Originally Posted by
Dave Noble
The scam was people renting vehicles for v short trips and then not actually refueling on return yet the fuel gauge showing full. The solution to this was to start requiring proof of purchase for fuel on short trips
Actually, you're quite wrong,
The scam is, if people are doing that, then they should, of course try to fill the tank on each and every car returned. Instead, they're too lazy, and want to get more revenue off of each rental.
If you don't believe that this is mostly an extra revenue grab, you're naive. Especially since the OP has rented at this location before, and such a charge was not in effect.
The fact that even the location couldn't tell him the real cost, if it was per K, or per liter, etc, makes it even more of a scam.