'Somebody’s Probably Watching These': Texas Man Goes To Pump Gas At H-E-B. Then He Realizes What The Person Behind Him Is Doing

A man is warning drivers to pay closer attention at the gas station after spotting something unusual at an H-E-B pump.

Marvis (@marvisdss9h) shared the discovery in a recent TikTok video while standing at the gas station.

“Shoutout to the person who’s putting these videos out,” he says at the start of the clip.

Marvis then zooms in on a screw attached to the gas pump and explains why he believes it is there.

According to Marvis, when someone inserts a screw into a specific spot on the pump, it can allegedly prevent the machine from properly resetting after a customer finishes paying for gas with a card.

“So, somebody’s probably watching these pumps, and if you pull off, they can come and actually fill up their gas tank,” Marvis claims.

Marvis says he personally paid with cash, but he was still surprised to spot the screw and credited other social media videos for helping him recognize what it could mean. As of this writing, the video has generated more than 4.8 million views.

Screw In The Gas Pump Nozzle Holder: What Does It Mean?

The trick Marvis described is tied to a theft method that’s been circulating online for years and is sometimes called the “screw method” gas pump scam, according to KPRC Click2Houston.

The idea is that someone wedges a screw into part of the nozzle holder so the pump does not fully reset after a customer finishes pumping gas. If the transaction stays active, another person could potentially pick up the nozzle afterward and continue pumping fuel onto the previous customer’s card before the machine resets.

That’s why some commenters claimed to always wait a few extra seconds after putting the nozzle back before pulling away. The idea is to ensure the screen fully resets or indicates that the transaction has ended before someone else can use the pump.

People are also encouraged to check the nozzle holder itself for anything out of place, especially loose screws or objects jammed in the mechanism.

The scam differs from traditional credit card skimming, in which criminals steal payment information directly from the pump. In this case, the concern is that the pump transaction may remain active even after the original customer leaves.

Drivers are also usually advised to keep their receipts and regularly check bank statements for unfamiliar charges after visiting a gas station. If something at the pump looks tampered with, experts recommend notifying the station attendant immediately.

Viewers Share Ways To Avoid Scammers

Commenters who watched Marvis’ video said they have their own routines for avoiding scams at the pump, especially when paying with a card.

“I don’t leave the pump until it gets back to the welcome screen,” one woman wrote.

“I always press ‘cancel’ or ‘clear’ before I leave,” another viewer shared.

“As someone who never takes a receipt, I ALWAYS get one from the gas pump and make sure it goes back to the ‘welcome’ screen,” a third commenter added.

One person said they treat gas pumps with the same caution as ATMs.

“I treat the gas pump just like the ATM. I will stand there until it resets,” they wrote. “I don’t care how many people are waiting behind me. I’m not leaving until I see that main menu and get my receipt.”

“And I stay pressing cancel & X several times,” another person chimed in.

Others were frustrated to learn about yet another scam drivers may need to watch out for.

“We can’t even catch a fn break,” one commenter wrote.

“I’m so sick of everything being a scam,” another person added.

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“This world is too wild,” a third viewer remarked.

Motor1 has reached out to Marvis via direct message on TikTok and to H-E-B through email. We’ll update this story if we hear back.

 

 

 

 

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