Do you think you may have been shorted at the fuel pump? In Texas, hundreds of consumers have been wondering the same thing.

With diesel prices in the Lone Star state hovering around $2.00 a gallon and gasoline near $1.80, getting what you paid for has taken on added importance.

As fuel prices have increased, so have complaints from customers who say they have pumped more gallons than their fuel tanks can hold, or that one gallon of fuel didn’t fill a 1-gallon container, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

In the past year, inspectors investigated 900 complaints statewide. In north central Texas’ Tarrant County, the state went as far as temporarily shutting down 46 fuel pumps for not providing as much fuel as customers paid for, according to the newspaper. Three fuel stations – two in Fort Worth and one in Arlington – were twice found with faulty pumps.

But, it isn’t always black and white when it comes to whether you’re being shorted. Your vehicle’s fuel tank could be a tad larger than the manufacturer advertises. And fuel containers, such as the ones sold at local hardware stores, may not be of exact size.

State inspectors use specially-calibrated fuel containers to measure pump output, the Star-Telegram reported. A pump is considered to short customers if about six tablespoons are missing from five gallons of fuel.

If you think you’ve been shorted, you can contact the Texas Department of Agriculture, whose 115 inspectors conduct random checks of fuel pumps and investigate complaints. The number is 1-800-835-5832.

Nationwide, anyone who has a concern whether they were shorted at the pump should contact the state Agriculture Department where they bought the fuel.

But be careful what you ask for. Inspectors also can shut down pumps for giving customers more fuel than they paid for.