Italy Car Scam

Old Oct 19th, 2017, 07:22 PM
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Italy Car Scam

BEWARE! This is evidently a common rental car scam in Italy. First, all rental cars in Italy are marked with a neon yellow sticker on the gas cap cover telling you what gas to use. So, you're marked as a tourist as you drive around. Here's the scam: Man # 1 comes up behind you on bike or scooter & slashes your rear tire. Then he acts "helpful" & tells you the tire is flat. You pull over & he stays with you. Tries to tell you that it's not safe there, you can't park there, etc., & you have to go with him to a closeby "garage." DON'T do it. They take you to an isolated area & rob you at gun point. We refused & started trying to repair the tire with our inflation kit. Then Man # 2 comes along to be "helpful" & also tries to get you to go to the "garage." They're casing your car & belongings. Once they get a second, one will distract you & the other will steal what they can. In our case, they got my husband's passport. The police can't do anything. The rental agencies all know about this but don't warn anyone. Milan does have a US Consulate if you need another passport. They state that this is the # 2 scam against tourists right now in Italy. So be forewarned! & stay safe out there.
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Old Oct 19th, 2017, 09:58 PM
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Too bad it happened to you.
It happened to me in Belgium whilst I am Belgian.
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Old Oct 19th, 2017, 10:26 PM
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Thanks for this, also known in Portugal and Spain, plus a motorway version where a car points at your read tyre. I guess rental agencies do know about it but it has been around for a fair few years (at least 30 in my memory) so maybe they just think it is normal.
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Old Oct 20th, 2017, 01:09 AM
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I rent cars in Italy some 6-7 times a year and I have never had a car with yellow stickers. Ever.
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Old Oct 21st, 2017, 08:27 AM
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I guess the yellow stickers are with Enterprise rentals. & hey... don't anyone get scared & not travel. My intent was only to warn folks so we can all travel safer. We certainly won't stop traveling or renting cars. We'll just be smarter in the future.
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Old Oct 21st, 2017, 11:13 AM
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I've heard of this in Florida, as well. A similar one (also in Florida, but I've heard of it in Europe, too) was driving close to you and then accusing you of knocking off their mirror.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2017, 12:50 AM
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hi mojo, that some of us know about this thing does not mean you not are very kind to tell ALL of us about it. Every year a new flock of tourists arrive and these reminders are important.

Thanks again, and ttt to highlight the issue.

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Old Oct 22nd, 2017, 12:50 AM
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or even "are not"

hugs
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Old Oct 22nd, 2017, 03:55 AM
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This is not a scam.

In Europe (Italy included) diesel cars are quite prevalent - especially in France and also Italy. The sticker is quite obviously used to warn renters to use the correct pump. Americans are less used to diesel cars.

This gives me the opportunity to raise an issue I have experienced in the US. When returning a hire car I wated to return the tank full but have often found gas stations which do not allow you to fill the tank but only allow you the fill a certain amount of gallons or dollars. At a gas station at La Jolla I had to fill the tank 5 times before I got a near enough full tank.

How do you do it because the assistant at the cash desk was unable to help.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2017, 10:02 AM
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Hi nochblad,

As far as having limits, either in gallon or dollar amounts at US stations - the only time I haver seen this situation was many years ago when there was a gas shortage nationwide. This was a long time ago and was due to either war, or trade embargo or some such political situation at the time.

Maybe there was some short term situation in La Jolla at the time. I cant imagine what it would have been. Perhaps just at that station or station chain. When was this?

This is definitely not the norm anywhere in the US.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2017, 03:35 PM
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Dayle - you misunderstood my request.

At the pump I had to prepay for the amount of gas I wanted as there was no option to fill the tank and pay afterwards.

If one wants to fill the tank how does one do this in the US?
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Old Oct 23rd, 2017, 02:08 AM
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Noch:

Either use a credit card to fill your tank (pay at the pump) or if a cash transaction, give the cash attendant two twenty's and let that person refund the excess after filling the tank. I know, pain in the butt, trust is a fleeting thing these days. It used to be one twenty but the price of gasoline has risen. I remember the days when people would buy a dollar's worth of gas and drive all week, oh well!)

H
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Old Oct 23rd, 2017, 02:16 AM
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Nochblad,

Ah, I understand. Huggys answer is correct.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2017, 04:16 AM
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Thanks.

I still find this "solution" incredible. Unless the service station is "out of hours" when everything is automatic, in Italy everyone fills up and then pays.

I always thought that America was more honest than Italy.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2017, 04:36 AM
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Nochblad, the solution suggested by Huggy is only necessary at self-service stations in the US, but this is practically the only kind of station that exists any more. In Italy, self-service stations also require prepaying an exact amount or using a credit card to fill the tank. The difference is that in Italy, if there is a human being at the station, you would be able to get service. In the US, the human being sits at a desk, or stands at a cash register in a convenience store, and doesn't pump fuel.

I used to live in New Jersey, where totally self-service stations were not permitted. As a result, I always found myself in difficulty when I had to buy gas in another state. I had no idea how the self-service systems worked.

Also in Italy, I tend to avoid self-service pumps, as does my husband. I gladly pay more to avoid getting fuel on my hands or my clothing, and I'm happy to be contributing to the useful employment of the attendant. In most of the US, it's impossible to avoid self-service pumps.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2017, 05:02 AM
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bvlenci - I thought the US was a service economy but as far as gas it seems to be a self-service economy which in terms of filling the tank seems to be a retrograde step.

Is there an App which can tell you of a service station which actually provides service?
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Old Oct 23rd, 2017, 11:38 AM
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I believe that I am correct that only the states of New Jersey and Oregon require the owner (or their attendant/representative) to pump gas into your one's car. So it is illegal to pump one's own gas in those states.

In all other states, good luck in finding someone to provide that service for you.

However, the good news is that you can be served a latte or cappuccino in Oregon without leaving one's car. However, you must pay for it.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2017, 11:50 AM
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I have never heard of the US being referred to as a service economy, not sure what that means. If anything, I'd think some poor countries where labor is dirt cheap would be. We have self-service registers in a lot of grocery stores nowadays and those have been around quite a few years by now in many stores (I hate those, actually, as 9 out of 10 people are really really slow at using them), for example.

I don't get gas on my hands when using a pump and don't mind at all pumping my own gas, but a lot of menial jobs no one wants any more. I actually would rather they have real people at grocery stores than gas stations, and I think grocery store clerk is more of a desirable job. Let's face it, most people would rather have cheaper gas than pay more to employ gas jockeys. At least they used to check oil and clean windshields, also. They started disappearing when gas started getting more expensive and people were more sensitive to its cost.

There are hardly any service stations that provide real service anywhere, so I wouldn't look for them unless you really need them. I think New Jersey and Oregon are the only states with regulations that forbid it. NJ passed that law due to their usual strongharm businesses and politicians who can be bought, the gas station lobby pushed it through to increase their own revenues.

If you need service because of a disability or something, go to a station with a service bay as more people will be working there. Some stations have signs that say you should honk if you need service. I think in my state, the station has to have an employee pump your gas if you request it and are disabled, of course, without charging. Some pumps also have buttons with a disabled icon on it that you can push if you need help. If you just don't feel like pumping your own, I wouldn't try that.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2017, 12:03 PM
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The US is considered a service economy, which essentially means that not much is manufactured there any more. However, the kinds of service that predominate are the more lucrative services. Anything that can be automated has already been automated.
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Old Oct 24th, 2017, 12:38 AM
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At many stations in Italy there is a choice of service (with a higher pump price) or self-service. When there is no staff many stations a fully automatic and you pay either with cash or by card.

Obviously paying by cash you get exactly what you put in the machine but if you pay by card you can fill the whole tank and your card is only charged the exact amount. Is this how it works in the States?
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