Are you being scammed at the gas pump?

Morning!

A week ago, I wrote the rather interesting post Make money with high gas prices – 109+ Resources and Ideas – it described dozens and dozens of ways you could use the high price of gasoline to your benefit in your online money making endeavors. 

Today, I’d like to discuss another aspect of High Gas prices – that of (drumroll please!)

GAS SCAMS and VIOLATIONS!

Ever wonder if you’re getting that for which you think you are paying?

Hmmmmm?

Police in NJ certainly have considered this idea, and fined over 1,000 gas stations regarding this!!

According to the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs:

….NEWARK :Weights and Measures inspectors checking gas stations in all 21 New Jersey counties have found more than 300 alleged violations, including pricing discrepancies, inaccurate octane ratings, and inaccurate or out-of-tolerance equipment, Attorney General Anne Milgram and Consumer Affairs Director David Szuchman announced.

More than 1,000 gas stations were inspected at the end of May through a coordinated effort involving county and state Weights and Measures personnel.

Consumers deserve to get what they pay for, especially when they are paying record-setting prices for gasoline, Attorney General Anne Milgram said.

 

We cannot control the price of gasoline but we can, and we are, upholding our laws and regulations regarding the sale of motor fuels.

The 350 violations found at the 1,023 stations inspected include the following:

• Meters out of tolerance (more than 6 cubic inches)            62 violations
• Station registration not available            47 violations
• Per-gallon prices different on each side of the pump            46 violations
• Fuel grade not posted (octane rating label)            37 violations
• Price-per-gallon on dispenser non-compliant            36 violations
• Service station fuel brand not posted            30 violations
• Inaccurate octane rating            26 violations
• Inaccurate total sale price calculation            19 violations
• Per-gallon prices not posted on pump            15 violations
• Multiple price changes in a 24-hour period            14 violations
• Documents not available            14 violations
• 5-gallon test measure requirements (no device)              2 violations
• Credit card receipts missing information              2 violations
  
• MORE…..

As you can imagine, news about this is flying about the state in an exponential fashion:

• 350 gas stations ticketed by the State of NJ
• Gas stations ripping off the public
• Getting Ripped Off for New Jersey Gasoline: Inaccurately Calibrated Pumps
• List of New Jersey Gas Stations in Violation, Part 2
• New Jersey Gas Stations In Violation
• New Jersey Gas Stations Defrauding Customers Busted by Attorney General
• N.J. looks for gas-station rip-offs

Of course, the service stations responded:

• NJ gas stations refute allegations of overcharging
• NJ gas station owners dispute fraud accusations
• Accused gas station owners say the citations are unfair
• N.J. Gas Station Owners Say Fraud Charges Unfounded
• New Jersey Gas Stations Respond to Accusations of Corrupt Behavior

It makes you wonder….just how many other states are performing these exams and searches?

And….

Is your state doing this?

And….

Would your readers be interested if it was?

And….

How can you profit from this?

Excellent questions indeed!  And here are some answers.

Step 1 – Understand just how the retail gas prices are set. 

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has for your perusal pleasure Understanding the Factors that Influence the Retail Price of Gasoline – it’s a fascinating read.  You can also check out:

• A Primer on Gasoline Prices
• Crude reality: So how do gasoline prices get set?
• How Gas Prices Work

Next,

Step 2 – Look for your own state’s Department of Consumer Affairs

Go to Google and search for

•  Department of Consumer Affairs  STATE site:us

ie,

• Department of Consumer Affairs  TX site:us
• Department of Consumer Affairs  MI site:us

The site Consumer World also has some excellent listings over at Consumer Agencies as well.

Once you find the right site, you can search for "gas prices" or "gas violations" etc. to see what the current news is.

Once you’ve done that, move to:

Step 3 – Whatever the current news is, incorporate it into a blog post that focuses on saving money.

Remember all the resources I gave earlier about making money with high gas prices?   Review that list and choose how you want to approach it.  Whatever you end up deciding will be the destination link for the blog post you’re about to write.

And speaking about that….I’d simply write about ways to avoid gas price scams (much like I’ve done in this article), and close with a teaster like

Want to save gas money via gas cards?  Check out…..

The ‘check out ‘ post would be your destination link (or affiliate link or what have you).

See?

Everyone always wants to know how NOT to be scammed in this day and age!  Take advantage of that by providing quality information as well as an impulse-buy gas-related followup.  You just never know who will be moved to invest. 

Oh, and speaking about saving gas money, have you considered:

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Enjoy,

Barbara Ling

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