Major Scam at Shell Garage Birmingham

timbotambo

Bit long winded but I have uncovered a serious scam being run at the Shell Garage on Kingsbury Road Erdington branch (a bit of a run down Shell garage!)

In short, we used the regular unleaded pump but after checking my card receipt after we left and doing the maths I realised I had been charged £20 for 16.68L of fuel which equates to 119.9ppl. We were not given a transaction receipt as the "machine was broken". The rate should have been 103.9ppl. I discovered that the station was charging people for the VPower fuel however people were only putting in the regular petrol and diesel.

The natural assumption and response to such an accusation is that people mistakenly used the VPower pump. However, I can, without question and completely unequivocally state that we used the regular unleaded pump. I know this as it happened to be the first time my wife had ever used a petrol station (being a new driver) so I was next to her talking her through the process and I pointed out to ensure that regular fuel was being used.

I did return to the station after leaving to check the pump I used and it was definitely correct, and I saw that every pump stated 119.9 on the digital display. I also observed whilst browsing in the shop that on the digital till display that everyone was charged 119.9ppl (it did state a rate but again simple maths).

I challenged the sole cashier but she denied it without listening and said it was my mistake. Interestingly, the next 6 transactions all went through at the lower rate.

Thoughts on what to do about this, if anything??

TonyMMM

Contact Trading Standards

https://www.gov.uk/find-local-trading-standards-office

JJ_Egan

AS above TS will send out Weights and Measures team .

daveyjp

Where was the 103.9 price?

Vpower is usually 5-8p a litre more than standard fuel.

paddyrg

As I recall the correct price must be show at the pump. If the big sign claims it should be lower, that's very bad form, but as long as the pump displays the correct price, may not be strictly illegal

timbotambo

The reciept I eventually got states the fuel as V power even though people were only filling with the regular stuff.

takman

But if the price is clearly shown on the pump where you purchased fuel from then you should have been more observant. It would have only been a scam if the price on the pump was different to what you were being charged.

Even working out in your head it's pretty clear that 16.68Litres should be around £17 and nowhere near £20!

pinkshoes

takman wrote: »

Even working out in your head it's pretty clear that 16.68Litres should be around £17 and nowhere near £20!

It is clear to you, but most people would not be able to work this out, and would not bat an eye lid.

The average person would think £20 is fine, £200 or £2 would be wrong. People generally only look at the ball park figure.

I have kids at school that calculate a lightbulb power rating as 60kW (60,000W) instead of 60W.

JReacher1

pinkshoes wrote: »

It is clear to you, but most people would not be able to work this out, and would not bat an eye lid.

The average person would think £20 is fine, £200 or £2 would be wrong. People generally only look at the ball park figure.

I have kids at school that calculate a lightbulb power rating as 60kW (60,000W) instead of 60W.

I think you're unfairly stating that most people are stupid.

This is very basic maths.

When you buy just over 16 litres at just over £1 a litre I think most people will be able to work out the price should be around £16. So I don't believe the average person would think £20 is fine.

robatwork

JReacher1 wrote: »

I think you're unfairly stating that most people are stupid.

Most people have some number blindness. Combined with the dual factors of embarrassment about challenging the till, and being in a hurry, I could well expect an awful lot of people to multiply 16.68 by 103.9p and get to nearly £20.

JReacher1

robatwork wrote: »

Most people have some number blindness. Combined with the dual factors of embarrassment about challenging the till, and being in a hurry, I could well expect an awful lot of people to multiply 16.68 by 103.9p and get to nearly £20.

Really?

who are these people who have trouble with basic maths. If it was £1 a litre most people could work out that £16.68 is the cost of 16.68 litres.

I don't see how many people would think an extra 3.9p per litre would increase the cost of the petrol by over £3!