Editor: David Tanny
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Alert: Gasoline Coupon Scam (June 5, 2004)As many radio stations are reporting, there are some scums of the earth running a scam designed to drain your bank account.SAN DIEGO GASOLINE SCAM ALERT!... "U-Talk Unlimited" taking advantage of high gas prices to steal money from unwitting consumers. Lying about their association with UCAN, the Utility Consumers' Action Network, California Energy Commission. A company with a long history of deceptive practices has apparently launched a sophisticated telemarketing scam targeting San Diego's gas-gouged consumer. The company is offering $200 in gas vouchers for "free," along with calling cards. Sometimes, their marketers are claiming to be associated with UCAN, the non-profit Utility Consumers' Action Network. It is a scam! The catch is that you must provide your bank account and routing number so the company can debit a $3.95 for shipping charges on the gas vouchers. Your bank account is then debited for hundreds of dollars in unauthorized charges. Read the rest here!... also note that you are NOT to give anyone your bank routing number over the phone or the Internet. Nigerian scam artists are also draining your bank accounts as soon as they get your numbers. Bank routing numbers let companies withdraw money from your accounts without your permission. Don't play that game! What to do if you have already given your information: 1) Go to your bank and talk to a manager. Tell them your account may be compromised. 2) If money has been taken, stop payment and start a fraud investigation. 3) Contact UCAN and we will pass the information to investigators. Contact UCAN here Anyone with questions about this or similar scams is urged to call the California Department of Consumer Affairs' Consumer Hotline at 1-800-952-5210, the local office of the Better Business Bureau (check your phone book for listing), or in the case of the phony gasoline rebates, the California Energy Commission. Gasoline in San Diego (June 5, 2004)Roger Hedgecock has been plugging http://www.fueltracker.com on his KOGO radio show. He pointed out on his show about an El Cajon gas dealer (Texaco, that takes credit cards) charing 25 cents per gallon more than another gas station just across the street (which probably doesn't take credit cards). Why gasoline buyers keep on supporting these overpriced pumps is beyond me. Can't they just carry some $20s and $50s to fill up at a cheap gas station?The Gas Depot at 2nd and Madison, and Super at First and East Main are tied with what used to be called the 76 (it's now called Express Gas) at Lake Murray and San Carlos, priced at $2.19 according to Fuel Tracker. Check Here for the 50 Cheapest Stations for more. If you just start using cash instead of credit, you can save money, and some like Express Gas are charging five cents more a gallon for the privilege of using a credit card. Nobody takes checks. There are some horror gas stations, ones that are priced so high you wonder what kind of idiot would pay that much for gas. The 76 and Shell gas stations, both on Clairemont and Denver, are priced $2.73 per gallon! Yikes! Now if you start at Clairemont Mesa and Convoy in Kearny Mesa heading west, you'll see that the 7/11 Citgo gas is priced at $2.31 a gallon. Head west just one full block on Clairemont Mesa to Ruffner where the Carl's Jr. is and you'll see the 76 gas station priced at a whopping $2.94 a gallon, the most expensive station in the county that I'm aware of. I drive by and see some of those idiots who are at the 76 paying $3.14 a gallon at most for their premium fuel. This 76 on Ruffner has been charging gas over 50 cents a gallon above Citgo's gas for over a year and I don't know what the hell the gas station are trying to prove. Are there people who just can't read gas price signs? Is the 76 taking advantage of those who can't read and gouging them for extra profit? Check fueltracker.com and save some money, enough to buy a Super Size Meal, er, wait, they don't make those anymore. |