Friday, February 26, 2010

Budget Car Rental Scam Exposed!!!

Over at the blog at AskMrCreditCard, I have been digging into a scam involving Budget rental car.

Budget Rent A Car Gives Out Your Credit Card Number To Scammers

More On Negative Option Billing and Preaquired Account Marketing

Here is the short story.   You rent a car from Budget.   Over six months later you get a "check" that stipulates that when you cash it you get charged a monthly fee to "your credit card on file with Budget".

The problem is, you never authorized Budget to keep your card on file, and as I will write today, Budget can't even tell you which card you have on file, let alone how to get it off their files.

What you are getting is one, two punch of two notorious scams, negative option billing and preaquired account marketing.   Each by itself is unscrupulous, and together they are extra devious.  
 
Needless to say, these scammers have a checkered reputation, yet they are clearly still in operation via Budget and Your Credit Card Company!

Be sure to read the blog as I unravel this further....

1 comment:

Mary said...

I want to share my Budget Fuel Scam story - and post as many places as I can on the web. I rented a car in Orlando and pre-paid. We had to wait 45 mins in line, with only one CSR processing waiting patrons. We would have moved to another car rental company, but we pre-paid for our car. When we got our paperwork completed, and went to pick up our car - there was no car. Had to get back in line, and they had to "upgrade" us to the largest, premium, ugly car for just 2 people. We drove to Disney World and to Lakeland, but had double the gas use due to the larger car. Still, we used a 1/2 tank, which we filled up for $37. We returned the car full to the Orlando airport. The Budget attendant took our gas receipt, acknowledged the car was full on gas, and told us we were paid in full, and could go. Today, I get a bill for $133.47 in the mail, stating that the car was not full. I called the Customer Service Department and was treated horribly, and told to submit my ORIGINAL receipt, which the Budget attendant took! I spoke with a supervisor who was even less caring. I finally reached "Katy" in the Budget Accounting department who offered for me to fax a copy of my on-line Capital One Bank statement for the transaction, and she would process a refund. I have rented from Budget for years, but NEVER, EVER again. I was told this might have happened in error because when the car goes from the return area to the fueling area, the "fueling people" make the decision on if the car is refueled or not. Really, seriously - where is the consumer's rights, protection and ability to respond to this? Also, if I returned the car with no dents, but the Budget car washer finds a major dent, or cracked wind shield when the are washing it, and I am to be charged? The idea of adding charges AFTER the car is returned and the consumer has left the area is unacceptable, and someone needs to expose Avis and Budget for this practice. It is my mission now, so others do not have to go through what I went through today.