Mark's points and advice are well stated. It's easy to be distracted,
especially at the busier places where the activity can be frantic and the noise
can be deafening. Now add to that the little urchins selling Chiclets and
wiping your windshield with an oily rag. I was scammed at a PEMEX in
Chihuahua, Chihuahua when I failed to certify that the pump was zeroed before
unlocking my gas cap to allow them to begin fueling. When the total was
announced, I complained and pointed out that they had "delivered" about double
my maximum capacity but it fell on deaf ears. It's a great scam and when it
happens, you've been had.
As for paying the bill, you are certainly vulnerable when you hand over a large
bill -- especially when the attendant heads for the office to make change. I
think it's better to have close to the exact change available. Plan ahead.
===Carl Kunath
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----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Minton
To: Texascavers@texascavers.com
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 9:04 AM
Subject: [Texascavers] Re: Have you been short changed at a Pemex?
Preston said:
>I have been ripped off a time or two at Pemex.
A common way they used to get people at Pemex was to not
zero the pump when they start filling your tank. That way you end up
paying for what was already dispensed to the guy before you as well
as your own fuel. That is less a problem now because modern pumps
automatically zero out when they are activated for a new sale, but I
still always check. Another scam when you pay is to claim you gave
them a smaller bill than you did and thus give you less change, for
instance giving you change for a 200 when you gave them a 500. Once
the bill you gave them disappears into their pocket it is difficult
to prove what you gave them. I usually point out the denomination
when I hand it to the clerk and seek acknowledgment. I often use big
bills at Pemex because it is one of the places that can always make
change, unlike tiendas in small towns. Of course you always want to
count your change, because they will sometimes give you less than
you're owed hoping you won't bother to count it. That happens at
toll booths too, where people are in a hurry and roar off before
counting their change.
It is interesting that the guy from the RV forum mentioned
paying for gas with a credit or debit card. He was on Highway 15 in
western Mexico and they may take those cards there, but I almost
never see gas stations in central or eastern Mexico that do. I wish
they did, because that would decrease the amount of cash we need to carry.
Mark Minton
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>I have been ripped off a time or two at Pemex.
> "In my 9 years of coming to Mexico for the winter,I've always been
> careful to watch what the attendant does,but today he got me just
> when I was distracted for a second.
>.... it was for
>at least $26.00 more than it should be.I deal with liters at home so
>I know almost exactly what it takes,and knew this was wrong, but he
>didn't back down.He was charging me for 83 liters and the truck only
>holds 100 and it was just below half when I came in.
>>
>Hope this helps someone. This type of problem in Mexico is not as
>common as it once was, but it still pays to be alert at the gas station.
>
>Preston in Outer Browder, KY
