We make credit card payments on a daily basis. Nowadays, hardly anyone uses cash. Remember how all shops asked people to pay with their cards during the pandemic to avoid contact? We become accustomed to using our phones or cards to make payments as a result. For gas, too?
Hold on, since it’s now an additional expense to swipe your card after filling up the tank! Many gas stations in Florida are charging extra for credit payments, gallon after gallon! Fuel is over a $1 more per gallon!
Is this, however, lawful? Yes, according to the fine language, and state laws permit it. This is what’s happening.
Numerous users have voiced their displeasure with this “trap,” including the story’s protagonist Igo, who discovered that his total increased significantly when he paid with a credit or debit card. Worse, some gas stations were attempting to conceal the fee!
Even worse, most states allow businesses to levy a premium to customers who pay with a credit card as long as they notify the customer in advance that they will be charged more.
Gas stations zealously enforce this restriction in order to exploit their patrons. Igo spends around $3,000 a month refilling his fleet of twelve trucks.
When he discovered that the price on the pump differed from the sale price, he went to fill up one of his trucks. Customers who paid with a credit card had to pay an additional $1 per gallon, according to a sign with very small characters.
Naturally, he approached the window to enquire with the manager about the error. The manager informed him that the gas station purposefully put the sign there, and worse, they are free to charge whatever extra they want! Cheers to the free market!
Paying with a card may result in a weekly increase of up to $780 for a car with a 15-gallon tank.
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The bill for business fleets can reach five-digit figures! Furthermore, this technique is not limited to a small number of stations. Therefore, it is true that we are giving gas stations money.
How to prevent paying too much?
Examine the digital screen and the stickers next to the card reader before reaching for the nozzle. You are subject to a fee if the price differs from the one shown on the outside sign.
Either find another station or switch to cash.
- There are now apps that allow you to filter for the most convenient rate and display both the “cash” and “card” rates. Driving a few more miles is worthwhile, even if the difference in gas prices is only a few cents.
- You must make an informed decision to prevent financial loss because certain pumps also provide gas rebates.
- Searching for stations that provide membership cards is an additional choice. The savings aren’t substantial, but they will be somewhat beneficial.
- Therefore, when you go to fill up, make sure you have cash on hand or pay close attention to the signs surrounding the pump because this practice verges on deceptive advertising and life is too costly to be giving away free money to businesses, isn’t it?
