Ontario driver says gas pump meter kept running after he removed the nozzle. Is this a scam or just a system malfunction?

Sergey Aleksandrov was filling up his vehicle at a Petro Canada station north of Toronto when he noticed something unsettling after he stopped pumping gasoline into his vehicle — the meter was still running.

“As I was taking out the nozzle out of my car from the gas tank, the meter kept running,” Aleksandrov told CTV news (1), adding, “The numbers kept running with no gas being dispensed. I caught that on video.” Aleksandrov’s video clearly highlights both the litre and dollar amounts increasing even though he was no longer filling up his vehicle.

Aleksandrov was worried he was being scammed and was unable to get an explanation from the gas station as to what happened. But, after a couple of months of dealing with Petro Canada’s customer service, he was ultimately given a gift card and a refund for his purchase, CTV reported.

CTV reached out to Petro Canada for a response. Its parent company, Suncor, replied, stating that the issue was due to a malfunction in the pump Aleksandrov used.

“We worked to resolve the issue as soon as it was brought to our attention and the pump was taken out of service immediately for maintenance. We regularly inspect our on-site equipment, including pumps, to ensure everything is in working order.”

How common are gas pump malfunctions?

Aleksandrov’s experience raises important questions. How common are these malfunctions? Are they done intentionally so gas companies can make better margins? Experts don’t think so.

Dan McTeague, a gas expert and president of Canadians for Affordable Energy was skeptical any foul play was at work by Petro Canada, and told CTV News that pumps malfunctioning in that way is quite rare.

“If there is an error, it’s not to benefit the retailers. (The mistakes) more often than not hurt the retailer,” McTeague explained to the news outlet.

While pump malfunctions are indeed rare, they do happen. In fact, Petro Canada had another pump malfunction last year. A Reddit post on the subreddit r/Torontodriving shows a video similar to Aleksandrov’s — a meter running with no gas coming out of the nozzle (2). The user indicated the issue occurred at Markham, Ontario.

Like Aleksandrov, the Reddit user was refunded according to Now Toronto, and Petro Canada issued a statement that the pump was malfunctioning (3). “A technician was called to inspect and repair the pump that had malfunctioned, which is now operating normally,” Petro Canada relayed to Now Toronto in an email.

Multiple Reddit users commented on the post with similar stories of gas station pumps gone awry, but it is unclear how common the issue is across the country.

Sponsored

Smart investing starts here

Build your own investment portfolio with CIBC Investor’s Edge online and mobile trading platform. Enjoy low commissions on trades and special pricing for active traders, students and young investors.

Get started today

Common gas station scams to be wary of

Gas station pump malfunctions may be rare, but there are many other scams to watch out for (4). Some common types of gas station fraud you should watch out for include:

• Card skimming. Some card readers on gas station pumps are equipped with illegal card readers that steal your card information when you pay for your fuel.
• Pump switching. Seemingly kind individuals will offer to hang up your fuel nozzle or pump your fuel for you, but instead use your pump to fuel their own vehicle while you aren’t paying attention.
• Deliberate overcharging. Some gas companies may advertise a certain price but then charge you much more at the pump, trying to catch you off guard. In some cases, rogue staff may manually overcharge you instead.

What to do if you think you've been scammed

If you think you've been subject to a scam at a gas station, there are a few actions you can take. First, let the manager of the gas station know. They may be able to issue you a refund. If not, you can file a complaint with Measurement Canada explaining what happened. But make sure you have clear evidence ready to support your claim.

As a last resort, you might be able to dispute the charge through your credit card issuer as an unauthorized transaction.

What can you do if you're a victim of a card skimming scheme or a pump switch tactic?

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) recommends following a few key steps (5):

• Contact the police immediately so they can act quickly and begin creating a report. If you’ve been a victim of pump switching for example, you don’t need to contact your credit card issuer or financial institution.
• If you suspect your card has been skimmed at a gas station, place flags on your bank accounts and credit card, and contact both credit reporters (Equifax and TransUnion) so they can monitor your credit activity.
• Make sure to also report the incident to the CAFC through its online reporting page.

Scammers often prey on people doing routine tasks without thinking. But Alekandrov’s startling discovery with a malfunctioning gas pump shows that even the most mundane tasks demand vigilance — especially when finances are involved.

Article sources

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

CTV News (1); Reddit (2); Now Toronto (3); WCVB (4); Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (5);