An old con - but it still works!

[david36]

Be warned if in South East or South West Spain. An old con has revived itself - and caught me last week. When filling up with diesel at marina fuel pumps it is often difficult to see the pump itself and in particular the numbers on it.The con is that the previous delivery of fuel is not deleted from the pump and the figures returned to zero before pumping your supply. You then end up paying for your fuel plus what was already on the dial. All payments are in cash of course. It seems to happen when there is a line of people wanting fuel and there is pressure to not cause a holdup. I was filling a 150litre tank which was already about one third full. I was told I had taken on board 160litres!!! Protests produced an invitation to prove it to the friendly local police force. Since being caught I have heard similar stories from others on the southern Spanish coast , too many to simply be "errors", althought it may also apply elsewhere in this wicked world. Personally I now insist on seeing the pump at zero before anything starts and to h***l with those complaining about any extra delay.

Fair winds to all.

 

[jerryat]

Yeh, this is an old problem and used to occur a lot in Spain a few years ago. We knew a couple of boats that were ripped off while we were down there. Our procedure was always a two-handed one - SWMBO would walk up to the cabin/office/pump ostensively to check how much would go in, but actually to note down any decrepancy on the dial.

Smiling at the attendant, she'd make a note of it before I started filling the tank/cans. We never had any trouble. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[steve_cronin]

Ah He gringo he have plenty money...

..if he good socialist euro-man he will want share with us his wealth.

Is that TOO cynical or just realistic?

Steve Cronin