5-Litre Jerrycan Scam: How to Spot Roadside Fuel Scams in Nigeria

God forbid fuel scarcity starts again, and you just bought “5 litres” of fuel from a roadside hawker, but your car is still coughing like a generator with bad spark plugs. Bros, you might have been scammed! Welcome to the world of the infamous “5-litre” jerrycan scam—where what you see is never what you get. Let’s dive a little to see how this scam works.

How it works

These roadside fuel sellers have perfected the art of deception. Here’s how they cheat Naija drivers:

1. False Bottoms: You may not know this, but some jerrycans have hidden compartments—what looks like 5 litres is actually 3.5!

2. Diluting Fuel: They sometimes add solvents into the fuel to increase the volume. In order to fool you to think it’s fuel, they use harmful alcohol solutions to make their fuel seem real.

3. Quick Hand Swaps: While you’re distracted, they replace a genuine jerrycan with a doctored one. Yes! They can be that fast and elusive.

How to Avoid Being Scammed

1. Shine your eyes: Avoid unnecessary distractions when buying fuel from road side hawkers. Keep a lookout for suspicious movements.
2. Inspect the Bottom: Tap it—if it sounds hollow, there’s a fake compartment.
3. Buy from Trusted Sellers: If possible, stick to filling stations or known vendors.

Next time you see a fuel hawker waving a jerrycan at you, shine your eyes well well! If your car still acts up after fueling, it might not be the engine—it could be that “5-litre” scam at work.

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Drop your worst jerrycan scam in the comments section, let’s begin the conversation.