Cheating / Short Fuelling Tricks at Petrol Pumps

[Prads]

Re: Cheating / Short Fuelling Tricks at Petrol Pumps/Ghost note count

This happened to me on Sunday,although I was going to catch the F1 race on tv I was not rushing,after i got the air pressure checked in the tires & i moved the car to fill diesel for 500 rupees.
After making sure the fuel lid was secure I gave the attendant a 1000 rupee note,so he had to return 500,which he did but this is where the trick starts !

He puts the thousand calmly into his bag & pulls out a bundle of 100's ,he calmly counts 5 x 100 notes infront of me as I watch & stacks them handing it to me.Now i was confident there was 500 but spread them out to find only 4x100 ,then immediately another 100 comes from the attendant.

So am pretty sure this guy wanted to con me as he could have handed a 500 note instead of 100's .
The trick is when he counts the notes in front of you he fakes a count in between as you watch or fakes the last count not shifting the money as you would have relaxed your gaze because you would automatically assumed every flick of the wrist is a note being counted.

So next time please be aware as this cannot only happen at a pump but also at any transaction especially if you seem to be in a hurry.

 

[S Class]

^^ Thanks. Better opt for Stan Chart Super Value Platinum. Gives 2.5% cash back in addition to 2.5% as surcharge waiver.
BTW, I fill at a petrol pump which was given to armyman who laid down his life for our country. I travel 2.5+2.5 = 5km just for refuelling all the vehicles, including my bike.

 

[amit1km]

I was also the victim of short fueling at Bangalore. The pump situated near Silk Board fly over. I asked to fill rupees 200 fuel to my bike. Same old technique was applied on me like while one will be filling the fuel and some other will ask unnecessary question will be pay by cash or card..I do not remember the exactly what he asked, but i was distracted and suddenly guy who was fueling my bike told it is done now and reset the meter to zero. I suspected a little but could not got confirm. As my bike was running on reserve mode i turn it to main mode and drove off. But after riding around 5/6 km again my bike asked for reserved mode. Then I realized that I was been coned.

In the evening I went to the same pump and asked for the supervisor. The pump attendant told he is not there and ask what is the issue.

I narrated him the story and told him that I want file the complain. But quickly the attendant told me bring your bike we will fill it for Rs.200 without any dime.

Then I realized that they are always doing the same thing to the customer, if anybody complain, without any fuss they fill the petrol.

 

[S Class]

^^ When pump guy asked. "Whats the matter ?", reply should have been, " I want to give petrol bath to that attendant". :D

 

[threeace777]

amit thats really sad
I went for a petrol fill for my M800
the attendant set the machine for a rs 500 fill
when it was nearing 500 he played with the fuel injector
I dont understand that once its set to 500 why would you interfere with the fuel injector
it obviously cant fill more than that

 

[Gurrala74]

Good informative thread !! and thanks to the thread starter and others for the wonderful solutions and experiences.

Yes, this is happening with most of the pumps these days as the fuel cost is like Gold these days, so whatever they tamper they get good amount in the end.

With all the suggestions given, I do the following regularly

1. Do not fill the car with Tank full as this leaves more chances of mischief. If you have to do it, then do not ask for tank for set some 20 or 25 litres in your mind and ask for the same.
2. Ensure to go to same pump regularly on day to day basis
3. Most of the times avoid filling on middle of NH any where as most of the cheating happens here as you find something fishy you do not go back there.
4. It is better always to use company owned and run outlets
5. As far as possible, stop the engine and get out of the car and stand near to the person who is filling this will reduce the cheating
6. Always ensure to see the ZERO and tell him before filling it self that set the required amount on the meter and put the pump into the fuel hole and leave it on its own till it completes and tell him not to operate with hand and control it. Tell him that do not fill in start stop method well before filling. By saying this it will alert him that you are bit a serious guy and he will not try to cheat you.
7. Most of us use cards while paying and I see most of the cases we sit in the car and ask to fill and give away our card to swipe. Most of the times the attention is kept away from the fuel meter by asking for money or for the card. So simple thing for this as I do every time, when I go to a pump, I stop my car in a place where it will not disturb others to fill, then go to the guy and ask him where is the swiping machine, then swiped the card in front of me and take it back and take merchant slip in hands and sign it go back to the car and move to the filling area. stop the engine and come and gives him the signed slip and stand beside him till he fills. This is the best practise in terms of safety of the card usage and ensuring proper amount of fuel to be filled.

 

[sethumurugan]

5. As far as possible, stop the engine and get out of the car and stand near to the person who is filling this will reduce the cheating

100 times true. Why we should give option for cheating, instead we can be more cautious.

6. Always ensure to see the ZERO and tell him before filling it self that set the required amount on the meter and put the pump into the fuel hole and leave it on its own till it completes and tell him not to operate with hand and control it. Tell him that do not fill in start stop method well before filling. By saying this it will alert him that you are bit a serious guy and he will not try to cheat you.

What do you mean by start stop method?

7. Most of us use cards while paying and I see most of the cases we sit in the car and ask to fill and give away our card to swipe. Most of the times the attention is kept away from the fuel meter by asking for money or for the card. So simple thing for this as I do every time, when I go to a pump, I stop my car in a place where it will not disturb others to fill, then go to the guy and ask him where is the swiping machine, then swiped the card in front of me and take it back and take merchant slip in hands and sign it go back to the car and move to the filling area. stop the engine and come and gives him the signed slip and stand beside him till he fills. This is the best practise in terms of safety of the card usage and ensuring proper amount of fuel to be filled.

Good. I do the same. Since I use my debit card always, I pull out cash from the ATM and give him cash. This avoids lot of problems and you can save some service tax which is debited to you if you swipe your car. You can make sure standing near your car and no distractions

 

[Figoian]

5. As far as possible, stop the engine and get out of the car and stand near to the person who is filling this will reduce the cheating

I guess, this is always possible.

So simple thing for this as I do every time, when I go to a pump, I stop my car in a place where it will not disturb others to fill, then go to the guy and ask him where is the swiping machine, then swiped the card in front of me and take it back and take merchant slip in hands and sign it go back to the car and move to the filling area.

This is possible only if you are gonna fill it for a particular amount. Most of us generally tank up and may not know the amount until it's done. Yet, it is possible even after the fill up. I generally give the card and move for Air Check. I make sure to check the amount on the charge slip and check online after a day to ensure the amount is debited only once. As the merchant details are clearly available, they can't cheat with swiping multiple times.

Good. I do the same. Since I use my debit card always, I pull out cash from the ATM and give him cash. This avoids lot of problems and you can save some service tax which is debited to you if you swipe your car. You can make sure standing near your car and no distractions

(OT) Sethu - I do agree with your point that Cash is always a safe option. However, Credit Cards aren't bad either, if one can use it wisely. Rather, it's a good money saver in some cases like Turbo Points & Cash Back.

I have a Citibank Indian Oil Credit Card which accumulates Turbo Points for every spend and redeemable as Fuel (One Turbo Point = 1 Rupee). I have been using this card for about 6 years and would have got more than Rs. 5000 worth Fuel for free...

Another one SCB Card, which offers 2.5% Surcharge Waiver and 2.5% Cash Bank on every transaction in any Petrol Bunk. Every month, it saves me about 100 - 200 Rs every month. You can say it's not a big money, however, would you get it if you pay on Cash? Moreover, 100 - 200 Per Month is 1200 - 2400 Rs Per Annum... Isn't a good deal?

Back to topic, another issue with cash is, you need to round off the value or loose change to them. Both are loss for us. Moreover, FE calculation is compromised when you round off to any figure.

Not that I am trying to promote the use of Credit Card, but just sharing the positive side of it. It's absolutely an individual's choice.

 

[sethumurugan]

(OT) Sethu - I do agree with your point that Cash is always a safe option. However, Credit Cards aren't bad either, if one can use it wisely. Rather, it's a good money saver in some cases like Turbo Points & Cash Back.

I have a Citibank Indian Oil Credit Card which accumulates Turbo Points for every spend and redeemable as Fuel (One Turbo Point = 1 Rupee). I have been using this card for about 6 years and would have got more than Rs. 5000 worth Fuel for free...

Another one SCB Card, which offers 2.5% Surcharge Waiver and 2.5% Cash Bank on every transaction in any Petrol Bunk. Every month, it saves me about 100 - 200 Rs every month. You can say it's not a big money, however, would you get it if you pay on Cash? Moreover, 100 - 200 Per Month is 1200 - 2400 Rs Per Annum... Isn't a good deal?

Back to topic, another issue with cash is, you need to round off the value or loose change to them. Both are loss for us. Moreover, FE calculation is compromised when you round off to any figure.

Not that I am trying to promote the use of Credit Card, but just sharing the positive side of it. It's absolutely an individual's choice.

Figoian either am not against credit card. For various reasons I have stopped using credit card. sometimes I feel very bad for not using it.

I understand your point. There are lot of advantages using credit card.

Yes, but I normally fill for full amount say Rs.1000/-

 

[Gurrala74]

What do you mean by start stop method?

It means, if you observe some persons fill the fuel not in one go continuous, but in between you can see a sound like tak tak means fuel stops and start where jumping of meter happens

 

[sethumurugan]

It means, if you observe some persons fill the fuel not in one go continuous, but in between you can see a sound like tak tak means fuel stops and start where jumping of meter happens

Okie I got. I think that happens due to this auto-cut-off facility. When it reaches some stages it will cut-off. we can see the attender taking the pipe and leave it little bit high.

Dont know whether he was cheating me or not. Till date I was assuming that based on my first clarification given by a pump attender.

 

[krish_go]

Sethu,
I agree with you on the cash part. I too always use cash. 1000 or 2000 at a shot. This will avoid me moving from next to the fillin guy. But there is something i notice. They would not leave the pump alone from the hands till the last 100rs. Not sure if this a part of trick or not.
Shell is the best to fill but too expensive in terms of diesel. Hp/BP- 51 and Shell 63 (normal)

 

[Gurrala74]

Sethu,
I agree with you on the cash part. I too always use cash. 1000 or 2000 at a shot. This will avoid me moving from next to the fillin guy. But there is something i notice. They would not leave the pump alone from the hands till the last 100rs. Not sure if this a part of trick or not.
Shell is the best to fill but too expensive in terms of diesel. Hp/BP- 51 and Shell 63 (normal)

I heard that Shell is good for exact fuel, but the fuel cost is very high it looks to me as good as running a diesel car with petrol

But this high fuel price is compensated with the correct amount of fuel and a pure fuel where as we are loosing money with short fuel filling in outher pumps and some mixed fuel.

The problem is Shell does not have too many outlets across my city, so it is trouble to find one every time

 

[sethumurugan]

I heard that Shell is good for exact fuel, but the fuel cost is very high it looks to me as good as running a diesel car with petrol

But this high fuel price is compensated with the correct amount of fuel and a pure fuel where as we are loosing money with short fuel filling in outher pumps and some mixed fuel.

The problem is Shell does not have too many outlets across my city, so it is trouble to find one every time

apart from correct measurement, I heard that the shell fuel's quality is pure and reliable. When they used to have the cost at par with normal fuel [HP/BP] I used to fill petrol for my car as well as bike only in shell. Even now I was using shell till there were difference Rs.2 +/-. But now the difference is huge I think.

 

[itsmejohnhcl]

Good and Bad Petrol Pumps around

I thought to start this thread due to a funny thing which happened to me day before yesterday at IOC petrol bunk Koramangla (near Sony world).

My Brio has a fuel tank capacity of around 35 litres.
We went to the above petrol pump and asked for a tankfull.
I just didn't come out of my car, since I can see them doing the Job from the OVRM. They started off with a ZERO display.
Suddenly another attendant came towards me and shows me some IOC stickers which can be put on the petrol lid and then he asked which credit card I have and whether its Indian Oil-Citibank Credit card. By the time I could finish with this guy, the "full tank" is done and I asked them loudly "how many litres u filled", nobody replied and they turned the other side showing themselves as busy, then my wife checked and told, the amount shows as some 2640 Rs.
I asked them for the bill and they gave me a hand written bill for 2640 for 35.xx (i think xx was either 17 or 71, don't remember). I thought something suspicious, because every-time I do a fulltank, it comes to max 2100Rs/28.xxlts. Then i gave them the credit card since there were cars behind me honking.
I did question the guy who took my card as to "how can you fill 35.xx lts whereas my tank capacity is max 35lts and that too no topup after autocutoff done. He replied most of the cars have 40Lts of tank capacity.
Then I was confused about my Brio Specs itself.

I parked my car outside the pump to avoid congestion and came back to collect my card and then started off a fresh argument stating very clearly that my car capacity is max 35 lts and there is something wrong in the bill they have presented. Suddenly one of the bunk members said in a loud voice "oops we have given him the other vehicle bill by mistake"
Then I got the wind of it and they asked me to cool down.
Immediately they looked at the billing machine again and made another hand written bill of 29.99lts (not sure even that is accurate) and refunded me 430Rs.

I just collected that money and didn't had further patience and time to report it to the manager and came back as my wife was sitting in the car.

Always make it a point to be very careful in petrol pumps. Every drop makes an ocean.
I don't want to comment on which petrol pump is good or bad, else the above review would look biased . But the other members can surely share the bitter experiences which we all have with the bunks (anywhere in India) so that all members are benefited.

Disclaimer: Based on my personnel experience only.