Gas station scam -- pay attention

[MM 6,562]

Today I was filling up my car at the Shell Station just east of 3rd Road on Pattaya Tai.

 

While they were doing the fill up, I was checking some things on my mobile. The attendant came to the window and pointed at the pump, which read 1330 in the top window, and didn't show the amount of liters delivered. I said "How many liters?", they said "1330 baht", I said "Yes, but how many liters?" This went on for a while, and they must have gathered that I wasn't going to budge until I saw how many liters they had given.

 

One of the attendants turned to the machine, and punched some buttons, and I saw that they had delivered 33 liters. I said, ok, and gave them my Debit card to run the charge.

 

It wasn't until I was leaving that it dawned on me that the new charge was 1130.30 baht, not 1330 baht. They had entered a number 200 baht higher than the sold price, and were going to pocket that themselves...or split with the cashier who would have to be in on it too.

 

If you ever see the gas pump with just an amount, no liters delivered, then chances are, they are running this scam on you.

 

Be careful..

 

[bigmick 840]

I have seen this at this same petrol station many times in the past. When i go to put petrol in the car, i go to a petrol station on Sukhomvit and never say "fill it up" i always say to put in 1000 baht

[MM 6,562]

I have seen this at this same petrol station many times in the past. When i go to put petrol in the car, i go to a petrol station on Sukhomvit and never say "fill it up" i always say to put in 1000 baht

 

That station is convenient for me, and now that I know their game, I can beat them at it if they try again. I hope they do try it again, so I can take a picture of the fraudulent meter reading, and then the correct one.

[bigmick 840]

I am pretty sure it has been on the local news a few times also

[steamer 158]

I think there are many ways we get scammed. I was at a "hole in the wall" type resto and ordered from a menu that had no prices. I ordered 3 typical items to go and my bill was 370. I knew they were just charging fallang prices and Thais would never pay that but what ya gonna do?

 

Tonight I ordered at another resto and this time there were 2 of us and we also had 3 items plus rice as well as 2 cokes, a water and a mango shake. Total price was 290.

[MM 6,562]

This might be a scam...posted similar on Facebook.

 

I went to Ban Chang last week and was in Nasa bar the other day, and bought several rounds of tequilas (as you do). When I checked my bin, I realized the lady drink tequilas were 150b each.

Guys who know Ban Chang on Facebook are saying the usual lady tequila price is 100b, so they might have had a special out-of-towner price for me.

I have to say, I did have a good time, but that price for a tequila lady drink is higher than 90% of the Walking Street gogos...maybe only exceeded by What's Up if that.

[bigmick 840]

It may be a good thing to have a section to list all known and found scams on here

[MM 6,562]

It may be a good thing to have a section to list all known and found scams on here

 

I was thinking the same thing.

[mykl 72]

Good idea but you may need to filter out the non-scams. Or not. Could lead to some interesting discussions.

[davebowk 13]

I read about a petrol scam in Pattaya the other week, where they don't clear the last sale then it just carries on from there.

[short 215]

Sounds like the real people being scammed is the gas company. Sounds like they are giving some gas, but pocketing the money.

[LocalYokul 214]

Did you miss the part about them asking for 200 Baht more than the actual total?

[captcraig2 120]

Had a stunt pulled on me by a taxi driver that I hired for a ride to Korat. We agreed on a price and that I would buy all fuel, stopped at a station and we went in for snacks while he fueled. When we were about to leave I noticed the price on the pump was 1300 baht, as soon as we pulled away he tells my wife the fuel was 1600 baht. I told him to back up to the pump and showed the driver the amount...He never said another word for the entire trip.

Edited November 16, 2012 by captcraig2

[MM 6,562]

Sounds like the real people being scammed is the gas company. Sounds like they are giving some gas, but pocketing the money.

Read it again.

[4niceight 32]

This gas station has been scamming customers for years and it's been well documented in this and other forums. Usually the attendant not clearing the previous sale and charging extra to the customer. I'm surprised that MM didn't realise this and wasn't more aware. Actually I'm amazed that the gas station proprietor is still allowing his staff to scam, or is he in on it?

[MM 6,562]

This gas station has been scamming customers for years and it's been well documented in this and other forums. Usually the attendant not clearing the previous sale and charging extra to the customer. I'm surprised that MM didn't realise this and wasn't more aware. Actually I'm amazed that the gas station proprietor is still allowing his staff to scam, or is he in on it?

 

Apparently I resurrected a well-worn and oft told story, but it was new to me. Now that you mention it has been described before, I did a google search for "shell station pattaya tai scam" and came up with a lot of hits. It's clear they have been crooks for years.

 

My excuse is I don't normally Google the gas station when I go to fill up.

 

EDIT: So far, in my reading the threads about this station, I haven't found any scam other than not resetting the pump. I've seen no mention of them keying in a new total amount.

[jacko 8,814]

I am still a bit confused how the guy got the machine to display 1330 in the first place, unless he just typed it in? I don't know how these darned things work.

 

When I was in Saudi, we were warned off some gas stations as they had the trick of not zeroing the machine between fills.

I don't use my debit cards when buying gas, but that would not make any difference here, as you say we have to keep our eyes open as to the pump displaying a normal baht and litre amount when paying up and a zero before. Darned, bad enough watching for the padding at night-time, can't even let our guard down when daydreaming as the car is filled.

Edited November 17, 2012 by jacko

[MM 6,562]

jacko, I've no idea how it was done. I just know that the meter displayed 1330 baht and the liter amount was blank. After my insistence on knowing the number of liters purchased, the display miraculously appeared as I show in the photo.

 

[jacko 8,814]

jacko, I've no idea how it was done. I just know that the meter displayed 1330 baht and the liter amount was blank. After my insistence on knowing the number of liters purchased, the display miraculously appeared as I show in the photo.

I think sometimes when I ask for 'pan baht' they tap the buttons and 1000 is shown up there.

You were very attentive to spot this.

[Big_Brian 179]

I think sometimes when I ask for 'pan baht' they tap the buttons and 1000 is shown up there.

You were very attentive to spot this.

They can type in an amount and have the pump dispense exactly that. Sounds like they filled Martin's tank, THEN typed in an amount 200 Baht higher and showed him that. It makes the scam simple as all they have to do is pocket two 100 Baht notes and their "till" will balance with the fuel sales data from the pump.

 

I was had several years ago with the not re-setting on a bike, it wasn't until the next day when it clicked - I paid for more than could have been squeezed into an empty tank. Live and learn.

[harro1 256]

The old guy that works there got me with not resetting the pump. I new it because it was the most expensive tank ever and I still had a quater of a tank before filling. Not much I could do.

 

He tried it again a few days later. I gave him what I owed. He said 60 baht more. I told him pump was on 60, you didn't reset it. He said oh ok. No apology from the old thief.

[dthomasss 1]

They also have a scam for motorcycles if you are a farang. It happened to me and then I observed for 10 minutes and it was repeated twice more (only with farangs). You tell them you want 100 baht. They push a button and give you 100 baht, but if you pay attention you notice you only get 2.2 liters, so essentially they are charging you 45 baht per liter instead of 34-35 which is the current price for gasohol 91...They are able to quickly change the cost per liter and then change it back again. Stick with PTT stations!

[js007 795]

Today I was filling up my car at the Shell Station just east of 3rd Road on Pattaya Tai.

 

While they were doing the fill up, I was checking some things on my mobile. The attendant came to the window and pointed at the pump, which read 1330 in the top window, and didn't show the amount of liters delivered. I said "How many liters?", they said "1330 baht", I said "Yes, but how many liters?" This went on for a while, and they must have gathered that I wasn't going to budge until I saw how many liters they had given.

 

One of the attendants turned to the machine, and punched some buttons, and I saw that they had delivered 33 liters. I said, ok, and gave them my Debit card to run the charge.

 

It wasn't until I was leaving that it dawned on me that the new charge was 1130.30 baht, not 1330 baht. They had entered a number 200 baht higher than the sold price, and were going to pocket that themselves...or split with the cashier who would have to be in on it too.

 

If you ever see the gas pump with just an amount, no liters delivered, then chances are, they are running this scam on you.

 

Be careful..

 

 

I don't get it. The pump says 1330 but the real price is 1130? Do they enter the 1330 manually? Why doesn't the amount on the pump automatically correspond to the amount purchased?

[jacko 8,814]

I don't get it. The pump says 1330 but the real price is 1130? Do they enter the 1330 manually? Why doesn't the amount on the pump automatically correspond to the amount purchased?

You might be more perceptive if you read the thread, nobody is 'sure' but how it might have been done has been discussed.

[MM 6,562]

You might be more perceptive if you read the thread, nobody is 'sure' but how it might have been done has been discussed.

Thanks. Saved me having to say that.