes, I do! Get me the bill quickly.
• He: the bill has to be taken immediately after the fill, else can't get it.
• Me: I asked for the bill as soon as we filled up
• Colleague to attender: There is no bill for 10L, shows only 8L - why do u try these stunts in the morning?
• He: Sir - shall I fill 2 more litres
• Me: Yes, thank You

I read about a similar scam and one of the members mentioned the bill from the pump itself and today, I saved abt 250/- coz of that. This indeed is a helpful place

Here's what BHPian balenoed_ had to say on the matter:

A similar thing happened to me yesterday.

HP Pump, Mahadevpura, before Phoenix mall on the left side.

Told to fill it for Rs. 500. He stops at 400 and collects money. I gave 500 and he was still staring at me as if I did not understand what he did.

I told him, I told you to fill for 500. Sorry sir, I heard you say Rs.400.

Better go check your ears I told and give me the damn Rs.100/- back and gave him a mouthful.

Here's what BHPian Bh.P had to say on the matter:

^^ This is why when I am not filling a full tank, I ask for the amount in all languages (english, kannada, hindi, like 200 ruppes, innuri, do sau rupaye, and to add to it I also point the number of fingers, like 2 fingers for 200). Hoping they cannot claim they heard it wrong in all languages and also saw the wrong number of fingers. Never have been prey to this scam. I avoid filling in for 100 so I don't end up showing the wrong single finger.

Here's what BHPian negativeH had to say on the matter:

The exact thing happened to me: 11 pm in a relatively busy area of Delhi. I said Rs 2000 and he filled up Rs 200 and then apologized and blamed his hearing and took it up to Rs 1800, and claimed that's Rs 2000.

Typically, I am a casual person and might actually have let it go, but that day I was a bit pissed off for other reasons, so demanded the bill. He used the same excuse, no bill, machine reset blah blah. I said then what proof do you have that you have filled in petrol for 2000, why should I pay? A colleague of his showed up and apparently, they have some master meter/dispenser(?) which can always show how much is dispensed from which machine. This confirmed only 1800 worth of fuel was dispensed.

I lodged a complaint on the HP website a few days later. Attached is the bill. Received a follow-up from their Regional Lead the next day, and the Pump Manager. He showed me the CCTV footage of the scene to confirm this was the attendant and told me he would be let go since there have been other similar complaints like this about him. I received a follow call from the Regional Lead sharing the corrective action, and some apologies.

TBH, I don't think such scams are being practised by the Pump owners or managers. These are rogue operators, and calling them out and putting such things in writing (in the pump complaint book, or online) is the only way.

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