New gas station scam to watch for

[Dan G]

I have never seen the need to drive on COZ....if I do, I hire a driver so my tequila intake isn’t effected.

I can vouch for this statement.

 

[WetInPortland]

There was a recent report from a station on the mainland where their pumps understate the volume by 30%.

Unfortunately there's more than one way to scam a gringo.

This is one of the hardest scams to detect, but if you go back to the previous article that's referenced in the post, I believe the author talks about how pumps are calibrated. If you as for that amount, it's reasonably certain to be correct, because they do random inspections.

 

[cozcharlie]

They tried to pull this on me last week in Cozumel. I caught them as they were messing with the keypad and had some stern words with them. The attendant was quite offended when I didn't tip him for some reason...

This is the one where they did it at so that others can avoid the station:

95 Avenida Sur Lote050 Lote 01, Fraccion Xiii, 77670 San Miguel de Cozumel, Q.R., Mexico

Looks like this is the newer station on the south side of the transversal. I. have been ripped off here also. Was wondering how they did it since it was definitely set to zero at start but total at end in pesos looked too high. Friend ripped off here also. They have a 1.4 star rating on google. You really have to work to get a rating that low

 

[lionfish-eater]

Cameron and I played a game called "spot the scam" when we gassed up his truck.
We tried to catagorize the scams into money/payment tricks vs. dispensing tricks.
The common money scams were claiming we gave them less cash than we did. They would palm some of the cash and say we owed them more. The other scam was running the charge card and then claiming it didn't go through and needing cash, only to find the charge on the bill later.
One time with a rental car we got no gas, as the gauge didn't move, and when we questioned the guy, he said he gave us the gas and already cleared the meter on the pump. He then started to shake the back of the car to "settle the gas and get the gauge to read properly." If the attendant shakes your car, you are being ripped off.

The common dispensing trick is to not zero out the pump from the previous sale. Usually a small amount from a moto. The amount is how much less gas you get for the amount you pay.

One time, we were part of someone else being scammed. We asked for 500 pesos and the guy showed us that the pump had 250 on it and said he was going to fill us to 750. He then took the receipt over to the other set of pumps and handed it to another attendant who gave it to a customer.

You can usually spot the scammers. They are overly excited to serve you. They wave you over to a specific set of pumps. They ask if you want to "fill" the tank.

The easy way to avoid all scams is to step out of your car, ask for a specific peso amount, make sure the pump is zeroed out, watch the attendant and pump while you control the small talk, pay with exact change and give a small tip.

Never had a problem at the station on 30 th. Most problems at the ones on the transversal and the one on Melger by the cruise ship terminal.

 

[gopbroek]

I also use the PEMEX station on 30th and Juarez or 95th and Transversal and as other have said I get out and purchase a fixed amount and never take my eyes off the pump. At about $4 USD a gallon for watered down gas it's as bad as traveling in California.

 

[ggunn]

At about $4 USD a gallon for watered down gas it's as bad as traveling in California.

How does one "water down" gasoline? Not with water, that's for sure.

 

[lionfish-eater]

At home here in the Midwest, they water down the gas with food.
Corn based ethanol to be specific.

 

[Sloeber]

Looks like this is the newer station on the south side of the transversal. I. have been ripped off here also. Was wondering how they did it since it was definitely set to zero at start but total at end in pesos looked too high. Friend ripped off here also. They have a 1.4 star rating on google. You really have to work to get a rating that low

It's the first gas station a tourist sees upon getting back into town when they make "the lap." They need to be watched AT ALL TIMES.

 

[ggunn]

It's the first gas station a tourist sees upon getting back into town when they make "the lap." They need to be watched AT ALL TIMES.

Going around the island counterclockwise is just wrong!

 

[lionfish-eater]

I always do an out and back using the transversal.
First and most importantly, we get to see the ocean view both ways.
Second, we avoid all the cruise ship traffic.
We can stop at the new Chedraui either coming or going and the same for the chicken shack.
No ocean view past Rastas going north on the west side.