Gas prices are relatively low in the United States these days. But, one Florida couple got an unwelcome surprise after their card was declined at a Valero gas station, last month.
Susan Gower and her husband checked their credit card account and saw a charge of $9,949.36 from the Valero gas station where they had apparently filled up their car with more than 27,000 gallons of gas.
Obviously, this was a mistake. Even a gas guzzling SUV can’t hold 27,000 gallons.
The Gowers assumed that correcting the error would be a fairly simple process. Their bank told them to contact the Valero station and that they would assuredly rectify the situation
Not so fast.
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When they confronted the station manager about the error, he refused to admit that the charge was a mistake and told the Gower’s that their money couldn’t be refunded. "It stemmed from the glitch in his gas pump," Gower said. "He just wouldn't ever own up to the fact he was wrong."
When the Gowers attempted to contact the Valero station’s owner he allegedly hung up on Mrs. Gower.
Two weeks later, after renting two cars in order to complete their daily commute, Valero's corporate customer service got involved and the Gower's account was credited back the money it was charged.
In the end, it wasn’t so much the inconvenience of not being able to purchase gas that frustrated the Gowers, but the gas station's refusal to admit that they had made a costly error.
“I'm a teacher and 10-year-olds know they need to own up to their mistakes and try to make it right and apologize," Gower said. "That's what makes me mad."
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