With the price of gasoline at record levels, a plethora of fuel saving products are being advertised. If you do a search for the keywords “fuel saving devices”, Google will find 1.5 million pages as search results. It never ceases to amaze that so many unscrupulous people try to take advantage of specific situations to scam you out of your hard-earned money. And that’s exactly what these gas saving devices are, scams.

This current scam takes advantage of drivers’ overwhelming desire to lower their gas costs. Scammers are using deceptive advertising to convince you that a fuel-saving product installed in your vehicle will miraculously reduce your gas mileage by up to 30 percent or more. The Federal Trade Commission through US government research and testing of all types of devices and additives has some advice for all consumers.

The Federal Trade Commission warns drivers to be extremely cautious about any claims of fuel savings from additives or devices. Test results and research to date show that there has been no fuel saving device that significantly increases fuel economy in any way!

There are a few themes that are used in most ads for gas-saving products. Here are some to watch out for:

A popular misleading advertising scheme goes like this: The ad claims, “This gas-saving product improves gas economy by 20 percent.” Like that example, gas-saving devices claim increases in economy of up to 25 percent, and sometimes even more. The Environmental Protection Agency has thoroughly tested, investigated, and evaluated more than 100 purported gas-saving products and additives, and so far has found none that significantly increase gas mileage. In other words, none of the gas saving devices work. In some cases, test data showed that “gas saver” products could actually damage your engine and cause increased gasoline exhaust emissions. That could cause your vehicle to fail some state-required emissions tests and that could cost you even more money.

Another misleading advertising method used is based on excellent and glowing testimonials from satisfied consumers and drivers. An example: “After putting your product in my vehicle, I saw that I began to get an additional 6 miles per gallon of gas.” Don’t rely on the claims of some amateur drivers to justify spending your money.

These types of misleading advertisements use testimonials from satisfied drivers as proof that the product works. No consumer or driver has the proper equipment or training to test precise changes in fuel economy. Even if the consumer had the proper equipment, he would not be able to control the conditions that greatly affect fuel economy.

Different variables affect gas mileage. These include road conditions, weather conditions, traffic conditions, and vehicle condition. For example, in one false advertising case investigated, a driver wrote a letter praising a “gas 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 “gas saver” device in the letter was clearly a result of the tuning and not the device. The ad for the device did not mention this, so other drivers and consumers would never know that it was the tuning and not the device that accounted for any increase in fuel economy.

You’ve already read some of the deceptive methods that companies selling gas-saving products use to convince you to buy their product. Unfortunately, many other deceptive methods are used. Those companies are taking advantage of high gas costs that require drivers to look for any way to reduce their gas costs. Do not become a victim of these deceptive practices. Don’t forget, if it sounds too good to be true, it is! Buy Beware!