There are all kinds of gas saving devices being advertised now. Do a search in Google and you will find that google finds 1.5 million web pages concerning fuel saving devices. As with any situation where people smell money, unscrupulous individuals are always ready to steal your money with the latest scam.



The latest scam is trying to convince you that a fuel saving device attached to your car will miraculously cut your gas consumption 20, 30 even 40 percent. The federal government has done a lot of testing of fuel saving devices. From this extensive testing comes this advice.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns you to be wary of any gas-saving claims for automotive devices or oil and gas additives. Even for the few gas-saving products that have been found to work, the savings have been small.

There are a few themes used in most gasoline saving product advertising. Here are some to be wary of:

One popular deceptive advertising scheme is this: the ad claims "This gasoline saving product enhances gasoline economy by 20 percent." Like that example gasoline saving devices claim increases in economy up to 25 percent and sometimes even higher. The Environmental Protection Agency has thoroughly tested, researched and evaluated more than 100 supposed gasoline saving products and additives and so far has not found any one of them that significantly increases gas mileage. In other words non of the gas saving devices work. In some cases, the test data showed that "gasoline-saving" products actually could damage your engine and could cause an increase of gasoline exhaust emissions. That could cause your vehicle to fail some state required emissions tests and that could cost you even more money.

Another deceptive advertising method used are ones that are based on great and glowing testimonials from satisfied consumers and drivers. An example: "After putting your product on my vehicle, I saw that I started getting an extra 6 miles per gallon of gas." Don't rely on some amateur drivers claim to justify spending your money.

These advertisements use glowing testimonials by satisfied drivers as their proof that their device works. No consumer has the equipment or the ability to test for precise changes in gasoline mileage after installing a fuel saving device. Even if the consumer had the right equipment the conditions and the environment in which they could test the product could not be adequately controlled.

Different variables affect gasoline mileage. These include road conditions, weather conditions, traffic conditions, and the condition of the vehicle. For example in one deceptive advertising case that was researched, a driver wrote a letter praising a "gasoline saving" device. Of course this consumer forgot to mention that when he had the aforementioned device installed, he also had his car completely tuned up. The increase in fuel economy that was attributed to the "gasoline saving" device in the letter was most certainly a result of the tune up and not the device. The device advertisement did not mention this, so other drivers and consumers would never know it was the tune up not the device that accounted for any increase in fuel economy.

These are just some of the tactics that those selling fuel saving devices use to legitimize their claims. They are out there to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers desperate to find a way to lower their gas costs. Don't become a victim of these scams. Be wary of their claims. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is!