A new gas pump scam spreading across parts of the country could leave drivers unknowingly paying hundreds of dollars for fuel they never pumped.
The scam, known as the “Screw Method,” has already been reported in states including California, Maryland and Pennsylvania. While local law enforcement agencies say they have not seen confirmed cases in the Houston area yet, officials say they are monitoring the trend closely.
According to investigators, thieves use an ordinary carpenter’s screw to tamper with a gas pump and cause it to malfunction.
Here’s how the scam works:
A driver inserts their credit card, fills up their vehicle and returns the nozzle to the pump as normal. However, the pump allegedly does not properly shut off because it has been tampered with.
