ROME – From “home made” remedies for refueling, to fake offers, up to gasoline sold without excise duties … In surviving the expensive fuel of these days, so on and on and on. The world of the web is full of creative ideas, all “hoaxes” though. Here are some of them, able to trap even the most savvy, which could make you fall into the network too, if you are looking for a little savings at the distributor.
Unreliable ads
The watchword should always be informed through official sources, but often a text messaging on social media is enough to alert an entire region: it happened in Campania, which in a short time has accumulated rows and rows at service pumps. According to the fake announcement, motorists would soon be left on foot, considering the fuel stocks in both Naples and Civitavecchia, the two largest distribution centers for Southern Italy, at the end. The series of protests by truck drivers, which also stirred Sardinia, unleashed the panic. Here was an audio message, viral on social media – announcing a 15-day strike by road hauliers – that would have “paralyzed” the region, and pushed many people to stock up. “This is a message from a desperate worker who is announcing something illegal – clarified the general secretary of Filt Cgil Arnaldo Boeddu -. Banning basic necessities is a crime, it is not possible to deprive the population of primary goods”.
The fuel sting: 525 euros more per year per family
The fake photo
And what if in the meantime they had opened the first deactivated distributor in Italy? Eye: the topic is hotter than ever and there is a fake photo that had already been pulled out years ago, trolling the Facebook audience, when the Lega and the 5 Star Movement promised a dream that was never realized. To date, the image still circulates, attention to any announcements: the only distributors who enjoy prices without VAT or excise duties are those of Livigno. There the price in self mode of petrol is 1,366 euros per liter and that of diesel is 1.25 euros.
A (too much) “Bio” gimmick
Cooking oil instead of diesel. Why not give it a try? The invitation on some sites is tempting. The result is not. Waste cooking oil was a popular alternative fuel for some machines as a method in the early 1900s, now not anymore. The well-known biodiesel produced from frying oil in fact requires a complex transformation process to be used. The most detailed answer, however, comes from the experts of the German Automobile Club who confirm that the prolonged use of vegetable oil as fuel leads in a short time the car to have problems even in the ignition, as well as not being practicable by us. : first of all because it is illegal in many states including Italy. Secondly, because in the long run it is a choice that damages modern engines. At the time it was used for indirect injection diesel engines. Since then the combustion of the engine has significantly improved and the tolerance reduced. If before, therefore, you could use fuels such as rapeseed oil, now you have to stick to the car’s instruction booklet which shows exactly the fuels to fill up with.
The burden of excise duties on expensive gasoline: only in the Netherlands are they higher than in Italy
The “good” scam
Finally, an Eni voucher campaign, distributed online, ready to entice families and commuters. The message mentions: “From today, all ENI stations will be giving away 10,000 € 100 petrol vouchers in protest against the government and the war. Below is explained how to receive the voucher before it ends ”. The scam is triggered when you click on the link following the text. As is often the case with phishing emails, you find yourself on a page asking for personal information, such as credit cards or bank accounts.
The joke on social media
Different the viral message is circulating from bulletin board to bulletin board and in chats:
“Tomorrow, all Q8 stations will sell their products tax-free in protest against the government.
– the price of petrol will be € 1.60
– diesel price € 1.45
Below is the list of service stations participating in the initiative “.
The invitation is to click on the link at the bottom of the text. For those who press it is immediately revealed that it is all a joke … for the others who do not read the whole announcement – considering that the beginning already mentions “in all Q8 stations” – you can even get to throw an eye to the pump service … And while disappointed, fill up.