Budget Car and Truck Rental of Lubbock ripoff-fraudlent charges, fraudlent damage report Lubbock Texas *UPDATE ..rip-off goes up!
I went in to rent a car the day before Thanksgiving to drive to Reno to visit my daughter. I'd called to make a reservation and they asked me where I was going. I told them I was driving to Reno, Nv. one-way because I would fly back. They said okay and quoted me a price of $59. a day. I said okay and that I would pick up the car the next morning. I wired some money to my credit card to cover the cost of three days, which was what I told them I wanted it for.
When I got to the car rental place, the agent said it would be $150. for three days. Then he looked at my reservation and said, "You were quoted $59.00 a day." They said there would be a charge of an additional $70.00 bringing the charge up to $250.
I agreed and left to go wire some more money to my credit card company. When I returned, I was complaining to the agent about how Alamo Car Rental charges a $320. "DROP-FEE". He said, "We don't do that.
You can drive our cars anywhere you want, even to California and all we would do is maybe charge you an extra $10 or $20." We completed the transaction and I left.
On my way home I noticed that he had marked the carbon copy of the car damage inventory tag with a blue ink pen. Since it was a carbon copy, this meant that he had marked my copy, but not the original. So, before I left town, I went back over there and made sure he marked the original.
After I got that straightened out, I left for my destination. The trip was fine. I had a nice time sight-seeing, which was the only reason I drove in the first place.
When I went to drop off the car, the agent in Reno said they should have totalled my charges (which they didn't) and called Lubbock to have them sign off on the car. The general manager asked to speak to me, at which time she starts telling me there will be a $500. "DROP FEE".
I didn't even have $500 with me but if I had, I wouldn't have given it to them. Reno signed off on the car so I left.
Today they sent the police to my old address about it and you can bet I'll be in my attorney's office first thing in the morning to file a lawsuit on them for "Deceptive Trade Practices".
I'd rather give the money to my attorney than give it to them!!! By the way, the agent that waited on me didn't sign his name on any of the papers, but his initials are D.M.
Anita
Lubbock, Texas
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Budget Rent-A-Car rip-off goes up!!!
#20
Fri, December 27, 2002
I contacted an attorney, who wrote Budget a letter. Their response was to send a copy of the contract showing where they had filled in the blank spaces showing a charge of .75 cents per mile for a "DROP-FEE" of $1224.00!
It's rather obvious this was filled in AFTER I signed it (along with various other things)! I guess after I caught him on the car damage tag and he couldn't get any money for damages that were already there, the $500.00 "DROP FEE" wasn't enough money to suit him, so he upped it to the .75 per mile rip-off scam. I don't know how they can possibly get away with this!
It's blatant fraud and criminal. They also made unauthorized charges on my credit card, which should be considered a criminal offense, too. I never authorized them any amount over the original $250.00, but they put $525.00 on it!
I've sent a letter of dispute to my credit card company, enclosing the copy of my contract and a copy of the one they sent the attorney. After one look at that, they will probably take it off.
By the way, the so-called manager's name is David Eugene Miller. BEWARE and NEVER, EVER rent a car from them!