Underfilled my prepaid amount at petrol pump and never got refund.

mayoman1973 · 08-02-2025 08:44PM #1

I have a local garage that has been doing prepay for few years. Always filled what ever amount I preselected. Until 2mths ago, I prepaid for 60 but car only took 40. Cashier guy says no problem, the £20 will be refunded. Month later no refund. Went into them with receipt in hand last week. Was told we'll get this sorted. Still no refund and now I can't find the receipt. Now I pissed. Mentioned in passing to another person and they tell me they had same story, no refund when under filled. Me thinks this is a nice little earner on the QT for the company. They have a chain of them and I have been told there is funny stuff going on. Think Im not going to see my £20. So been reading up on what constitutes fraud in law. Its knowingly in person or via any other means to achieve a financial gain at another partys loss. The knowingly bit being the key word. Consumer rights tells me now that the garage is aware and dont fix the issue then next it will be borderline fraud as they now know their system does not refund automatically. So now I'm going to go in again and underfill what I prepay for. I expect to be told the same story and have them go on record to say the system will refund me ( When they know it wont ) Give it a month and Next stop will be police station with a complaint that I have been victim of a suspected fraud. Anyone else have a similar experience?

Fann Linn · 08-02-2025 08:48PM

Or maybe just write it off and move to a 'proper' garage that have actual people working in them with cash registers etc?

Buddy Bubs · 08-02-2025 08:55PM

Leave the guards alone, they have a tough job and they'll rightly have no interest in following up for your 20 quid. I'd actually tell you to get lost. What a waste of resources have you any idea of the cost involved in that?

Email away all you like though. There's no way it's a deliberate ploy to make extra profit, not a hope. It's an error.

Fighting Tao · 08-02-2025 09:00PM

Do a chargeback through your bank.

scooby77 · 08-02-2025 09:02PM

Heard of this happening in past so when at a prepay pump (I use regularly, tends to be cheaper) I choose say €60, though I know tank might take €70.

Unfortunately in your case at this stage I'd just write off/ chalk up to experience.

cml387 · 08-02-2025 09:08PM

Why would you regularly pre pay for 60 and get 40? Having used these pumps for years I'd always be conservative in what I fill.

Sadb · 08-02-2025 09:14PM

Maybe I’m just cheap, but there is no way I would write off €20.

Your bank statement is still proof of purchase, it doesn’t matter if you lost your paper receipt.

I would go in there and speak to a manager and I would not leave until that refund was sent back onto my card. Was your card even tapped for a refund?

goochy · 08-02-2025 09:48PM

Can you not fill up by 20e and tell them not to charge u ?

elperello · 08-02-2025 10:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058395091/underfilled-my-prepaid-amount-at-petrol-pump-and-never-got-refund

I have used these pumps and used the card to approve payment up to a limit say €60 as an example.

If I fill to €60 the pump cuts out and €60 is deducted from the card.

If the vehicle only takes €40 that is the amount deducted from the card.

Is the system different at the garage you use ?

AGS will probably deem this a civil matter and are unlikely to get involved.

Your best bet is to escalate your complaint to management level in the company.

If that doesn't work and you are determined then the Small Claims Court may be useful but bear in mind the fee there is €25.

CMOTDibbler · 08-02-2025 11:23PM

Just go back into them and tell them you were in last week, still no refund. Get a bit stroppy if you think it will help. Don't leave without the refund.

08-02-2025 11:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058395091/underfilled-my-prepaid-amount-at-petrol-pump-and-never-got-refund

Are you sure it actually took €60 from your bank account?

I know when I go to CircleK / Maxol and pay-at-pump with card, I select €100 on the screen, which is then "approved". I fill the car, but usually it's only around €60 to fill it. My card only gets charged €60 for what I used, not the approved amount.

PixelCrafter · 09-02-2025 12:02AM

Not sure what happens NI or the UK, but normally the pump will put a hold on the card fit the amount selected then only charge the amount delivered. There usually isn’t any refund involved — the amount posted will only be the amount delivered.

09-02-2025 12:05AM

small claims court - 25 euro, you'll be down a fiver. Chalk it up to experience.

Not worth the hassle or stress or getting worked up over.

BlakeS94 · 09-02-2025 12:05AM

Happened to me before I prepaid 80 but filled to 65, took 80 off me twice so 160, got refund about a week later

Kaisr Sose · 09-02-2025 12:10AM

Report to NSAI. Over Charging for items sold by weight or volume is not ok. If they are aware of the issue, then its negligent not to implement a solution and refund all affected by it

Agree with other posters experience of prepay fuel pumps.

beachhead · 09-02-2025 07:42AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123149984#Comment_123149984

Same as ROI.The card has a "hold" until you complete the transaction.You select the monetary amount(always more than you expect to fill up).The pumps stops when tank is full and you get charged that exact amount.Hang up the pump and then you select a receipt or not.

User567363 · 09-02-2025 08:40AM

I know a guy who filled a drum for a digger and got breakfast rolls and forgot to pay for the petrol, 2 weeks later a squad car turned up at his house, and it was under e16

MakersMark · 09-02-2025 09:27AM

Charge back on the card for full amount

Bogey Lowenstein · 09-02-2025 10:03AM

Is Go the filling station OP? I was filling a can once and was left with a few euro over and I had paid in cash. When I hung up the pump a slip was printed out automatically that I could scan next time for the few euro. A bit like a credit note.

ebbsy · 09-02-2025 10:13AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123150350#Comment_123150350

That is a disgrace.

I once forgot to pay for €50 diesel in Portlaoise, got a call from the guards, was given the garages number so I paid over the phone. That was it.

With regard to the OP's issue I would start using a different garage. Any garage I use gives a refund straight away.

I would also send a sneaky email to whatever authorities are relevant, and CC the garage.

Always works.

Hobby farmer · 09-02-2025 10:15AM

I've never used a pre paid pump so maybe I'm missing something? You knew what you had prepaid I take it, why did you put in €20 less then?

I think it's a stretch to say "Me thinks this is a nice little earner on the QT for the company." you made the mistake no?

csirl · 09-02-2025 10:41AM

Is this something for the CCPC (consumer protection)? A retailer has changed the normal software commonly used by pumps in order to take money the are not due. As mentioned by a few posters, the majority of garages will only take the money for the amount actually dispensed.

extra-ordinary_ · 09-02-2025 10:42AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123150467#Comment_123150467

"I've never used a pre paid pump so maybe I'm missing something?"

Yes

User1998 · 09-02-2025 10:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123150465#Comment_123150465

How is it a disgrace? They were hardly raiding his house. Probably just letting him know he needs to pay it. The same way they let you know over the phone.

ebbsy · 09-02-2025 11:21AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123150511#Comment_123150511

Well at least they didn't use water cannons.

Because they don't have any.

SteM · 09-02-2025 11:31AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123150467#Comment_123150467

Because the tank could only take €40 worth of fuel I guess?

mayoman1973 · 09-02-2025 12:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123149463#Comment_123149463

Two guards came round to my house few years back after I mistakenly left a petrol station without paying for my fuel. Was trying to get 3 kids sorted in shop, and ended up distracted to point where I forgot about the fuel. Dont remember them pointing out it was only for few quid so we'll be on our way. So the idea that because something is ONLY £20 doesnt matter a rats arse to me. I have been stiffed out of £20 and I want my money.

elperello · 09-02-2025 12:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123150511#Comment_123150511

Good work by AGS.

They follow up on these things because its a way of gathering intelligence.

Someone who drives away without paying could be up to some other activities.

Calling to the house gives them an opportunity to scope out the place.

rojito · 09-02-2025 12:47PM

These automated fuel dispensers are common place in the US but less so in the rest of the world. The card networks (Visa/MasterCard) have mandated a specific sequence of messaging between the terminal and the cardholders bank to handle situations like this.

I don't think the fault is with the garage or the pump as they'd have to jump through multiple hoops just to get the device certified and operational. More likely it is your bank that haven't made the changes required on their side, as frankly the volume of these type of transactions is so low in this country that they probably haven't noticed.

My advice, wait until after Monday to cover for any delayed settlement process that didn't run over the weekend. Then raise a charge back to your bank. They'll 100% be liable here, and will probably just give you back the unused portion. If they give you back the full transaction amount please share your banks name here for people to take advantage before they plug the gap!

CMOTDibbler · 09-02-2025 01:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123150772#Comment_123150772

They're quite common on the continent - have used them in France, Spain and Portugal. Certa here have them in all their filling stations too. Certainly I've a local one that's been in place for at least six or seven years.

rojito · 09-02-2025 01:55PM

Ok. But they're not common here.

Underfilled my prepaid amount at petrol pump and never got refund.

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