I had a weird experience and wanted to ask what you all think. I was at the gas station pumping gas, and this random guy came up to me and said, “Hey man, you want some free gas? I’ll put it on my card, and I’ll even give you a little extra.” He honestly looked sketchy, so I said no right away. After that, I noticed him walking up to other people and asking them the same thing. When they said no, he just hung around waiting for someone else to show up. After a while, he left. Does anyone know what kind of scam this might be? It just felt off to me.
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It’s probably a stolen credit card. He’s just trying to turn it into cash.
Charlotte said:
It’s probably a stolen credit card. He’s just trying to turn it into cash.
Exactly. Once you pump the gas, he’ll ask for $10 or $20 in cash. Most people would feel obligated since they’re getting free gas.
@TopCop
Or he might say, “I’ve got CashApp if you don’t carry cash.” These guys always find a way.
Charlotte said:
It’s probably a stolen credit card. He’s just trying to turn it into cash.
Good point. I didn’t even let him get that far—I just said no right away. Who knows what he would’ve tried next.
@Samuel_3
Smart move shutting it down early. Crackheads offering free gas aren’t exactly doing it out of kindness. Glad you trusted your gut.
Charlotte said:
It’s probably a stolen credit card. He’s just trying to turn it into cash.
Makes sense. I didn’t think about that, but now it seems obvious. Thanks for explaining!
Charlotte said:
It’s probably a stolen credit card. He’s just trying to turn it into cash.
Yep, nailed it.
It’s likely he would’ve asked for cash after you pumped the gas, and then your info could’ve been linked to the stolen card.
The “extra gas” part is to make it seem like a good deal. You pay him cash for most of it, but the card is stolen, so your car and plate could get flagged later.
This reminds me of how people return stolen stuff to Walmart to get gift cards. Then they go to the gas station and offer $25 worth of gas for $20 cash. Same idea—turn stolen goods into quick money.
Nathan said:
This reminds me of how people return stolen stuff to Walmart to get gift cards. Then they go to the gas station and offer $25 worth of gas for $20 cash. Same idea—turn stolen goods into quick money.
Wow, that’s a lot of work for not much return. Scammers really think this stuff through, huh?
@LilyClark4
It’s not about the percentage. For them, it’s about turning stolen stuff into cash quickly. It’s more about survival than smart investments.
I’ve offered free gas before, but only because I had some about to expire on a rewards card. Not everyone trusts strangers, though, and I get it.
There’s no such thing as free gas… always a catch.
Declan said:
There’s no such thing as free gas… always a catch.
True, but sometimes people are genuinely kind. Still, it’s good to stay cautious in situations like this.
Happened to my work’s credit card once. Someone managed to pump over 100 gallons before it got shut down.
Guy probably wanted cash but only had a card. You can’t buy crack with a credit card.
It’s almost always gas stations where stolen cards get tested first. Our work cards are blocked for gas, so we catch it fast, but personal cards don’t have that protection.