Local Women Wins Gas For a Year

We have all gotten the e-mails and phone calls from Saudi Arabian princes or Nigerian businessmen asking us to send money to them so they could, in turn, send millions back to us.

Berlin resident Sheila Riley got a few phone calls that sounded just like those above.

"I got an e-mail that said I had won free gas for a year and I thought it was a scam," Riley said. "It was from Irving Gas Station. I have a rewards card for Irving because it right around the corner from my house. But to get the rewards points you have to go in to pay, so I never go in to get the rewards points."

"I got another phone call and they said I had a chance to be one of the winners from Connecticut," Riley said. "It was a Friday and I teach so I wasn't taking a Friday off for the 'chance' to win."

Finally another phone call told her she was the winner but had to call a 1-800 number within 24 hours to pick up the prize.

"I called and I asked them what the catch was," Riley said. "They told me there was no catch but they just needed to verify my address. They kept telling me there was no catch and they weren't a Saudi American prince."

She then got a stop from the Fed Ex man and inside the package were four $500 gas cards and one $100 gas card all totaled worth $2,100.

Sheila Riley of Berlin and Jim Hayssen of Bondville, Vt., have won free gas for a year thanks to Irving Oil.

“I am thrilled to have won. I’m putting two kids through college, and do a lot of traveling to visit them,” Riley said. “The prices at Irving are always competitive, and they are one of the few places that don’t charge more for credit card purchases.”

Irving launched its Rewards program for customers on June 1. Irving Rewards allows consumers to save on gas at more than 300 participating Irving locations in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Every $200 in fuel purchases earns 10 cents off per gallon at the next fill-up. Customers can save at 18 participating Irving locations in Connecticut and 28 locations in Vermont.

“We are so pleased that Sheila and Jim have saved on gas through Irving Rewards and will save even more for an entire year,” said Harry Hadiaris, general manager of Irving Oil. “There is still time to save now that the program has been extended through December. We encourage families to continue to fuel up and save.”