Beware of Contract - Charge for Insurance despite denial

Complaint

0
DeDe
Country: United States
BEWARE THE SCAM - EZ Rent A Car

I made a car reservation through CheapOair & was booked with EZ Rent A Car in Orlando.  At the time of the reservation I declined the insurance & was charged for car rental & check-in fees only. Because I am HANDICAPPED & cannot drive I booked the car in my daughter’s name as well as mine.

Upon arriving in Orlando (Dec 16), since there was a large queue & I was in a wheelchair my daughter had to sign for the car. The counter was too tall & not designed for handicapped individuals. Additionally, my daughters each have a toddler less than 2 years. The car agent recommended a Minivan since I needed a mobile scooter & to accommodate the infant car seats. At this point the children were tired and crying after the plane trip & I had an assistant waiting with me to wheel me the car. I agreed at this point to the upgrade in cars – which was my mistake!!  My daughters declined the insurance – making it clear we did not want any insurance!!!!

BEWARE THE SCAM ARTISTS:  On Line 3 of the EZ Rent A Car contract you decline the Supplemental Rental Liability Insurance & write your insurance company.  

***IMPORTANT:  Hidden on line 4 the contract states that you agree to accept the Collision Damage Waver at $24.99 per day.

The Rental Agent circled the lines stating that my daughter needed to initial these lines – knowing we did not want insurance. They count on the fact that you are tired from the trip; the kids are cranky –etc.

At the end of our trip (Dec 21- after the huge snow storm), when we checked in the car we asked the EZ Rental attendant in the garage to call the airport for assistance -- since we had luggage, two screaming toddlers in strollers and me in a wheel chair! After 45 minutes we realized no one was coming & started struggling in the airport. Luckily a good distance later an attendant reentering the airport asked if we needed aid. He was shocked to find that the EZ Rental employee never called for help!

Additionally, I questioned the charges and was sent back to the main desk. When we protested the charges the EZ Rental attendant refused to assist us – stating we’d need to talk to the manager. It took the manager an hour to come to the desk and of course he refused to reverse the charges.  Because of EZ Rental’s lack of service and delays we almost missed our plane (over 1 ¾ hours total).  

****While we were waiting for the manager we tried to inform customers of the contract provisions & were told to shut-up since it was the way they made their money.

Bottom line: We were told that we would have to discuss the charges with corporate. I also contacted CheapOair and they confirmed I declined insurance.

Naturally, when I talked to the EZ Rental corporate service representative he refused to refund the money.

As stated previously by many others -- this company is only concerned with SCAMING their customers to increase their profit margin. Being retired military – I’ve rented cars all over the world from numerous reputable, honest, trustworthy, reliable car rental companies and have NEVER experienced this situation!  

I agree that there should be a class action law suit against them. No other business could get away with this appalling method of illegally taking customers money – especially when they know they are HANDICAPPED!!!!!!!!

Comments

  • 0
    Benjamin Qin
    | 11 replies
    I just rented a car 20 days ago from them. Them [***] charged me $50.75 for whatever I have no idea at all.

    I happened to be an florida attorney, so, this time they got trouble.

    I send them a letter asking for refund. If they do not, I am looking for people have been frauded and we are gonna have a class action against them.
    • 0
      Peter J replies to Benjamin Qin
      I just rented from them in Denver.  On returning the car, the woman said the car was fine.  She said initial here. When I looked at the pink copy of the check in paper after I flew home, she had written on the bottom that the windshield was sandblasted but of course did not mention it to me.  This is a company full of crooks.  I haven't received any charges yet on my credit card as it is only 24 hours later, but I bet they are on the way. They should be sued out of business.
    • 0
      Diana replies to Benjamin Qin
      They did this to me as well . I am from Ohio NO one told me about the toll issue, they wrote done a different car then the one I was driving. My credit card company called me with a fraud alert with a pending $52 charge the card was cancelled. I would be happy to join a class action suit. I am 59 years old I feel I was taken advantage of
    • 0
      Ginger, CO replies to Benjamin Qin
      | 1 reply
      I would like to be involved in a lawsuit against EZ car rental.  I rented a car in Seattle 5 years ago from them.  I arrived at 9:30 p.m., pouring down rain, no cover or lights where the car was.  The attendant who walked me to the car apologized for no lighting.  Two days later when I returned the car, they said there was a chip in the windshield and I was responsible for it.  Explained about not being able to even see the car due NO lighting and raining.  They told me to just turn it into my insurance company and they would take care of it.  I told them my insurance company would NOT pay for it because I would tell them NOT to since it wasn't caused by me.  I fought this for 6 months and then they told me all the charges would be canceled.  Four years later I get a call from a collection agency in Florida saying it was turned over to them for bad debts!  Explained what happened and the rude gentleman said he would put it on our credit rating.  Just yesterday, 3/18/2013, I saw it was turned in as a bad debt in February 2013!  I am not happy.  They are crooked!!
      • 0
        Maria replies to Ginger, CO
        Hi, I am dealing with EZ's fraud, too, and I'm actually interested in starting a class-action lawsuit. Please contact me at mterrori@yahoo.com if you might be interested in joining. If I can get 10 names I'm going to start calling Florida lawyers who sue these kinds of companies.
    • 0
      Valarie K replies to Benjamin Qin
      I rented from them in July on vacation they charged me a $250 cleaning FEE. There were maybe a few crumbs in the care. ABSOLUTELY ABSURD. They are sleave bags, and I am waiting for the PHOTOS of how DIRTY the car was.  Let me know if you have gotten anywhere yet. THEY are fraudulent
    • 0
      Maria replies to Benjamin Qin
      | 1 reply
      OP, I would also like to fight back against these scammers. With this many complaints about the same thing, it might not be so hard to get enough people together to then get a Florida lawyer to find more. I think even ten names would be enough to start talking to a lawyer - you are one and maybe know better -  and I've found way more than 10 online complaints about fake damage charges.This company has already cost me hours of stress and aggravation for a totally manufactured and false damage claim. I find the whole thing both outrageous and also kind of amazing - how can they be THIS sleazy? How are they still in business?

      Anyone who is interested in getting names together to submit to a lawyer (I don't think the OP can represent himself!) please send me an email at mterrori@yahoo.com.
      • 0
        Fred replies to Maria
        Has anyone contacted a lawyer for this "mickey mouse" outfit? I recently (yesterday) received a bill for $953.19 from these scammers. I rented a car from them early Feb /14. The car was in a dark garage in Fort Worth Dallas. The attendant mentioned a thumbnail dent dent, which at the time I thought was very attentive on her part. I nodded and signed and left. When I returned the car, it was in a well lit open area with lots of natural light. Again I thought this kind of suspect. Of course the attendant found another thumb sized dent on the car. I merely smiled and asked if there was a problem, they sent me to the manager with a paper. At the counter the clerk rechecked my paper work and wished me good day. I thought I was being hyper sensitive due to the fact that I don't have a lot of money to pay scammers for nothing. After all that was why I was renting from these people, easily the cheapest choice, and all I needed was transportation. Imagine my utter amazement when this bill arrived yesterday. Please let there be a lawyer out there who is willing to take this fly by night outfit on. I truly am dumbfounded!!
    • 0
      Bob Gallese replies to Benjamin Qin
      Ben, count me in...contact me at bgallese@gmail.com.
    • 0
      J replies to Benjamin Qin
      Was this ever taken to court? I'm having an issue with this company as well.
    • 0
      J replies to Benjamin Qin
      Hi, Is this still something you are pursing? They are charging me as well for something I did not do.
    • 0
      Stephen Blankenship replies to Benjamin Qin
      Reading old posts . . .  If you get a suit, add me to your list of claimants!  I too, just got a bill from some law firm that says I damaged a car on the rocker panel of the door and I owe thousands for repairs!  Of course I did nothing to cause damage to the car and a person would have to lay on their back and crawl under to inspect where they claim the damages are!  DON'T RENT FROM EZ!
  • 0
    Steve Yeung
    Hi Benjamin:

        I am also being charged with $50.75 for unknown reason.
    I am currently in dispute with them.  They claim this is for a toll
    booth ticket.  But I have never receive any ticket from EZ car rental.
    You can contact me with "skcyeung@gmail.com".
    Thanks!
  • 0
    Steve Yeung
    Hi Benjamin:

       I am also being charged with $50.75 for unknown reason.
    I am currently in dispute with them.  They claim this is for a toll
    booth ticket.  But I have never receive any ticket from EZ car rental.
    You can contact me with "skcyeung@gmail.com".
    Thanks!
  • 0
    Tangerine
    BEWARE! I rented a Kia minivan from EZ Rent-A-Car in Orlando and upon returning the car, they found a scratch on the passenger side rear bumper.  Not very obvious and must have been there previously.  The lesson here is that IF you do rent from this company take photos of your rental car and report even the slightest scratch to the attendant before taking the car off their property.  I have been renting cars for the last 25 years for both business and pleasure and have never encountered this before.  It sounds like a pretty shady company to me.
  • 0
    Sean
    This is TOO familiar. We rented a car in Vegas. Since we were on business we had to get the cheapest car (you get what you pay for). They have you sign the no scratch thing BEFORE they will give you the keys. Anyway, we get to the car, I look it over. The lighting in the parking garage is very dim and there is dew on the car. I could see any obvious issues. Upon returning the car in a well lit place, the attendant said there were scratches all down the driver side door. This is totally BS. That damage was absolutely there before I got the car but you couldn't see anything. You are at the mercy of the returning attendant, period. Because these guys don't train or work on consitency, I'm being screwed for someone elses lake of details. I just got a bill for $906. Unbelievable. Never again. I'm going to have my insurance fight this thing.
  • 0
    Wayne
    Yup, ripped me off for $80 bucks for insurance that I declined.
  • 0
    Lisa
    | 1 reply
    My husband and I rented a car in Denver, the attendent walked around the car and told us that it looked fine, we took the car and had it parked at our cabin garage the whole time, however, when we returned the car they told us we had scraches on the car! They were obviously there before we rented the car, I also have rented cars for buisness for the past 20 years and have NEVER had an issue like this,  They just sent us a bill for 323.69. I do belive this is a scam by the company to make extra money. I am sure that they will not repair the scratches with the money from us but will scam the next customer..and the next! Lesson here is take pictures before and inspect carefully, never trust the attendent!
    • 0
      Tabbi replies to Lisa
      Check out my message further down

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