Fraudulent practices involving volumetric discrepancy in fuel pumps are reportedly causing a diversion of approximately R$ 248 million annually across gas stations in São Paulo. These frauds involve the installation of electronic devices in the fuel pump meters, which can lead to an average reduction of 10% in the volume of fuel actually delivered to customers. The Instituto Combustível Legal (ICL) has estimated that, with the current average price of gasoline in the city, consumers may incur a loss of R$ 29 every time they fill up 50 liters.

The ICL study indicates that around 216 gas stations, or about 2.5% of the total in São Paulo, are engaged in these fraudulent activities, which translates to around 119,000 liters of fuel being withheld from consumers daily. This not only affects the financial loss experienced by drivers when they fill their tanks but also highlights the ongoing issues of fuel price variability faced by consumers across the state. The situation is exacerbated by external factors, including price changes announced by major fuel suppliers like Petrobras, which recently reduced gasoline prices by 5.2% at their refineries.

The implications of these fraudulent practices are significant and warrant attention from regulatory bodies and consumer protection agencies, as they not only represent a substantial financial loss for consumers but also undermine trust within the fuel supply industry. As investigations continue, there may be calls for stricter regulations and improvements in monitoring practices to prevent such fraud from occurring in the future, ensuring fair pricing and transparency for all consumers in São Paulo.