People like to have explainations for events and the “low fuel level” damages pumps satisfies this desire for an explaniation. The story keeps getting repeated from person to person and it becomes much easier to get on the band wagon than say"is any evidience of any type other than anecdocial available?"
You will get "low fuel level causes check engine lights " also.
I would be spending all my time on the side of the road (or with a check engine light on) if the claim was true.