Woman Arrested for Exploiting Gas Station Glitch to Get Free Fuel Worth $28,000

Exploiting a Vulnerability

In Lincoln, Nebraska, a woman named Dawn Thompson has been accused of taking advantage of a glitch at a gas station to obtain over 7,400 gallons of free fuel between November 2022 and June 2023. The police have charged her with theft by unlawful taking, as she allegedly exploited a vulnerability that put the pump into demo mode after swiping a rewards card twice.

Discovery and Arrest

The gas station corrected the software error that allowed Thompson to exploit the glitch. The authorities were alerted to the possible theft in October 2023. By tracing the information linked to the rewards card used in the hack, investigators were able to locate and arrest Thompson.

Extent of the Theft

Thompson’s rewards card was used 510 times during the six-month period, resulting in 7,413.59 gallons of free fuel. The gas station manager estimated the losses at $27,860.27, as the average cost per gallon during that time was $3.758.

Legal Consequences

Thompson faces charges of theft over $5,000, which is considered a Class IIA felony in Nebraska. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison. Another individual who used the card claimed that Thompson had charged her to use it on multiple occasions for discounted fuel.

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