Are you sure you got all the petrol you paid for the last time you refuelled your vehicle?
A technical glitch, called the “Pump Jump,” is costing consumers. It occurs when charges are left on a petrol pump and it starts collecting money before the user begins filling up their car. It’s not necessarily a scam. With gas prices constantly changing, customers are sometimes accidentally overcharged, Fox59 reported. Those orphaned charges, which can range from a few cents to a few dollars, end up on the bill of the next person to use that pump.
Most filling stations are checked yearly by state officials, but accidents can happen. The problem could be a faulty “check valve,” which is responsible for dealing out the correct amount of gasoline. Fox News reported that such valves often wear out, and it can be months before anyone notices.
Before pumping, always check to make sure the display reads zeroes all the way across. If there is a charge, go inside the station and request that the attendant have your pump reset before you fill up. After pumping gas, the attendant has no way of differentiating between what was a false charge and what you bought. If you feel that you have been overcharged, report the petrol station to your state’s Department of Weights and Measures.