Louisiana’s Gas Scam Rumor Sparks Concern But It’s A Hoax

(KMDL-FM) With the price of gasoline across Louisiana as high as it is, it would be really easy to believe a gas station scam with "screw" in the title. It certainly seems as if consumers are having the screws tightened on them when they go to pay. But this scam, called online by the moniker, the Screw Method, might not be as ominous as the name might make you think.

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The concept of "the screw method" gas station scam is this. The bad guys insert a screw into the gas pump's nozzle cradle. That's where you place the pump after you're done pumping gas. This "screw" prevents the pump from getting a shut-off command from the nozzle.

How Does "The Screw Method" Gas Station Scam Work?

This means that even though you're done pumping your gas and driving away, your credit card is still active on the gas pump. That means the next guy in line, presumably the bad guy, will fill up on your credit card. And when you consider the cost of a fillup will run you anywhere from $50 to $80 for most cars, it's a pretty significant theft. Except for one thing.

READ MORE: The Best Day of the Week to Fill Up Your Car

The scam isn't real. So far, there have been no official reports of the scam actually being implemented. There is speculation that the scam may have started in a social media video from the Maryland Sheriff's Department, but it turns out that the video was about a maintenance issue.

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Here's the Real Truth About "The Screw Method" Gas Station Scam

Mythbusting website Snopes has classified the "scam" as a hoax. Which I guess is good news, right? Another nail in the coffin of this fake scam is the fact that gas pumps are engineered with automatic shutoffs, so even if the scam was "real," it wouldn't work.

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But don't worry, there are still plenty of scams going around. If you'd like to receive one via your telephone, just answer a call from one of these area codes.