Gas stations accused of "bait and switch"
Gas is already expensive enough so if you see a savings on a sign, you'll likely pull right in. But some gas stations have been doing what Attorney General Andrew Cuomo calls the "bait and switch" when it comes to billing their customers. Our Kaitlyn Ross spoke with some holiday weekend travelers who thought they were getting a deal.ALBANY, N.Y. -- Nick Domanski of Albany didn't realize that the gas he was getting for his car was seven cents cheaper, only if he paid in cash.
"I didn't know that, or else I would've paid in cash," he said.
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It's called the bait and switch. Gas stations will advertise lower prices on an outside sign to get you to the pump, but the customer finds out when they get there, if they pay with a credit card, the price goes up. It's illegal in New York State to tack on a surcharge for using a credit card, but the stations can offer discounts for paying in cash.
Pamela Clemens of Long Island said, "I had no idea, and that sign isn't really, you can't see it when you're driving, and you're not going to come in and look for a sign."
Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has told three gas stations to stop doing this in Albany County -- the Citgo on 19th in Watervliet, the Exxon on Troy Schenectady Road in Latham, and the Mobil on Southern Boulevard in Albany. But still, he's warning travelers to keep their eyes peeled this holiday weekend.
Clemens said, "I am going home to Long Island and I'm about to fill up my tank."
But according to the Attorney General's Office, it will cost you 32 percent more to fill up your tank this Labor Day than it did last. Not as many customers have the cash on them to pay the discounted rates, but to some customers, that trip to the ATM is worth it.
Matthew Hobbie of Syracuse said, "Obviously the cheaper the better. I don't want to waste my money on anything else. When you're getting 38 miles a gallon in the little Civic, every seven cents makes a big difference."
Hobbie said he's seen the bait in switch before, which is why now, he always fills up with cash.
"Over time, it adds up," he said.