I check Snopes and didn't find anything about it, so I hope I am not passing on some bad info. So just incase, this is the email I got.

On April 24, 2008, I stoppedat a Kangaroo BP gas station, located at 1325 Main Street, Cartersville, GA. My truck's gas gauge was on 1/4 of a tank. I use the mid-grade, which was priced at $3.71 per gallon. When my tank is at this point, it takes somewhere around 14 gallon's to fill it up. When the pump showed 14 gallons had been pumped I began to slow it
down, then to my surprise it went to 15, then 16. I even looked under my truck to see if it was being spilled. It was not. Then it showed 17 gallons had been pumped. It stopped at almost 18 gallons. This was very strange to me, since my truck has only an 18 gallon tank.
I went on my way a little confused, then on the evening news I heard a report that 1 out of 4 gas stations had calibrated their pumps to show
more gas had been pumped than a person actually got.
Here is how to check a pump to see if you are getting the right amount:
Whichever grade you are using, put EXACTLY 10 GALLONS in your tank, then look at the dollar amount, if the dollar amount is not EXACTLY 10 times the price of the fuel you have chosen, then the pumps are rigged. In my case as I said the mid-grade was $3.71 per gallon, my dollar amount for 10 gallons should have been $37.19. If I had only check the pump. It doesn't matter where you pump gas, please check the 10 gallon price. If you do find a station that is cheating, contact the Georgia Agriculture Department, and direct your comments to Tommy Irvin, Commissioner. In other states contact proper authorities.

By Crystal915 on Thursday, May 1, 2008 - 12:37 am:

I did read a Yahoo News article that basically said the same thing, not that the pumps were intentionally mis-calibrated, but that they were off all the same. Apparently they should be calibrated every 6 months in a perfect world, but more that often they are calibrated as rarely as legally allowed, like once every 2 years or something. I wish I had the article available, I'm sure a Google search would turn something up. The email you posted seems a bit extreme, but from the article I read, it's not impossible.

By Vicki on Thursday, May 1, 2008 - 06:56 am:

The only thing about the email that doesn't make sense to me is that I don't know how the math thing is going to make anything work. It sounds to me like the pumps are running too fast or something else. If a tank only holds 10 gallons and it says it is putting 14 in, something else is off. I think you would be better off knowing how much your tank holds to keep things in check.

By Luvn29 on Thursday, May 1, 2008 - 07:55 am:

My dh was just telling me about this. He saw a news story on television. So yep, it's the truth! It said that it starts showing fuel going into the tank before it actually begins. That's how the guy ended up showing more fuel than what he had room for.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, May 1, 2008 - 08:00 am:

I know pumps can be off, though. At one place I would get gas, I would pump, until the pump automatically shut off, and when I got into my car, the needle was UNDER the full mark.

Then I would pump gas at a different place, and when the pump shut off, when I got in the car, it would be officially on full. So, then I have gone more often, where I know I'm getting the right amount. I have a 13 gallon tank, and while on occasion, I have put in 12.something of fuel into my tank, it's never been more than that.