What started as a routine stop to fix a flat tyre turned into an expensive nightmare for a Gurugram man, who says he fell victim to a clever scam at a petrol pump tyre shop. His story, now going viral on Instagram, serves as a warning to drivers about how some unscrupulous workers allegedly create fake punctures to inflate repair bills. The victim, Pranay Kapoor, is urging others to stay alert and double-check before agreeing to on-the-spot fixes.
Kapoor shared in his video, titled Got Scammed at a Petrol Pump Tyre Shop, that the incident began when his sedan’s dashboard warning light indicated a flat tyre. He drove to the nearest petrol station, where a staff member inspected the tyre and confirmed it was flat. The employee insisted it needed to be removed for a proper check.
Once the car was lifted using a jack, the worker sprayed soapy water on the tyre and brushed it across the surface in front of Kapoor. He then removed a visible screw lodged in the tyre, but claimed there were actually four separate punctures. Each, he said, required a mushroom patch costing Rs 300, bringing the total repair bill to Rs 1,200.
Sensing something was off, Kapoor skipped the repair and instead visited a trusted tyre shop. There, a qualified technician examined the tyre and revealed that only one puncture was real. The other supposed damages, he said, were likely made deliberately by the petrol pump worker using a thorn-like tool often employed by scammers to create fake holes while pretending to inspect the tyre.
In the end, the tyre had to be replaced entirely, setting Kapoor back by Rs 8,000. “Don’t make the expensive mistake I made. Share this video with your friends and family to warn them,” he said in his post, hoping his ordeal will help others avoid similar traps.
Kapoor shared in his video, titled Got Scammed at a Petrol Pump Tyre Shop, that the incident began when his sedan’s dashboard warning light indicated a flat tyre. He drove to the nearest petrol station, where a staff member inspected the tyre and confirmed it was flat. The employee insisted it needed to be removed for a proper check.
Once the car was lifted using a jack, the worker sprayed soapy water on the tyre and brushed it across the surface in front of Kapoor. He then removed a visible screw lodged in the tyre, but claimed there were actually four separate punctures. Each, he said, required a mushroom patch costing Rs 300, bringing the total repair bill to Rs 1,200.
Sensing something was off, Kapoor skipped the repair and instead visited a trusted tyre shop. There, a qualified technician examined the tyre and revealed that only one puncture was real. The other supposed damages, he said, were likely made deliberately by the petrol pump worker using a thorn-like tool often employed by scammers to create fake holes while pretending to inspect the tyre.
In the end, the tyre had to be replaced entirely, setting Kapoor back by Rs 8,000. “Don’t make the expensive mistake I made. Share this video with your friends and family to warn them,” he said in his post, hoping his ordeal will help others avoid similar traps.
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