Accident Scam
Complaint
Guy Nicholls (@Crebolina)
Country: United Kingdom
Enterprise operations stank of fraud from the moment I was forced to hire a car from them. The bus company nominated Enterprise as my car hirer after my own vehicle had been damaged by one of their buses.
I was told to turn up at the body shop with my credit card. I was driven by an Enterprise management trainee back to their office where I signed a hire agreement for a Volkswagen Passat. They told me that the car they intended for me was late back from a brake repair-which didn't instill confidence-and that they would deliver the replacement vehicle that evening to my home address.
The replacement vehicle, a BMW 3 Series was duly arrived but 10 days later when I returned it to Enterprise, they claimed there was an 8" scratch on the vehicle. I signed a piece of paper which they reassured me constituted merely a declaration of non-liability for the scratch on my part.
I made 100% clear to Enterprise that I accepted no liabiilty whatever but I was aghast a month later when I discovered that Enterprise had debited my Barclaycard account for £300!
Enterprise claimed that the "accident form" I had completed to deny liability was in fact an admission of liability for an accident they claimed had taken place the same morning I returned the car. When I returned the replacement vehicle Enterprise had also superimposed on the hire agreement which I had signed for the Passat details of the replacement BMW. In other words not only had they confected a bogus accident report, they had doctored the original hire agreement to make it look like I was responsible for the damage.
I would strongly advise readers to steer well clear of Enterprise. I can only assume they are getting away with their scam because of some political patronage about which we as yet know nothing.
I was told to turn up at the body shop with my credit card. I was driven by an Enterprise management trainee back to their office where I signed a hire agreement for a Volkswagen Passat. They told me that the car they intended for me was late back from a brake repair-which didn't instill confidence-and that they would deliver the replacement vehicle that evening to my home address.
The replacement vehicle, a BMW 3 Series was duly arrived but 10 days later when I returned it to Enterprise, they claimed there was an 8" scratch on the vehicle. I signed a piece of paper which they reassured me constituted merely a declaration of non-liability for the scratch on my part.
I made 100% clear to Enterprise that I accepted no liabiilty whatever but I was aghast a month later when I discovered that Enterprise had debited my Barclaycard account for £300!
Enterprise claimed that the "accident form" I had completed to deny liability was in fact an admission of liability for an accident they claimed had taken place the same morning I returned the car. When I returned the replacement vehicle Enterprise had also superimposed on the hire agreement which I had signed for the Passat details of the replacement BMW. In other words not only had they confected a bogus accident report, they had doctored the original hire agreement to make it look like I was responsible for the damage.
I would strongly advise readers to steer well clear of Enterprise. I can only assume they are getting away with their scam because of some political patronage about which we as yet know nothing.
Comments
From the pattern of posted consumer complaints, there appears to be a "recovery" department running this fraud racket, coordinating and training local site employees in how to initially rush and mislead customers to ignore minor damage, then spring a "damage claim" on the customer on return. There are indications that the site employees have been trained in how to do this (often bumbling) and that it's part of their job or they get some incentive for pulling it off. For example, if there was a storm anywhere in the area, they jump into action to shove a "hail damage claim" at the customer returning a vehicle, or they get highly "incensed" if the customer insists on inspection of the vehicle with the employee on returns. One customer posted receiving threats of "arrest" when he attempted to document the state of the vehicle with his cell phone camera.
It appears that they initially attempt to shakedown the customers' insurance company, then since the insurance companies are on to it and often reject their claims, they attempt to shakedown the customer for a "nuisance" claim set at the customer's deductable. A customer who demanded itemized repair invoices, for a bogus "hail damage" claim, reported getting a repair invoice padded with a bunch of inside door, mirror, and internal panelling "hail damage".
It sounds like you may also have caught them doctoring a contract after you signed it.
Let your insurance company handle all claims.
File fraud complaints with FTC and the state Attorney General.
When emailing, please list Reference Number 140306-001437 in the subject line. We look forward to hearing from you.
Respectfully,
Carol
Social Media
Enterprise
We’ve noted your comments and would like look into this for you. Please email care@enterprise.com with the full details including the exact rental location information, your contact information, your rental agreement, reservation or claims number and any further information regarding your experience with us.
When emailing, please list Reference Number 131218-001575 in the subject line. We look forward to hearing from you.
Respectfully,
Carol H.
Social Media
Enterprise Rent-A-Car