BAY AREA, CA — A software glitch at local 7-Eleven gas stations stunned Bay Area customers, sending routine fuel charges soaring up to 100 times their actual cost, ABC7 News reported.
The company says about 200 customers were affected after a recent software update shifted the decimal points on pending transactions, dramatically inflating charges.
In one case, a $40 fill-up turned into a $4,000 charge, and the company said the incident was not an isolated one, according to ABC7 News. Rather, the company says about 200 customers have seen similar overcharges.
ABC7 News reported that Pinole customer Ngaire McLaren saw her $79 gas purchase balloon to $7,934. After fueling her vehicle, she went inside to buy a Powerball ticket. When her card was declined, she checked her bank account on her cellphone while still in the store.
“That’s when I got the shock of my life,” McLaren told ABC7 News.
A 7-Eleven in Pinole charged her 100 times the amount it should have. Ngaire told ABC7 News the clerks refused to help her. Even while she stood there at the counter arguing with a clerk, another customer complained that the store had also overcharged him.
After repeated complaints and days of follow-up, 7-Eleven refunded her $7,900 and added $500 for her trouble. McLaren said she is still facing account confusion and possible fees from the error."
Unfortunately, at this point, it's just a kind gesture because seven days later, I'm still trying to reconcile my account," she told ABC7 News. "Who got paid? Who didn't get paid? How many fees am I now having to pay out as well?"
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Pinole, CA Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.