Fuel pump with anti-fraud system installed in Brazil

Gas stations install equipment intended to prevent fraud, such as a practice known as “low pump.” The first fuel pump with a meter was installed in accordance with the new Technical Regulation for Meteorology (RTM) of INMETRO Decree 227/22 at the Shell Service Station in São João do Meriti, in Rio de Janeiro.

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The purpose of the equipment is to increase consumer safety and ensure reliable measurements, and to prevent fraud.

A “low pump” occurs when an establishment records less fuel than is actually being supplied to the consumer, causing them to pay more than they received.

The new law that introduced these and other innovations entered into force on March 15 of this year and brought as a mandatory element, for example, a safety valve (Breakaway) to all gas stations.

The new gas pump includes Bluetooth communication with the consumer

New fuel pump technology includes an encrypted digital signature of information between electronic components, requirements for a separate cabin to connect the automation system and other peripherals to the station, outside the enclosed area, and a Bluetooth communication port so the consumer can check supply and inspectors can access history of maintenance and interventions in equipment.

These measures aim to ensure transparency and reliability in gas station measurements, and to protect consumers from potential fraud and irregularities. The installation of this device represents a step forward in checking and monitoring fuel supplies, promoting greater safety and transparency for consumers.

Many frauds involving supplies in Brazil are usually the cause of consumer complaints. Now, new fuel pumps based on the new Inmetro guidelines promise to reduce the headaches of drivers in the country, but compliance should be gradual.