Honest mistake? Scam? What do you think?
 

So, my in-laws have a house on the beach (their retirement home) in the Cape May area. My wife is a teacher for our local county, so she has summers off. So, for the second year in a row, she's taking herself and our son to the in-laws for a 5-6 week vacation. She, our son, and one of my sister-in-laws (who lives with us) drive up in our SUV and I follow in the Mustang. Then me and my sis-in-law drive back in the Mustang.

So, this past weekend was the trip up. Starting the trip home, I had just about a half tank of gas, the left overs from the full tank for the trip up. When it got to a little above the quarter tank mark, I pulled into a Citgo station. It's one that I almost always use on these trips back home. NOTE: In New Jersey, it is against state law for you or anyone else to pump gas, other than an employee of the station. So I pull in, give the dude my Check Card and tell him to fill it up. About 3-4 minutes later, he comes back, gives me my card and the slip to sign. It's for about 12-13 gallons, and a $39.02 charge. I sign it and we leave.

About 30-35 minutes later, I happen to look down at the gas gauge, and just about freak when I see that the needle is about half-way between the quarter-tank mark and what would be an eighth of a tank. I check the digital display for "Mile Until E" and it says I have 83 miles until Empty. I'm trying to figure out what the hell is going on, and I see another gas station. I pull in, and I tell the guy, "I want you to put whatever amount you can into the car, but I'm going to be watching while you're doing everything, just to see what happens". I explained what was going on.

So, he proceeds to start the pump. Sure enough, he pumps $35.00 worth of gas. Into a tank that supposedly just 30 minutes ago, had $39.02 worth of gas put into it.

I call the Citgo, and I get some chick who sounds like she's all of 16 or 17 and explain what has happened and ask what the hell is going on? She takes my name and cell number, saying they're really busy, and that she'll have her boss call me back.

Surprisingly enough, I've not heard back. I've called my bank to dispute the charge and they're going to do a charge back for it, while they investigate.

So, what do you think is the deal behind this?

By the way, and I mentioned how appropriate this was to the girl on the phone, the bosses name is "Kahn".

so he pumped 12-13 gallons?

Don't mustangs have 15 gallon (ish) tanks?


Was the credit car swiper in on the pump or in a seperate booth or what not?

If it was on the pump... then it is accurate...

If it was in the booth... the guy may have made an honest mistake, it happens... or he may have pocketed your money

So if the swiper wasnt on the pump... then I'd tell the bank that you want every penny back and notify the police...

LOl... damn thats messed up. yah, uhh.. lets see..

coming from an experienced gas pumper (shuttup badfish) that the thing automatically cuts off when the tank gets full. uhh.... dude, i totally think u got scammed. i just dont see how they could have done that and not realized it. If it aint pumpin gas, the shut off will not be triggered once the tank is full. so you would have ended up with 40-50 gallons worth of gas on the tag. The fact that it came up to look about right tells me they were ****in u over. probably a new employee or something scamming....

illegal to pump yer own gas... thats fuggin hilarious.... aint like it is rocket science or anything...

who knows what happened, but hopefully your bank can help you out.

Can someone explain to me why it is againts the law to pump your own gas? I mean what's the concept behind the law?? I think Oregon has the same law.

because people like to try n steal gas...

and NJ is full of stupid morons... so the likelyness of someone trying to gas and go is probable... then they will flee the police w/ no chance of getting away and kill innocent people...

thats why...

STUPID people are the reason for all the crap decent people have to put up w/

How do they steal gas? Sorry, I'm just used to Cali and in order to pump gas you either have to go into the gas station and give the employee cash for the amount of gas you want, or they hold your credit card until your done pumping. Or you can slide your credit card/debit card at the pump so you don't have to go in.

well... i don't think it was always like that... I am sure you have seen real TV or worlds coolest police chases (etc)

Well there are quite a few high speed chases where someone filled the tank and took off... but these are rather old videos... and so is the law... and NJ sucks ass...

sounds like no good. A while back alot of people were taking customer credit cards and using handheld devices such as PDA's and swiping the credit cards to get their #'s then using them to buy stuff later that day. I sure hope this person did not do that.

Most pumps will let you fill up, then go inside to pay. How are you supposed to know exactly how much gas your car needs (if you're paying with cash) ?

Why won't they let you fill your own tank???????.....simple, too many woman drivers in NJ!!!! lol


proof!

http://www.break.com/pictures/bb8850.html

dammit, none of my pictures are working today.......


try this again. here's the proof..

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i2...sc/pic3977.jpg

You kindof dont, I usually just put $20.00 every 3 days or so, and it gets to a little passed the half way mark.

the 05 mustangs have a digital display that tells you how many miles until you're out of gas?!!!??! I WANT ONE!

sounds like a scam....and you cant pump your own gas???? WTF!!!

Oregon's law is the same way but it's intended to cut smog as much as deter crime. People like to squirt gas all over the ground instead of properly emptying the nozzle which increases HC in the air and creates a risky fire situation.

besides... in oregon it creates jobs for high school kids and keeps you from smelling like gas. the price isn't even any different there for full service as it is here for pump it yourself.