DRIVER'S ED: Avoiding gas gimmicks

Don’t let your desperation for a cheaper tank of gas fool you into becoming the victim of a gas station ripoff. As gas prices continue to rise, some unsavory con artists are trying to turn their own illegitimate profits.

CBS News reports that more consumers are being duped into buying products that claim to increase a car’s fuel efficiency. These products are often chemicals you put into your gas tank or mechanical devices applied directly to your engine. Unfortunately, they’re useless.

Even worse, Kelli Grant of smartmoney.com tells CBS News, that "the really scary part is that they actually void your manufacturer's warranty. If your car is damaged by these products, you'll have to foot the bill.”

Another pitfall consumers should avoid in the quest to save on gasoline is buying coupons online. While many coupons and gift cards offered on popular auction sites are legitimate, not all of them are the real thing.

As a result, it’s advisable to check whether the company associated with the coupon is in fact willing to redeem it. In addition, beware of offers that claim to provide free gift cards for gas. Read carefully because the fine print often makes these offers seem much less valuable.

More and more drivers are also being hit with hidden fees when they try to pay with credit cards. Even worse, it might not always be clear that you will be charged. “You won't find out about the surcharges until you swipe your credit card," says Grant.

Visa and Mastercard don’t permit such charges to be assessed, the article reports, but you still have to read the fine print. Many cards that offer rewards for gasoline often stipulate a lot of restrictions that make it difficult to redeem those rewards.

Click here for the lowdown.

--Bridget O'Sullivan