7 On Your Side tips to save money, avoid scams at the gas pump this holiday weekend

NEW YORK (WABC) -- It's estimated that 39.4 million people will hit the road this holiday weekend, which means many people will be filling up their gas tank to take off.

Before you do, 7 On Your Side's Nina Pineda got gas with city officials to make sure you get what you pay for.

To guarantee customers are getting exactly how much fuel they're paying for requires a test.

All 700 gas stations across New York City get the same gallon-for-gallon quantity count by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, which tests for accuracy twice a year.

Deputy Director Armando Sosa has seen all sorts of discrepancies.

"Basically being shorted, they're not getting the correct amount of gas they are paying for, they can get the wrong prices being charged," Sosa said.

All gas sold in New York City gets sampled, sealed and taken away for testing.

Another thing the inspectors will check for is to see if there are skimmers attached to the pump.

Sneaky thieves have managed to get inside pumps and place an electronic device to capture victims' credit card details.

Make sure to choose tap to pay if it's an option over a swipe or card insertion and cover up your hand when punching in your PIN. If your card get skimmed and a camera captures your pin, your account is wide open for fraud.

Inspector Sosa says stay alert and compare numbers.

"And if you do see a mismatch stop and question why there's a mismatch," Sosa said.

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