Scammers Buy Gas Station with Bad Check, Sell Gas at Super-Low Price
Investigators in Minnesota say they are looking for the people behind a "bizarre" scam that involved purchasing a gas station from its owner using a bad check, and then selling all the gas at cut-rate prices.
The scam took place last Saturday at a SuperAmerica in Waconia.
The owner told a local ABC affiliate that he had sold his station to the buyers for an unspecified sum, and then left it in their hands to do with as they pleased.
And so they did: The scammers announced a half-off sale on everything inside the gas station store, and reduced the price for a gallon of gas to $3.85.
Needless to say, cars quickly lined up around the block.
Consumerist cites GasBuddy as reporting that a gallon of gas in Waconia costs on average about $4.29.
After taking in almost $50,000, the thieves took off, leaving behind a single bounced check.
Investigators say that, in addition to stealing cash, the scammers also broke the law by setting their gas prices too low.
The SuperAmerica's owner has since reopened the station, and hopes to recoup some of the losses by giving his customers a temporary 5-cent discount on a gallon of gas.
