Short Fill

Conmen at petrol pumps are widely reported and with advancement in technology, new techniques of conning are also propping up. The nexus has grown so much that even oil companies are now involved in the crime.

A recent claim unearthed by the Legal Metrology department is enough to send people into a shock. Officials of the department stated that many prominent oil companies are insisting on the usage of select dispensing machines, which could be operated with a remote control, enabling the pump owners to manipulate the price and quantity.

Metrology officials have registered cases against 10 petrol pumps owned by Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, Shell, etc, which insisted bunks to use dispensing pumps manufactured by Tatsuno India Private Ltd. The notorious bunks are located in Tarnaka, CM’s camp office, Punjagutta, Balkampet, Raj Bhavan Road, Habsiguda, Yousufguda, Banjara Hills, Tadbund and Raidurgam. The particular dispensing pumps manufactured by Tatsuno India Private Ltd helped oil companies alter price and measurement, using a remote-control system.

Apparently, those were not approved by the union government. Tatsuno India Private Ltd is a subsidiary of Tatsuno Corporation, Japan, a manufacturer of equipment and systems for the petroleum retail industry with an apparent “two-decade relationship with oil companies in India,” as they claim in their website. S Gopal Reddy, additional DGP and Controller, Legal Metrology, said that a special drive against dispensing pumps made by Tatsuno India Private Limited was held after the public passed on credible information over faulty supply of petrol. Customers were further directed to contact the department on 1860-425-3333 if they suspected faulty supply of petrol.

Apart from conning through remote controls, pump attendants have been swindling the public through numerous ways. Here are a few tricks employed by them:

• The first common trick that the petrol attendants use is to engage the unsuspecting customer in a small conversation before setting the meter to zero. For example, he might ask the customer on the mode of payment or ask for change to divert the customer from ensuring that meter does not start from zero.

• The other trick that the attendants use is to not reset the meter once the previous customer leaves. The employee starts filling the customer’s tank from the reading of the previous customer to ensure short supply. Again, distraction is the commonly used weapon and the only solution for this is for the customer to use presence of mind and report the case.

• The queue system is a common scene in most of our petrol pumps and people just lack the patience to wait. And as a result the attendant would have a field day in conning. The attendant might rush the customer into filling his tank. The customer might not glance at the meter because of this.

• Most of the times two guys try to cheat the customer -- one guy would have the fuel nozzle ready and the other guy would come from the opposite direction to keep the customer occupied in a talk for change, card or oil.

•The other trick is that the fuel might start flowing from zero but would stop halfway through whatever the customer had actually asked for. The customer then needs to check for such stoppages, as once the fuel starts flowing again, it should complete the customer’s requirement.