Fuel shortage: watch out for fraudulent ads

Since March 7, 2023 and the hardening of the protest movement against the pension reform, fuel shipments have been interrupted everywhere in France. To mark its opposition, the CGT-Chemistry has chosen to attack the supply at the pump. Refineries are on strike and fuel shortages affect several departments.

Friday March 31, 10.4% of the stations are “in difficulty”. According to Le Figaro, 35 departments have at least 10% of stations in total or partial rupture. More than a third of the country is concerned. And drivers are worried. At the microphone of LCI, in Loire, Atlantique, a young woman testifies: “I am at the fifth or sixth station, so now we are going to telecommute, I don’t have much choice”.

After trying their luck at many gas stations, weariness pushes some motorists to turn to unconventional solutions. In the context of shortage, classified ads on resale sites are multiplying. Attractive, they seduce more than one.

However, behind these classified ads, there are often malicious people who try to take advantage of the situation. Crooks do not hesitate to stock up at service stations equipped with fuel to fill dozens of jerry cans in order to resell them at a higher price. Some ask 3 euros for a liter of gasoline.

According to TF1, in Marseille, a seller offers a liter of Total diesel fuel at 1.20 euros. The price defies all competition and “the desired volume and the mode of withdrawal” are “to be discussed”. Too good to be true ? It is not recommended to buy fuel from resale sites. The gasoline sold there is not controlled and may have been diluted or its composition modified.

The situation is not about to improve: a new day of strike is scheduled for Thursday, April 6, 2023. In order to help motorists in distress, my government has set up a site to know the state of stocks at each service station.