gazump \guh-ZUHMP\,verb:
1. To cheat (a house buyer) by raising the price, at the time a contract is to be signed, over the amount originally agreed upon.
2. To swindle or overcharge
noun:
1. The act or an instance of gazumping
Wasn't familiar with this word, but I certainly am familiar with the definition. I've been gazumped many, many times, but don't think I've ever gazumped anyone...not unless you count the times when I worked nights at a convenience store and would sell the old burritos and corn dogs to the drunks who came in after the bars closed. I wouldn't even do that unless they were being asshats and rude to me.
These days I sometimes make the clerks angry when I insist upon them not doing it to me. I always tell them I don't want a corn dog that could drive a nail into an oak plank.
I had a service station when I was a kid and had a man ask me to check under the hood. He watched me like a hawk as I checked the fluids and belts. "You act like you don't trust me." I told him. "I don't trust any service station attendants, son." he replied. He then went on to tell me several dirty tricks he used to do when he worked at a station; one was "short" sticking - meaning to pull the dipstick out, wipe it off, then inserting it back in the tube but not all the way to the bottom. He'd then show it to the customer, saying the engine needed a quart of oil. He'd go inside the station and get the can, but it would be empty. (a collection of one of each kind ready for the scam) No one would question him bringing out a can with the spigot in it.
The man told me another "trick" would be to take a small knife or razor blade and cut partly through a belt, then warn the customer it wasn't far from breaking.
He told me several other tricks, all of which horrified me. I'm not the most moral person, but I do know one cannot survive long in business that way; if you're discovered cheating someone, you'll lose that customer, everyone he/she tells and most likely most of the rest of your clientele once the word gets out.
Anyway...I got through checking under the hood, topped off his gas tank, wiped his windows, etc. He gave me a gas company credit card, but before I "swiped" it in the imprinter (remember those?) I took out the warning pamphlet the company sent out once/month - the numbers list of cards that had been cancelled or were stolen - and checked his card against them This annoyed the man and he had the gall to ask me:
"Don't you trust me?"
1. To cheat (a house buyer) by raising the price, at the time a contract is to be signed, over the amount originally agreed upon.
2. To swindle or overcharge
noun:
1. The act or an instance of gazumping
Wasn't familiar with this word, but I certainly am familiar with the definition. I've been gazumped many, many times, but don't think I've ever gazumped anyone...not unless you count the times when I worked nights at a convenience store and would sell the old burritos and corn dogs to the drunks who came in after the bars closed. I wouldn't even do that unless they were being asshats and rude to me.
These days I sometimes make the clerks angry when I insist upon them not doing it to me. I always tell them I don't want a corn dog that could drive a nail into an oak plank.
I had a service station when I was a kid and had a man ask me to check under the hood. He watched me like a hawk as I checked the fluids and belts. "You act like you don't trust me." I told him. "I don't trust any service station attendants, son." he replied. He then went on to tell me several dirty tricks he used to do when he worked at a station; one was "short" sticking - meaning to pull the dipstick out, wipe it off, then inserting it back in the tube but not all the way to the bottom. He'd then show it to the customer, saying the engine needed a quart of oil. He'd go inside the station and get the can, but it would be empty. (a collection of one of each kind ready for the scam) No one would question him bringing out a can with the spigot in it.
The man told me another "trick" would be to take a small knife or razor blade and cut partly through a belt, then warn the customer it wasn't far from breaking.
He told me several other tricks, all of which horrified me. I'm not the most moral person, but I do know one cannot survive long in business that way; if you're discovered cheating someone, you'll lose that customer, everyone he/she tells and most likely most of the rest of your clientele once the word gets out.
Anyway...I got through checking under the hood, topped off his gas tank, wiped his windows, etc. He gave me a gas company credit card, but before I "swiped" it in the imprinter (remember those?) I took out the warning pamphlet the company sent out once/month - the numbers list of cards that had been cancelled or were stolen - and checked his card against them This annoyed the man and he had the gall to ask me:
"Don't you trust me?"
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