New ‘pump-switching’ scam spreads across US as gas prices surge past $4 — even Toyotas stuck with $150 charges
NBC10 Philadelphia, Mahmoud Suhail/Shutterstock
As gas prices climb, so does a scam called “pump-switching” — and it can cost you hundreds of dollars before you even realize what happened.
When Mignon Adams stopped for gas at a Sunoco station on Walnut and 22nd streets in Philadelphia in February, she didn’t think twice about the stranger who offered to pump her gas.
She turned him down, but the man lingered. When Adams finished filling her tank, he insisted on putting the nozzle back for her. She tipped him and drove off.
Then she saw her credit card bill: $150.
“I drive a Toyota. There isn’t any way you could get $150 worth of gas in my car’s gas tank,” Adams told NBC10 (1).
Adams is one of a growing number of Americans falling victim to a scam known as “pump-switching” — and with the national average for a gallon of regular gas now past $4 for the first time since 2022, the cost of falling victim is only going up (2).
A scammer approaches you at the pump and offers to help with your gas. Whether you accept or not, the goal is the same: get control of the nozzle and avoid properly returning it when you’re done.
That leaves your credit card transaction active. The scammer then turns to the next driver who pulls in, offering to fill their tank for $20 cash. They pocket the money while your card absorbs the charges — and they won’t stop until either the pump shuts off or your card hits its limit.
Police in Lower Merion Township, outside Philadelphia, have warned that scammers can be aggressive and may physically grab the nozzle from victims who try to turn them away. Victims often don’t notice the extra charges until days or weeks later, by which point the scammer is long gone.
Lower Merion Police Det. Sgt. Michael Keenan told reporters that pump-switching is a crime that “happens everywhere” (3). And there’s evidence to back that up.
In California, Roseville police arrested a man accused of running the same nozzle-swap scheme on at least a dozen occasions in 2019. Two years later, an ARCO station in Sacramento County caught suspects on security camera swapping nozzles at the pump — those customers were eventually refunded (4).
The scam has been documented in various states for years, but law enforcement officials say it tends to spike whenever gas prices rise sharply. Police reports also indicate that scammers often target women more frequently with this scheme.
Some gas stations have started posting warning signs. The manager of the Sunoco station where Adams was scammed told NBC10 it’s been an ongoing problem for the past year. Other victims in the Philadelphia suburbs have reported charges as high as $165 according to 6abc Philadelphia reporting.
The timing isn’t a coincidence. Gas prices in the United States have jumped sharply since the start of military operations against Iran on Feb. 28, with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupting roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply (5).
As of early April, the national average for a gallon of regular gas hit $4.08, according to AAA — a 36% increase since the conflict began. In Pennsylvania specifically, prices have climbed from $3.12 to $4.07 in just over a month (6).
Higher prices mean every gallon a scammer pumps on your dime costs more. Adams’ $28 fill-up ballooned to $150. And for many families already stretched thin by rising costs at the grocery store and the gas station alike, an unexpected charge like that can sting.
“There may be some people that happens to that they may not be able to buy groceries that week,” Adams told NBC10.
Police and consumer protection experts recommend a few steps to avoid becoming a victim.
Make sure you’re the one returning the nozzle to the pump and closing out your transaction — either by hanging it up yourself or pressing the “end transaction” button on the keypad. Grab a receipt before you leave. Using a mobile payment option like Apple Pay or Google Pay can also add a layer of protection, since the transaction is tied to your device rather than an open card reader.
If someone aggressively offers to help you pump gas and won’t take no for an answer, don’t try to wrestle the nozzle away — instead, get back in your car, lock up and call 911.
If you think you’ve been hit, contact your bank or credit card company immediately. One Philadelphia-area victim who reported the overcharge to her card issuer was able to get the fraudulent portion reversed and only paid for the gas she actually pumped.
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