BOSTON -- A marketing gimmick offering free gas cards to customers has come up empty.

Team 5 Investigates uncovered dozens of complaints from Massachusetts customers who said Florida-based FreeBeeGas.com never followed through on its promise.

"You gather $100 worth of receipts every month," said Betty Fisher, who also paid a $5 signup fee after receiving the offer at a timeshare presentation. "And they would send us a $25 gift card for that gas station."

But after gathering all her receipts and submitting them faithfully for six months, Fisher said the company failed to send any gift cards.

"Nothing," she said. "No money. Nothing."

She's not alone. Team 5 Investigates discovered thousands of complaints about FreeBeeGas.com from across the country, including 50 from Massachusetts.

"They sell a marketing program to retailers to use in their advertising to help bring traffic into their establishments," said Nancy Cahalen, president of the Better Business Bureau of Central New England.

But after selling its program to dozens of businesses -- who then sold it to thousands of consumers -- FreeBeeGas.com disappeared.

"The retailers really have been scammed too because they've got their good name associated with this program that isn't paying off as promised," Cahalen said.

FreeBeeGas.com was operated by Tidewater Marketing Global Consultants. The Florida attorney general has sued the company and its owner for "unfair and deceptive marketing," and issued an injunction, which essentially shut down the company.

"Hopes of anyone collecting on their rebate cards is not good," said Cahalen.

"It just isn't fair," Fisher agreed.