Has Anyone else Been a Victim of This Petrol Scam

pendulum

hieveryone wrote: »

I've been driving for near on 9 years and I've never known to wait until it resets to 0?

That just makes me wonder what else you don't know.

It's a counter. You do know what a counter is don't you. Its something that counts up unless its reset... so that's why you make sure it resets before pumping. It's not brain surgery.

neilmcl

I worked in a petrol station briefly in my youth and I seem to recall when a new customer picked up the pump it would have the previous customers reading but it wouldn't pump any more fuel until I had pressed the reset button from the counter. The noise you sometimes hear inside the shop is the alarm reminding the assistant to reset the pump counter.

I thought it was commonplace that you physically couldn't pump any fuel until the counter had been reset. How many times have we all stood there frustratingly at the pump waiting for the assistant to wake up and press the damn reset.

neilmcl

pendulum wrote: »

so that's why you make sure it resets before pumping. It's not brain surgery.

But most pumps will not allow you to start pumping until it has been reset.

pendulum

So? That doesn't change the fact you should always check the counter resets before pumping. If the previous person has not put the pump back on its holder properly, the pump may still think its serving that person and not even see the need for a reset. Check it has reset to 0 before you pump. I can't see how anyone could argue with that advice. It's blatantly obvious - common sense.

Enfieldian

I am surprised that the clerk spoke English.

Did he try and clone your credit card while you were there?

PracticePracticePractice

I'm not sure how you could avoid putting the putting the pump back into the correct position, unless the attendant does not reset the pump I can't see how it would start pumping from the previous customers price.

Enfieldian- ?

rikbar

From the sounds of it I would not be blaiming the attendant.

Pumps by the very nature of the software and mechanics will have to reset between each fill, as has been mentioned before, the computerised system will do this automatically when the pump is authorised. There is no means for the attendant in any of the stations that I have managed to allow fueling to be continued after a pump has been replaced correctly.

I would think that this is a potential scam by a previous fueler who has not replaced the nozzle correctly and driven off without paying. Most petrol stations rely upon the nozzle being put down to indicate filling has ended and will then keep an eye to ensure payment is made. If the screen shows the pump is in use they pay less attention, and assume the car is still there (no excuse but they are only human) Anyway as above if the nozzle is not put down the transaction is not completed per the system and therefore you can pick up and continue where the thief left off.

The reason I think this must have been a previous theft is that if a person went to pay for the fuel the transaction would not be able to be transferred from the pump system to the till, without the pump nozzle being replaced correctly. As such the attendant would make this known to the customer and for them to pay they would have to then go and put the nozzle back properly. This would then mean the pump would require reauthorisation when anyone new turned up to fill from it.

With fuel prices rising theft from forecourts is escalating and it would appear the theives are trying a new tactic that could end up costing innocent people money. As such I can only recommend that all ensure that the nozzle is seated correctly when you go to pick it up and that the pump resets prior to fueling.

Cool_Username

Of course this is all pretty pointless unless you're going to tell us which petrol station you're talking about.

cyclonebri1

PracticePracticePractice wrote: »

I'm not sure how you could avoid putting the putting the pump back into the correct position, unless the attendant does not reset the pump I can't see how it would start pumping from the previous customers price.

Enfieldian- ?

It is possible, I've done it myself and had the attendant on the intercom telling me to replace the pump correctly as I walked away. But he would not be able the charge the previous car in this instance as the "fill" would still have been open.???????????

hieveryone

pendulum wrote: »

That just makes me wonder what else you don't know.

It's a counter. You do know what a counter is don't you. Its something that counts up unless its reset... so that's why you make sure it resets before pumping. It's not brain surgery.

You sound like a real nice person.

I think it's been pretty much established that the previous total can still be there - but when you drive up and put the pump in, the clerk can 'authorise' the new sale and it resets it back to 0, letting you pump petrol in.