Could have gotten a free tank of gas today - if I wasn't honest!
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17797)
United States
August 24, 2008 10:42pm CST
I am over cautious simply to get ALL the gas I pay for - literally every drpo, but this happened to me today and I was in a way surprised, but at the same time, not surprised as people just don't seem to pay much attention these days.
I went to get gas - this one Union 76 station has regular for 10cents a gallon cheaper if you pay with cash over credit. So I pull in, and go in to pay and thelady says something about it being on credit already. I said, no, cash. She said it was still on credit which pump am I at. I told her and said it was vacant before I pulled in and I don't use credit cards. She was a bit confused and then just told me to go out, press cancel and press clear and jiggle the hose and press them again and it should reset. I did that, but as I went to jiggle the hose, I picked up the nozzel to find it wasn't even in the holder correctly. So i replaced it properly and then went back and told her I did it and she said that what had happened was that the previous person using it had not TERMINATED the transaction by not properly replacing the nozzel. So the credit card number was still in there AND ACTIVE! I could have just filled my tank on their credit card!! I couldn't believe it! I went back and checked everythign and got my gas for the $3.79 a gallon and it asked me if I wanted a receipt! I said no, but wondereed if my gas went on their credit card anyway? Why else would it ask if I wanted a receipt AFTER I filled up? I did the math as to what I paid vs. what I got and it was right, so I don't know. Lady said it was canceled and fine, but just seemed odd....
Anyway the point of this is to say - make sure you TERMINATE your credit card transaction at the pumps. Make sure the nozzel is in properly and even press the cancel/clear buttons yourself and even get a receipt - just to make sure.
6 responses
Sometimes I have been to gas stations and paid cash and then when I was done it asked me if I wanted a receipt. Guess some do, some don't.
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
25 Aug 08
I always pay cash, even it it wasn't 10 cents a gallon cheaper - high enough without paying interest on it for months! But a receipt is not offered if paying with cash and it stopped pumping at my $30 that I paid the cashier, so I dont know. Just don't understand why some are so careless.
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
26 Aug 08
Great warning coffeebreak. SOmetimes we are doing thing on automatic and mistakes like the one you mention could happen. The person that goes next might not be as honest as you are and use it.
I"m actually going to mention this discussion to my daughter, because she usually pays for her gas with the credit card and it's always good to keep in mind that this can happen.
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
26 Aug 08
Yeah, life is going to fast and everyone is so caught up in it. I blame it on things like cell phones, PDA and all these new fangled objects of desire that supposedly make "life easier", when in many ways, all it does is makes you less commited, less organized and less attentitive!
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
25 Aug 08
Yeah, that is hard!!! But your honesty will pay off in the long run. That is good advice, though. People need to be sure they have completed transactions before going awy from the pumps.
2 more things, though:
1) I had to think and think where you might be that gas is only $3.79 these days! I remember when it was 25 cents, but that is another story. Well, I had to go to the gas buddy site and check it out:
http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx
Surprise, we are averaging about the same as you. I guess it came down some within the past few days. Never thought getting gas would be as dicey as day-trading commodities, rfl!
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
25 Aug 08
Earliest I remember it was 32 cents a gallon when my friends mother was "complaining" about it and being so high and not even getting a drinking glass to go with it!
Then I remember when it went up in the late 70's - oil embargo and all - and we only had one car nad my husband took that to work and I was home 24/7 with my 1 year old and got so sick of being in the house and he wouldn't let me drive the car after he got home as it "needed a rest" and all. BUt I begged one night - "can't we just go for a drive so I can get out of the house?" and he said "No, I am not spending 69 cents a gallon just to drive around town!"
\This one station Union 76 is always 10 cents a gallon cheaper if paid with cash. I paid $3.78, and credit was $3.88 for regular. Other stations in town tho are still at $3.95 or higher for the same gas and cash/credit isn't an issue.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
25 Aug 08
Wow, gas is cheap here compared to where you live. I paid $3.33 a gallon yesterday when I filled up. I have not seen it that low in a long time. It is good that you were honest about it. A lot of people would have taken advantage of the person who was there before them.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
25 Aug 08
Well, last month it was $4.49 a gallon for the same gas if paid via cash! It has dropped ALOT this month, but $3.78 is still high but I don't see it getting to much cheaper. IT never does. It goes sky high, and then only comes down a little bit...just enough to make people say "at least it isn't $4.49 anymore!" we are all so grateful for the lessor price - but I ask why didn't it got back down to the $2.99 it was before all this happened...assuming something happened to make it go up other than oil companies greed, cause I never heard a single word as to why it skyrocketed so high so fast. ANd thenfor it to just drop so quickly - I think we were all taken for a ride this summer and at our own expense!
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
26 Aug 08
Oh, he pumped his, just didn't terminate the transaction by putting the nozzel back in place properly to shut it down and then take his receipt. Call me paranoid, but I check EVERYTHING when I do a credit card or even ATM/Debit
@sudalunts (5523)
• United States
25 Aug 08
Good for you, honesty is the best policy. I would not have that trouble I live in New Jersey, and we do not have self service gas stations.
Whenever I go to a state that has self service, I find myself waiting in the car for the attendant
But I will remember your advice if in fact I do wind up at a gas station that is self service.
Thank God for people like you
But I will remember your advice if in fact I do wind up at a gas station that is self service.
Thank God for people like you1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
25 Aug 08
You are kind to say that! Here in California - full service hasn't existed since the late 70's! I moved from Ohio to CA in 1975 and was appalled when I had to pump my own! Used to be able to get gas pummped, fluids checked, windows washed - the works all while the gas was pumping and I remained in the car finding tunes on the radio!
