ATTORNEY GENERAL’S
SCAM GRAM
A Consumer Protection Alert from Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2008
ATTORNEY GENERAL WARNS OREGONIANS
OF SCAMS RELATED TO HIGH GAS PRICES
Attorney General Hardy Myers today warned Oregonians of
the increase in scams connected to the rise in gasoline prices and
alerted them to three schemes being used to defraud customers.
“Twenty-first century con artists are using the Internet and
headline news to follow trends and monitor catastrophic events for
new opportunities to strike,” Myers explained. “As consumers are
looking for a way to cope with the record price of gas, criminals
are looking for a way to make a fast buck. We are asking all
Oregonians to make themselves aware of these potential scams to
protect themselves.”
• So-called “Gas Saving Products” are being marketed
and sold everywhere, door-to-door, over the Internet, on the
telephone, and even in multi-level plans. Our office has
investigated the claims of gas-saving devices for decades and not
one has been found to significantly improve gas mileage or reduce
emissions. In fact, some devices have actually damaged car
engines. Before purchasing any of these products including oil and
gas additives, smart consumers check out the claims by calling the
Attorney General’s consumer hotline (listed below) or visit the
Environmental Protection Agency’s testing website at
www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer.htm . For gas-saving tips that really
work visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website at
www.ftc.gov.
• Owners of Recreational Vehicles (RVs) are warned
about joining fly-by-night RV Gasoline Clubs. Scammers go door-
to-door in campsites or RV Parks selling “exclusive” memberships
in RV Gas Clubs. For several hundred dollars, buyers are promised
huge reductions in gas prices wherever their club cards are
accepted. Unfortunately, the phony club cards aren’t accepted by
anyone and it is almost impossible to track down the itinerant
sellers.
• Be Watchful of Signage in and around gasoline stations.
Oregon law makes it unlawful to mislead customers with confusing
signage about the price of gasoline. Make sure the prices seen on
the large signs from the street or highway match the signs on the
station and the pumps. By law the gasoline dealer must display the
lowest price for all grades of gas and diesel fuel sold to the public.
The dealer also must post the price for gas purchased with a credit
or debit card if different from using cash. New pumps display the
cash price and automatically change to the higher price charged for
using a card just before the fuel is pumped into the tank. Consumers
should double check the pump price as the fuel is being pumped.
Also, make sure the pumps are calibrated in the same measurement
used to offer prices. For example, ensure all information is given in
gallons, not a mix of gallon and liter measurements. If you don’t
understand the signs, ask what they mean and do not purchase gas
until you understand what the transaction is going to cost.
• If You Suspect a gasoline station is purposely confusing
consumers about what they are paying for gasoline or failing to
disclose added fees for credit card use, report them to the Attorney
General by calling the Attorney General’s consumer hotline at
(503) 378-4320 (Salem area only), (503) 229-5576 (Portland area
only) or toll-free at 1-877-877-9392. Complaints can be filed online
at www.doj.state.or.us by clicking on “file a consumer complaint.”
CONTACT: Jan Margosian, (503) 934-4414, jan.margosian@doj.state.or.us