r134a Too good to be true?

[dhanger]

This looks 'too good to be true'. It's less than half the cost of every other seller I've looked at. I wasn't really looking for this much but if it's legit it's too good to pass up. I have my doubts...

R-134a Refrigerant 30 lb

R-134a refrigerant supplied in a 30 lb cylinder for use only in equipment specifically designed and approved for R-134a (such as compatible automotive A/C or HVAC applications). Confirm system compatibility before purchase. Handling, transport, and use may be regulated; buyer is responsible for...

tankgasdepot.shop

Probably have to be licensed to buy canisters like this I suppose.

 

[Mooseman]

Many years ago, I bought one like that from Autozone, no license required. Price was reasonable at the time. A license is required in Canada though but the border guys never asked so
Years later, I went to buy another one and the price became absurd so I passed and just got some small cans at Walmart.

This site however may be fake or a scam. Posed the question to AI:

No, tankgasdepot.shop is not a legitimate site, and the reviews are entirely fake. It operates as a verified online retail scam designed to steal your money without delivering any functional product. Your instinct about the price being too low is exactly right—a full 30 lb cylinder of R-134a refrigerant normally costs over double or triple that amount. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Major Red Flags & Evidence​

• BBB Fraud Alerts: The site has been hit with numerous filings on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker. Multiple victims report that after they paid $135.91, the business ignored all emails, never shipped anything, or claimed it was sent by a fictional carrier named "unibox express". [2, 3, 6]
• Fake Residential Address: The site lists its corporate location as 4749 N Gracemoor Cir, Colorado Springs, CO 80917. According to property records on Zillow and Redfin, this is an off-market, single-family residential home built in 1972. It is not a commercial gas depot or a warehouse. [7, 8]
• The "Empty Tank" Trick: Industry discussions on Facebook community boards point out that even if something were to ship, $135 is roughly the standard market price for a completely empty recovery tank, not a full 30 lb cylinder of R-134a. [5]
• Fabricated Reviews: The 17 customer reviews on the page are text templates coded straight into the website's software to trick buyers. None of them belong to real, verifiable buyers. [2]
• Suspicious Domain Indicators: Cybersecurity evaluation platforms like Scamadviser and Gridinsoft flag this website with a critically low trust rating due to its high association with phishing and fraudulent commerce setups. [9, 10]

Do not enter your credit card or personal details on this platform. If you have already placed an order with them, contact your bank or credit card company immediately to report the transaction as a fraud and initiate a chargeback.

---

If you need to source actual refrigerant safely, let me know:

• Are you looking to buy wholesale/bulk or just a single cylinder?
• Do you possess an EPA 609 certification (required by authorized commercial suppliers)?

I can point you toward legitimate, licensed HVAC and automotive distributors.

[1] https://www.bbb.org
[2] https://www.bbb.org
[3] https://www.bbb.org
[4] https://www.garagejournal.com
[5] https://www.facebook.com
[6] https://www.bbb.org
[7] https://www.zillow.com
[8] https://www.redfin.com
[9] https://gridinsoft.com
[10] https://www.scamadviser.com

 

[dhanger]

I've gotten so turned off by AI that I never think to use it for something useful like this. Another big tipoff was free shipping on 30 pounds, besides the low cost--not reasonable.

Thanks.

 

[dhanger]

After some more searching I came across this:

Johnsen's R-134a HFC 134A Automotive A/C Refrigerant Case of Self Sealing 12oz cans (12 Pack)

Check out the deal on Johnsen's R-134a HFC 134A Automotive A/C Refrigerant Case of Self Sealing 12oz cans (12 Pack) at okpetroleum.com

www.okpetroleummarketplace.com

This seemed much more legitimate and a good price so I used the AI method plus some other scam checking services, everything came back positive including A+ BBB rating. This is about the best price I've seen anywhere and a more reasonable amount of product for DIY a/c maintenance.