A silly way to get scammed at the gas station

[LTC8K6]

Apparently, crooks are switching the nozzles from one side to the other on certain types of gas pumps where this switch is less noticeable.

You pull up, pay with your card, and pump gas.

You pump $30 worth, get back in your car, and your gas gauge doesn't move at all.

While you were using the inoperative nozzle from the other side, the thief was using yours, and you paid for his fuel.

Kind of a silly way to get ripped off, I guess.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/3869514-181/low-tech-thieves-target-customers-at

 

[Zivic]

if you fall for that, you deserve to pay for their fuel

 

[LTC8K6]

if you fall for that, you deserve to pay for their fuel

With some of those overhead hose type pumps, and a practiced thief, I can see some people not noticing.

 

[PottedMeat]

The videos are too blurry to get a license plate number, but Van Alyea he has a clear picture of a suspect with a “strange” hairstyle he said brazenly walked into the store after a theft.

wouldn't a gas station want to make sure their cameras get clear plate images?

 

[LTC8K6]

wouldn't a gas station want to make sure their cameras get clear plate images?

You'd think so.

 

[96Firebird]

How can you not notice the fuel isn't flowing out of your nozzle?

 

[LTC8K6]

How can you not notice the fuel isn't flowing out of your nozzle?

You lock it on and back away and wait? You can hear the pump running and the numbers are counting up.

You are busy, in a hurry, and have a lot on your mind?

Just plain not paying attention?

I'm trying to think if I ever look up to see where the hose goes...

 

[996GT2]

This type of scam doesn't seem like it would work most of the time.

I always make sure that the fuel is flowing after I depress the handle on the pump nozzle, and I'm sure most other people do also. It's not like it's a subtle thing to notice when the gas has started flowing.

Only the most supremely absentminded or distracted people would be at risk for falling prey to this kind of scam.

 

[jagec]

You lock it on and back away and wait? You can hear the pump running and the numbers are counting up.

But you can FEEL the resistance change when the pump gets activated and before you latch it.

And the numbers going up would have to correspond with the same time that you depressed the handle. And "your" handle wouldn't auto-shutoff or overfill, which would make it obvious that you didn't get any gas. And there would be no drips from the nozzle afterwards, either.

I guess I just don't see myself falling for this one. But I suppose that some people are oblivious to the world around them...

 

[LTC8K6]

It's amazing what people don't notice going on around them.

 

[DaTT]

In Canada (at least Ontario), we don't have the nozzles you can click open anymore. You have to hold them down.....or shove your gas cap in there to hold it open. Only Full Serve stations have lockable nozzles.

 

[inachu]

Sharking still happens at the gas stations.

 

[marvdmartian]

How can you not notice the fuel isn't flowing out of your nozzle?

You might be shocked at the number of people you'd actually see put the nozzle in, lock it, then get back in their vehicle for some reason, totally oblivious to what's going on around them. Hell, I've even seen people get back in their vehicle to smoke a cigarette! (obviously, because they feel safe doing so, since they must be purchasing that non-flammable gasoline! )

However, as Zivic said, if you fall for this kind of scam, you deserve to pay for someone else's gasoline!

 

[DrPizza]

You'd have to be really really really stupid AND really really really unaware of what's going on around you to fall for this scam. According to that story, it's happened 6 times. I'm surprised the number is that high without someone being caught.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

You'd have to be really really really stupid AND really really really unaware of what's going on around you to fall for this scam. According to that story, it's happened 6 times. I'm surprised the number is that high without someone being caught.

exactly.
Also, your pump would never click-off like it should when the tank gets full.

How does a thief know who the 'in a hurry, not paying attention' dolt is?

This story sounds like b-s.

EDIT: but then again, some of the most outrageous storys can end up to be true. I should really read articles before commenting.

 

[KentState]

This is the equivalent of someone taking the sandwich out of your hand, going num num num and you not noticing.

 

[LTC8K6]

It reminds me of those stories of thieves that open the other door of the car while the driver is pumping gas, and take a purse, or whatever they can grab.

 

[EightySix Four]

exactly.
Also, your pump would never click-off like it should when the tank gets full.

I think the point is, but the time the other person notices something isn't right, the perpetrator is leaving. By the time you realize what has happened, they're long gone.

 

[Zivic]

In Canada (at least Ontario), we don't have the nozzles you can click open anymore. You have to hold them down.....or shove your gas cap in there to hold it open. Only Full Serve stations have lockable nozzles.

just keep a tennis ball in the console

 

[nerp]

Pump locks are illegal in my state. You have to stand there and hold it.

 

[SparkyJJO]

I'm always the one untangling the gas hoses at the pump (yeah I'm OCD) and I'm always listening to the gas flowing (had an overflow once) so I highly doubt I'd ever fall for that kind of thing.

 

[BUTCH1]

It reminds me of those stories of thieves that open the other door of the car while the driver is pumping gas, and take a purse, or whatever they can grab.

That was just on the news a few nights ago, apparently this one is making a comeback.

 

[DrPizza]

I'm always the one untangling the gas hoses at the pump (yeah I'm OCD) and I'm always listening to the gas flowing (had an overflow once) so I highly doubt I'd ever fall for that kind of thing.

And, it seems like the first time someone doesn't fall for it, would be the time the perpetrator gets caught. Thus, it's hard to believe they're up to 6 of these things without someone getting caught.

 

[jji7skyline]

Wait, people don't hold their fuel nozzles? Here in Australia you have to be pressing the lever on the nozzle to even make the fuel come out.

 

[nerp]

Wait, people don't hold their fuel nozzles? Here in Australia you have to be pressing the lever on the nozzle to even make the fuel come out.

In some states, there is a little lever that you can push down to keep the nozzle flowing. It is held in place by a small ridge and pops out and stops flowing once the tank is full and the nozzle would stop anyway.