When you put gas into your car, you expect that the number of gallons you put in your car corresponds with the number of gallons displayed on the pump. One disgruntled customer is claiming that a gas station they bought gas from shorted them in a viral post.
TikTok creators Eric and Melissa (@finallymrs_lipford), posted the photo on July 17. Set to Bishop Bullwinkle’s “Hell to Da Na Na Naw,” the photo post shows a gallon jug about 60 percent full of what appears to be gasoline.
Does this gas transaction ‘add up’?
The caption above that photo reads, “A gallon of gas is $3.26. I bought $4.15 worth. This is what I got.” The caption reads, “Something don’t add up here.”
Then, to underscore that, the superimposed, all-caps on-screen caption above the photo reads, “SOMETHING ISN’T ADDING UP!!!” The post, which posted on TikTok on July 17, has racked up more than 971,000 views.
The post didn’t identify a specific vendor or where the gas station is located. It also didn’t show the gas being poured into the container with a gas pump meter running, which would make for a more convincing case. Obviously, this wouldn’t be the first time a conspiracy started on TikTok.
How are gas pumps regulated?
It’s typically up to individual states to determine how gas pumps are regulated. According to this ABC article, Alabama sends licensed technicians to inspect pumps once per year to ensure consumers are getting the correct amount of gas.
A field inspector told ABC, “I have found a few legit complaints where I pumped five gallons and it didn’t even fill up half my container. For the most part they are pretty accurate.”
Viewers weigh in
Some commenters are suspicious about pumps they’ve encountered in the past.
“I question all the time how accurate those pump gauges are,” one remarked. “The numbers start rolling out even before the gas is coming out.”
Another user said, “I notice different gas stations fill my truck at different prices,” before asserting, “They definitely scalping.”
The Daily Dot reached out to the creator via TikTok direct message.
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