GasBuddy Sucks!

I used to be a big fan and user of GasBuddy.
But, they have gotten so, so stupid I can't trust them for accurate fuel prices.
They have implemented new features to their mobile app. you not have to be at or in the station's parking lot which is kind of a good idea stops people from using the app while driving.

They have added this thing they call VPC Verify Price Check that is totally ignorant.
If you report a price that is one cent lower, it asks you: "Are you sure this is the correct price? This price seem awfully low."  If you click "Yes" this is correct. The app automatically bans you from reporting prices for 24 hours.
But, if you report a price that is say 10 higher it doesn't ask you if you are sure this price is correct.

There are some users trying to destroy GasBuddy they are reporting prices that are like 10 to 20 higher than the actual price. These people are being paid to report high prices at some stations and lower prices at other stations to drive business to the lower priced stations. I know this for a fact because, i was asked to do this. they offered to pay me $25.00 per day. I acted like i was interested and got more info, then reported them to GasBuddy. GasBuddy more or less called me a liar and banned my account for 30 days. So I feel they "GasBuddy" have a part in this scheme in some way.

I first reported this when I lived in Indianapolis, Indiana. When we moved here to Nova Scotia i have noticed the same thing going on here. I created a new user account because GasBuddy kept fucking with my first GasBuddy account. of 11.5 years. I would report a price example: $1.59 for regular fuel. it showed that it posted. I would check my price report on another mobile device. my price report didn't post or, they price would post as $1.79 for regular fuel then my account would get a 24 hour ban for false price report. i would email their tech support i would get replies that looked like they were written by grade school children because, of the things they would say in their replies. an adult doesn't talk that way.

So, I investigated the company. There are only 12 employees bases in San Francisco, CA, USA
but all records state the company is located in Boston MA, USA It has a parent company Located in Brooklyn Park MN, USA. This parent company is a Sub company of an oil group located in Texas that manipulates fuel prices in North America. GasBuddy also has dealings with three major credit card companies. that pays GasBuddy 2.5 cents each, for the user's price reports in turn GasBuddy gives users points to be used in a lottery like contest. the user collect these points then buys tickets, they tickets go in to a pool and the computer randomly picks a user that entered the lottery. and that user is given four $25.00 Gas Cards. I have found out this lottery is rigged it only gives the gas cards to people who are being paid to report these false high and low prices.

I have reported this to US and Canada officials they are looking this over. if they see anything illegal they will take action against GasBuddy.

GasBuddy used to be a not-profit company, until 2004 then filed to become a for profit company the request was granted. Like most companies they start out honest, then the greed of money gets its grip on them and destroys them.

Word of advice, if you use the GasBuddy app or site. don't trust the fuel prices you see for your local station 90% of those prices are incorrect.

I told GasBuddy, I was removing their widgets, maps and links to their site. they said NO Please don't! We need people like you to spread the word. If you keep them on your sites we will pay you 15 cents per visitor to your sites and blogs. What that means (If you don't already know) each time a person visits our blogs or websites it counts as a token, each token the site or blog gets, GasBuddy will pay us 15 cents. That could add up to around $25.00 to $50.00 per month per site/blog
For now I will leave them there. We have 3 websites and 8 blog pages. We don't have GasBuddy on all of them, only on three blogs and one website.

On my new GasBuddy account I only report fuel prices at two stations to and from work.
No one else reports prices at these two fuel stations. so I haven't had any issues reporting prices to these two fuel stations.

GasBuddy, Go Fuck Yourself!