Budget Rent-a-Car Charged Me $2,400 for a Car I Didn't Rent
August 26, 2023 7:11 PM Subscribe
My wife and daughter and I went to Hawaii on vacation last month. I reserved a car at Budget, but we did not pick up the car. They have charged my credit card $2,400. What are my options?
I disputed the charge with USAA (my credit card) and they gave me a new card, but they paid Budget $2,400+. I have called and emailed Budget, and they claim I need to prove I was not in Hawaii during the rental period. I was in Hawaii during the rental period, but I did not take the car. My wife and daughter were with me almost the entire time.
Why do I have to prove anything? They should have to prove I picked up the car. I'm sure they have video surveillance and cannot show that I picked up the car.
I disputed the charge with USAA (my credit card) and they gave me a new card, but they paid Budget $2,400+. I have called and emailed Budget, and they claim I need to prove I was not in Hawaii during the rental period. I was in Hawaii during the rental period, but I did not take the car. My wife and daughter were with me almost the entire time.
Why do I have to prove anything? They should have to prove I picked up the car. I'm sure they have video surveillance and cannot show that I picked up the car.
I had a really bad experience with Budget in Florida in January. We did everything we could to fast track and get to the car quickly, yet we still had to wait in line for over an hour to get a car. It took them 4 months to bill us for the car we rented from them. I actually laughed when I got the email that they had billed us, and double-checked with my credit card because I assumed they that we already paid for it. Something is deeply wrong with Budget.
If you didn't prepay for the car, as far as I know all rental car agreements are conditional on you actually showing up and renting the car. I would think they need to prove you actually did so. You need to show your driver's license, right? Maybe that's an avenue to pursue. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this, but it sounds like your credit card issuer at least has your back.
posted by mollweide at 7:34 PM on August 26, 2023
If you didn't prepay for the car, as far as I know all rental car agreements are conditional on you actually showing up and renting the car. I would think they need to prove you actually did so. You need to show your driver's license, right? Maybe that's an avenue to pursue. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this, but it sounds like your credit card issuer at least has your back.
posted by mollweide at 7:34 PM on August 26, 2023
but they paid Budget $2,400+
Does this mean that you paid Budget this amount? I had a great experience with USAA challenging a really poopy Vrbo rental. It took several back and forths through their online system in which I had to fill out forms and share documentation of the issue, but in the end they refunded me. In general USAA are really, really, really nice people. So see if you can escalate the dispute through them and push through the process. Consider giving USAA a call and asking them nicely about the process for escalating a dispute if it was rejected?
posted by Toddles at 8:19 PM on August 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
Does this mean that you paid Budget this amount? I had a great experience with USAA challenging a really poopy Vrbo rental. It took several back and forths through their online system in which I had to fill out forms and share documentation of the issue, but in the end they refunded me. In general USAA are really, really, really nice people. So see if you can escalate the dispute through them and push through the process. Consider giving USAA a call and asking them nicely about the process for escalating a dispute if it was rejected?
posted by Toddles at 8:19 PM on August 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
Funnily enough, I rented Budget a couple of weeks ago in California. Important distinction: I used a "pay later" reservation, which basically means you're not committed to anything at all. You don't even provide your credit card information at all, just put in your name, email, and a few other pieces of information, then once you arrive at the office, they'll get you squared away with payment, etc. You can just walk away from that kind of reservation with absolutely no penalty or no charges.
It seems to me that you might have chosen the "pay now" ("prepaid" in Budget's parlance) rate, which basically locks you in, unless you cancel 24 hours prior to the reservation starting. It can be a bit deceiving, because they tend to offer those "prepaid" rates first, as they're typically cheaper. The reason I suggest this is because your card was charged, which doesn't happen with a "pay later" reservation, as they don't even request credit card information upfront with those.
What I would recommend you do is call their Customer Service line. I did this because I had my own issues with them during my rental, and they very graciously took care of me. You might have to keep fighting the phone tree, but once you do reach a person, they'd very likely get you squared away. The number I called was 800-214-6094, and I chose (IIRC) Customer Service as the option to route me to that department. They might initially stick to their policy, which is basically no refunds within 24 hours, but I would keep fighting. They might give you a partial refund, though, or stick with "no", but definitely doesn't hurt to try.
If they won't budge (no pun intended), then escalate with USAA.
Good luck! Budget definitely lives up to its name, but they have some good people working there who should take care of you in the end. :)
posted by dubious_dude at 8:29 PM on August 26, 2023 [4 favorites]
It seems to me that you might have chosen the "pay now" ("prepaid" in Budget's parlance) rate, which basically locks you in, unless you cancel 24 hours prior to the reservation starting. It can be a bit deceiving, because they tend to offer those "prepaid" rates first, as they're typically cheaper. The reason I suggest this is because your card was charged, which doesn't happen with a "pay later" reservation, as they don't even request credit card information upfront with those.
What I would recommend you do is call their Customer Service line. I did this because I had my own issues with them during my rental, and they very graciously took care of me. You might have to keep fighting the phone tree, but once you do reach a person, they'd very likely get you squared away. The number I called was 800-214-6094, and I chose (IIRC) Customer Service as the option to route me to that department. They might initially stick to their policy, which is basically no refunds within 24 hours, but I would keep fighting. They might give you a partial refund, though, or stick with "no", but definitely doesn't hurt to try.
If they won't budge (no pun intended), then escalate with USAA.
Good luck! Budget definitely lives up to its name, but they have some good people working there who should take care of you in the end. :)
posted by dubious_dude at 8:29 PM on August 26, 2023 [4 favorites]
Prepaid non-refundable reservation seems like the obvious answer, but then it seems odd that they would be willing to waive the payment if you weren't in Hawaii at the time. Are they specifically claiming that you were there, rented and later returned the vehicle, and so owe them the money?
If that's the case, then I think continuing to work with USAA is your best bet. I can't imagine Budget is going to show you their records or footage but USAA may have more leverage and generally has such good customer service that I'd keep trying to escalate through them rather than deal with Budget.
posted by Stacey at 8:43 PM on August 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
If that's the case, then I think continuing to work with USAA is your best bet. I can't imagine Budget is going to show you their records or footage but USAA may have more leverage and generally has such good customer service that I'd keep trying to escalate through them rather than deal with Budget.
posted by Stacey at 8:43 PM on August 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
I’m just guessing but it may be the case that you reserved the car, so the car was waiting for you and therefore unavailable to be used by anyone else. They wouldn’t have let someone else take it because who’s to say your flight wasn’t delayed and you would still turn up expecting a car?
posted by Jubey at 4:11 AM on August 27, 2023
posted by Jubey at 4:11 AM on August 27, 2023
Response by poster: They also claim that I didn't return the car.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:32 AM on August 27, 2023
posted by kirkaracha at 7:32 AM on August 27, 2023
Best answer: Hey, I have some personal experience with how much the Avis/Budget Group sucks. I also have a solution for you. I have twice sent email directly to the CEO of the Avis/Budget Group about poor rental experiences. Dude checks his email even on the weekends and has immediately forwarded my concerns in both cases to the necessary regional management. What follows has been, both times, an entertaining series of panicked phone calls and emails from Budget’s top regional managers who have, in both cases, made the situation right.
Here’s the necessary contact info:
Joe Ferraro, Avis/Budget Group CEO:
joe.ferraro@avisbudget.com
Send him a polite, detailed summary of the issue right away. You will be amazed how fast the company fixes the problem for you.
posted by killdevil at 7:37 AM on August 27, 2023 [20 favorites]
Here’s the necessary contact info:
Joe Ferraro, Avis/Budget Group CEO:
joe.ferraro@avisbudget.com
Send him a polite, detailed summary of the issue right away. You will be amazed how fast the company fixes the problem for you.
posted by killdevil at 7:37 AM on August 27, 2023 [20 favorites]
Wait, what? That doesn’t make sense. If they truly thought you still had the car, surely they’d be asking for much more than the hire bill for the original time period you booked it? At the very least they’d be wanting their car back plus daily fees for right up until now as they’re claiming you still have it and potentially be charging you with theft?! I would consider talking to a lawyer at this point, you’re being falsely accused.
posted by Jubey at 7:37 AM on August 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Jubey at 7:37 AM on August 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
I’m assuming that ‘never returned the car’ implies, ‘you still have our car…’
posted by Jubey at 7:39 AM on August 27, 2023
posted by Jubey at 7:39 AM on August 27, 2023
Response by poster: I also have a receipt that shows a return date of 11 days after we left Hawaii.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:44 AM on August 27, 2023
posted by kirkaracha at 7:44 AM on August 27, 2023
I also have a receipt that shows a return date of 11 days after we left Hawaii.
Send them your itinerary from the airline's web site showing that you were ticketed on a flight out of Hawaii 11 days before you ostensibly returned the car.
killdevil's on the right track here - contacting the CEO will almost certainly get you in touch with the executive response team who can resolve more complex issues. This would be a cut and dry case if you got a pre-paid reservation and didn't cancel - you would indeed be charged, and that would be that - but if you're saying this was a "pay later" reservation where they say you actually picked up the car and didn't return it until you were out of the state by 11 days, that's a very weird situation that you're going to need to escalate to the top.
posted by I EAT TAPAS at 8:10 AM on August 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Send them your itinerary from the airline's web site showing that you were ticketed on a flight out of Hawaii 11 days before you ostensibly returned the car.
killdevil's on the right track here - contacting the CEO will almost certainly get you in touch with the executive response team who can resolve more complex issues. This would be a cut and dry case if you got a pre-paid reservation and didn't cancel - you would indeed be charged, and that would be that - but if you're saying this was a "pay later" reservation where they say you actually picked up the car and didn't return it until you were out of the state by 11 days, that's a very weird situation that you're going to need to escalate to the top.
posted by I EAT TAPAS at 8:10 AM on August 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I'm going to email the CEO with my documentation.
The rental agreement was "Pay at pick-up" and the no-show policy is "No refunds will be given for customers who do not show up for their bookings," so I don't see how I would be charged at all.
posted by kirkaracha at 12:34 PM on August 27, 2023
The rental agreement was "Pay at pick-up" and the no-show policy is "No refunds will be given for customers who do not show up for their bookings," so I don't see how I would be charged at all.
posted by kirkaracha at 12:34 PM on August 27, 2023
Best answer: [USAA] gave me a new card, but they paid Budget $2,400+
[Budget] claim I need to prove I was not in Hawaii during the rental period
They also claim that I didn't return the car
I also have a receipt that shows a return date of 11 days after we left Hawaii
I'm sorry you're being made to jump through hoops with this particular Budget franchisee.
You were sent a new card; is USAA is treating this as some kind of fraud?
Have you checked your other cards for unusual activity?
Did someone *else* claim your reserved car, return it much, much later than your original reservation period, and Budget charged the card on file (yours)?
Did Budget try to contact you after you returned home, if their records flagged "your" original car rental as days overdue?
Did you use an intermediary at any stage of your car rental (travel package with the airline or hotel, USAA partnership with Budget, Costco Travel, AAA, etc.)? Months ago, I had an issue with a Budget in NYC; the booking was through Costco Travel. When I arrived at Budget the car I'd reserved was not available, nor was anything available in that class. When I refused the reservation, the manager assured me the cancellation had been processed without penalty... but the printer was malfunctioning, and documentation would arrive via email "within the hour, maybe two." In actuality, it was "never." After Budget phone CSRs were not helpful, contacting Costco Travel reps quickly resolved the problem and cleared my credit card.
posted by Iris Gambol at 12:43 PM on August 27, 2023
[Budget] claim I need to prove I was not in Hawaii during the rental period
They also claim that I didn't return the car
I also have a receipt that shows a return date of 11 days after we left Hawaii
I'm sorry you're being made to jump through hoops with this particular Budget franchisee.
You were sent a new card; is USAA is treating this as some kind of fraud?
Have you checked your other cards for unusual activity?
Did someone *else* claim your reserved car, return it much, much later than your original reservation period, and Budget charged the card on file (yours)?
Did Budget try to contact you after you returned home, if their records flagged "your" original car rental as days overdue?
Did you use an intermediary at any stage of your car rental (travel package with the airline or hotel, USAA partnership with Budget, Costco Travel, AAA, etc.)? Months ago, I had an issue with a Budget in NYC; the booking was through Costco Travel. When I arrived at Budget the car I'd reserved was not available, nor was anything available in that class. When I refused the reservation, the manager assured me the cancellation had been processed without penalty... but the printer was malfunctioning, and documentation would arrive via email "within the hour, maybe two." In actuality, it was "never." After Budget phone CSRs were not helpful, contacting Costco Travel reps quickly resolved the problem and cleared my credit card.
posted by Iris Gambol at 12:43 PM on August 27, 2023
Response by poster: Did someone *else* claim your reserved car, return it much, much later than your original reservation period, and Budget charged the card on file (yours)?
I think this is what happened.
You were sent a new card; is USAA is treating this as some kind of fraud?
When I called USAA to dispute the charge, they cancelled my card and sent me a new one.
Did Budget try to contact you after you returned home, if their records flagged "your" original car rental as days overdue?
They sent me a demand for return of overdue vehicle letter and I called them and told them I didn't pick up the car. They later emailed me to say I needed to send them my airline confirmation showing I left Hawaii before the car was returned. This is a work in progress: Hawaiian Airlines' website doesn't let me find the receipts.
Did you use an intermediary at any stage of your car rental (travel package with the airline or hotel, USAA partnership with Budget, Costco Travel, AAA, etc.)?
I rented the car through the Hawaiian Airlines website, and they used Cartrawler.
posted by kirkaracha at 1:47 PM on August 27, 2023
I think this is what happened.
You were sent a new card; is USAA is treating this as some kind of fraud?
When I called USAA to dispute the charge, they cancelled my card and sent me a new one.
Did Budget try to contact you after you returned home, if their records flagged "your" original car rental as days overdue?
They sent me a demand for return of overdue vehicle letter and I called them and told them I didn't pick up the car. They later emailed me to say I needed to send them my airline confirmation showing I left Hawaii before the car was returned. This is a work in progress: Hawaiian Airlines' website doesn't let me find the receipts.
Did you use an intermediary at any stage of your car rental (travel package with the airline or hotel, USAA partnership with Budget, Costco Travel, AAA, etc.)?
I rented the car through the Hawaiian Airlines website, and they used Cartrawler.
posted by kirkaracha at 1:47 PM on August 27, 2023
Response by poster: On the fun side, the license plate listed in the demand letter is USHITXP643.
US = United States; HI = Hawaii
posted by kirkaracha at 1:48 PM on August 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
US = United States; HI = Hawaii
posted by kirkaracha at 1:48 PM on August 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: This sounds like an automated systems snafu - someone mistakenly marked the car as out to you, the system did not reflect you returning the car, and everything is messed up. The location that rented the car will have a record of the driver's license number of the person who drove off in the car, and they will eventually be able to figure out this was not you. In the meantime, you should pester the company until they make it right. The CEO is a good idea, but you might also try the company legal department and/or making a complaint to a state attorney general (either in HI or your state) and then copy that complaint to the company legal department. This will get fixed.
posted by Mid at 2:26 PM on August 27, 2023
posted by Mid at 2:26 PM on August 27, 2023
Best answer: If you haven't leaned directly on Hawaiian Air yet: Hawaiian Airlines Car Rental Support is 1-800-614-2976; if the car rental was part of a larger HA hotel & car vacation package, 1-844-762-0089. At the very least, a rep can corral your receipts and email them to you directly if the site is not cooperating.
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:29 PM on August 27, 2023
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:29 PM on August 27, 2023
Response by poster: I was not physically on the island of Oahu when Budget claims I picked up the car (we made a day trip to Maui), and had left Hawaii 11 days before Budget claims I returned it.
I emailed Budget Customer Service and the CEO, and copied the Hawaii State Attorney General and the local Better Business Bureau, with all the receipts.
My immediate concern is getting refunded the money Budget wrongly charged me, so I'm only contacting them right now. I'll probably call Hawaiian Airlines Car Rental Support this week, too.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:34 PM on August 27, 2023
I emailed Budget Customer Service and the CEO, and copied the Hawaii State Attorney General and the local Better Business Bureau, with all the receipts.
My immediate concern is getting refunded the money Budget wrongly charged me, so I'm only contacting them right now. I'll probably call Hawaiian Airlines Car Rental Support this week, too.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:34 PM on August 27, 2023
Wait, if the policy is that you can't get a refund if you no-show them and don't pick up the car, I don't see why you think you don't owe them the money. You reserved the car and agreed to pay for it, then didn't cancel the reservation, preventing them from renting the same car to someone else, and so they charged you for the reservation. I agree there's some screw up with regard to why they think you physically had the car, but if the amount they're charging you is the amount you agreed to pay when you made the reservation, why wouldn't you owe that money?
posted by decathecting at 6:29 PM on August 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by decathecting at 6:29 PM on August 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Wait, if the policy is that you can't get a refund if you no-show them and don't pick up the car, I don't see why you think you don't owe them the money.
The rental cost was $349.35, so I could see how I would owe them that. But that's not the situation.
They are claiming that I picked up the car when I was on an airplane, returned it 11 days after I left Hawaii, and charged me $2,482.85.
posted by kirkaracha at 9:49 PM on August 27, 2023
The rental cost was $349.35, so I could see how I would owe them that. But that's not the situation.
They are claiming that I picked up the car when I was on an airplane, returned it 11 days after I left Hawaii, and charged me $2,482.85.
posted by kirkaracha at 9:49 PM on August 27, 2023
Best answer: I emailed Budget Customer Service and the CEO, and copied the Hawaii State Attorney General and the local Better Business Bureau, with all the receipts.
I haven't heard from any of these people, but I called customer service again and they're giving me a full refund.
I still will have to pay my credit card company 3 weeks of interest on a $2,400+ transaction I didn't make and my credit rating is lower. But I guess I'll have to take the W.
posted by kirkaracha at 5:51 PM on August 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
I haven't heard from any of these people, but I called customer service again and they're giving me a full refund.
I still will have to pay my credit card company 3 weeks of interest on a $2,400+ transaction I didn't make and my credit rating is lower. But I guess I'll have to take the W.
posted by kirkaracha at 5:51 PM on August 30, 2023 [1 favorite]
Why would you have to pay the credit card company interest on a purchase you didn't make? This makes no sense? Call them and get your money back!
posted by flamk at 12:11 AM on August 31, 2023
posted by flamk at 12:11 AM on August 31, 2023
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(In general, my experience over many years is that you do indeed need to call to cancel a car reservation in just about any circumstance if you don't intend to pick the car up, to try to minimize charges or penalties.)
This is from the Budget FAQ:
Was your credit card charged for the rental at reservation time on budget.com?
If you wish to cancel before your rental pick-up time, you must cancel and request a refund online. Once cancelled, we will credit you within approximately seven business days. Credits will be applied to the same card with which you prepaid. You will incur a $50 processing fee if you choose to cancel a prepaid reservation 24 hours prior to the rental pickup time. If you need to cancel, we will refund the full prepaid amount less a $150 USD processing fee, during the 24 hour period prior to the scheduled pick-up time. If you do not cancel the reservation prior to the time of pick-up and the rental vehicle is not picked up on the rental date, no portion of the prepaid amount will be refunded. If you return the vehicle before the original return date, you will not be refunded any portion of the payment. Learn more about canceling your prepaid reservation.
Was your credit card information required, but not charged, at reservation time?
For high-demand cars or in instances in which only one vehicle is available within a popular make/model, some Budget locations may require that you provide your credit card information to secure your reservation. As is common practice among hotels, this type of reservation does not require charging your card unless you decide you no longer need the car rental but then fail to cancel in advance of your designated pick-up time. You may cancel up to 48 hours in advance of your designated pick-up time without penalty. If you cancel less than 48 hours before your pick-up time, a $75 U.S. fee will be assessed.
Did you make a reservation without providing credit card information?
If you make a reservation without a credit card and you no longer need to rent, please cancel your reservation as soon as possible before your scheduled pick-up time.
Did you make a reservation with a travel agent or online booking agent?
The travel agency or online booking agent "owns" any reservation you originally made with them, so their reservation cancellation processes and policies apply.
posted by I EAT TAPAS at 7:32 PM on August 26, 2023 [8 favorites]