ACR MDT ACFT DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE ARPT DUE TO INSUFFICIENT FUEL TO MAKE DEST.

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OUR FLT TO BINGHAMTON WAS DELAYED WHILE I DISCUSSED AN MEL ITEM WITH MAINT IN THE COCKPIT. I ASKED THE FO TO COMPLETE THE BEFORE START CHKLIST AND START THE #2 ENG TO PROVIDE AIR CONDITIONING FOR THE PAX IN THE BACK. I WATCHED HIM PICK UP THE CHKLIST AND BEGIN. ABOUT 5 MINS LATER; I WATCHED THE FUEL VAN PULL UP TO THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT TO CHK IF WE NEEDED FUEL. MY FO GAVE HIM THE OK SIGNAL. WHEN OUR MAINT PROBLEM WAS SOLVED; I STARTED THE #1 ENG; COMPLETED THE AFTER START CHKLIST AND CALLED FOR TAXI CLRNC. OUR TAXI; TKOF AND CLB TO ALT PROCEEDED NORMALLY. AT 18000 FT AND APPROX 120 MI FROM BUFFALO; 18 MI NW OF BINGHAMTON; I NOTICED THAT WE HAD LESS FUEL THAN WE SHOULD HAVE HAD AT THIS POINT. THE GAUGES TESTED NORMALLY; SO I NOW SUSPECTED A POSSIBLE FUEL LEAK OR THE UNBELIEVABLE PROSPECT OF HAVING LEFT JFK WITHOUT THE FUEL WE THOUGHT WE HAD. I DECIDED TO DIVERT TO NEARBY BGM ARPT. UNDER CONTINUED SURVEILLANCE OF OUR FUEL INDICATORS; THE POSSIBILITY OF A FUEL LEAK BECAME LESS LIKELY. WE SOON LANDED AT BGM WITHOUT INCIDENT. I THEN INFORMED MY OPS AND CHIEF PLT OF OUR DIVERSION. AFTER REFUELING; MANUALLY CHKING LEVELS AND VISUALLY INSPECTING FOR SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKS; I WAS CONFIDENT OF THE SAFE CONDITION OF THE ACFT AND WE CONTINUED OUR FLT UP TO BUFFALO WITHOUT INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THERE EXISTS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT WE EXPERIENCED INCORRECT FUEL INDICATIONS THAT CAUSED US TO BELIEVE WE HAD MORE FUEL THAN WE ACTUALLY HAD WHEN WE DEPARTED JFK ARPT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 215268: DIVERTED INTO BINGHAMTON; NY; DUE TO LOW FUEL SITUATION. THE CAPT NOTICED THAT OUR FUEL WAS BELOW REQUIREMENTS TO CONTINUE TO BUF; NY; OUR MDT ACFT HAD APPROX 700 POUNDS OR LESS PER SIDE. WITHOUT HESITATION WE DIVERTED TO BINGHAMTON. I BELIEVED THE PROBLEM AROSE BECAUSE PRIOR TO FLT THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED THE FUEL REQUIREMENTS AND THAT HE DIALED 3800 POUNDS ON REFUEL PANEL WHILE I WAS IN OPS. WHILE WALKING TO THE ACFT WE AGAIN DISCUSSED MIN FUEL AMOUNT. HE DIALED THE AMOUNT INTO THE FUEL PANEL OUTSIDE THE ACFT. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED I BELIEVED THE ACFT WAS FUELED. AT THE ACFT; MAINT HAD SIGNED OFF A PROBLEM WITH THE WRONG MEL NUMBER. THE CAPT WAS ON THE RADIO WITH MAINT WHEN THE ACFT STARTED TO BE BOARDED. MAINT WAS ON THE FLT DECK. SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE PROBLEM WITH THE MEL; HOT SUMMER DAY; LATE BOARDING ALL CREATED CONFUSION AND A HURRY UP ATTITUDE. THE ACFT WAS HOT AND THE CAPT TOLD ME TO START #2 ENG. COMPANY POLICY FOR DOING THE CHKLIST IS CHALLENGE AND RESPONSE. THE CAPT TOLD ME TO DO THE CHKLIST AND I NOTED THE FUEL I BELIEVED THAT I SAW 3800 POUNDS (19000 PER SIDE). I STARTED #2 ENG AND DISCUSSED THE WRITE-UP WITH THE CAPT. WHILE #2 ENG WAS RUNNING A FUEL VAN PULL UP AND ASKED FOR A FUEL LOAD. I NOTED THE FUEL AND THOUGHT THAT I SAW 1900 PER SIDE AND WAVED OFF THE FUEL VAN. THE MEL PROBLEM WAS SOLVED; WE FINISHED THE AFTER START AND TAXIED TO THE RWY.