Dont Rent From DOLLAR!!!!!

[Magic4UsZ's]

Just looked at my visa account online, and saw a charge from dollar for 26.00 .
I rented on May 28th 2009!!!!!!! I allready had my charge go through for the rental agreement.

Now after many frustrating phone calls tonight all I can find out was that is was for some sort of ticket!! 10 weeks later mind you!!!!and that I can all in the morning to the "ticketing deptartment" in the am.

I was never stopped, payed all the tolls, no parking tickets, no speeding, so what up????

I feel they just charge people later and a % of people never question it and they just pay it.

They never contacted me (they have my telephone #, address and email from the rental agreement) to tell me that there was going to be an additional charge for anything!! or that I had a ticket of some sort!!!

I feel this company is practicing fraud!!!!

Anyone else have this happen to them at dollar?

I have been to Disney many times and know my way around they world, we come prepared with change for tolls. We have rented from Alamo with no problems at all!!!!

I am so stincking mad!!!! never will I recommend,nor use dollar again.

 

[BigTigger]

Dollar has the backup ePass/SunPass system where if you go through a toll and don't pay, they charge you the toll price and not the toll surcharge and penalties. Are you sure that isn't what this charge is? It takes 3-4 weeks for the ePass/SunPass people to pass through the charges. I had our SunPass in the rental for most of our April trip, but took it out when others used the van to go golfing. They shouldn't have needed the SunPass, but took the Osceola parkway shortcut back to Disneyworld and ended up going through the tolls and I got the charge about 4 weeks later on my credit card used for the rental. I can't think of any other ticket that's only $28 these days. Photo radar is a lot more than that.

 

[Magic4UsZ's]

We did have some sort of an epass thing in our car but was given no info about it, did not "use" it. We stopped at every toll and paid cash in the "exact change" lane.

 

[scammermom]

Sorry that you're upset. I've rented from Dollar many times and have never had this happen. You may have to dispute the charge on your credit card. It also could be a speed camera or red light camera. I do know that these types of tickets do take several months to process and produce a ticket and bill.

I hope calling during normal business hours you will be able to get some results.

 

[Magic4UsZ's]

thanks scammermom,


I hope so too.

There was no speeding or running any questionable red lights, plus dont you think those type of violations would of been much more that 26.00? I hear they are back in Illinois.

I called my credit card company (Disney Visa) and they were very helpful and gave me the phone # of the dispute dept should I need help.

Wish me luck in the am, i know in the big picture this is not a big deal but I believe in principal and this is sounding like a scam to me, I have no reason to believe that any sort of violation occured during the use of the car.

 

[SamSam]

I have rented from Dollar many,many times through the year and have never had an extra charge show up.
On the other hand, twice when I've rented from Alamo at the airport and then dropped off at The Dolphin, I've had double charges, once had to argue about the price (even though I had a printout of my confirmation), and got charged for gas even though we had filled it up before returning. I still rent from them for the convenience of dropping off at The Dolphin, but I'm very careful about checking everything.

 

[scammermom]

My hubby who works in DC got a red light ticket for $75 last year. Actually, I was thinking that was a very small amount! LOL! but we live in an expensive area.

Get some rest.

 

[Magic4UsZ's]

SamSam,

Makes me think that they are just trying to scam people by puttting extra charges on and banking on the fact the a small percentage of people would not even notice let alone dispute the charges.

I will find out in the am what 26.00 could be for?

If they say its a toll violation how on earth would i dispute that when we paid cash in the exact change toll lane?

Wouldnt the state of Florida find out who was in the car and would of sent a ticket to us before 10 weeks had past? Makes me wonder what is really going on!!!

 

[kimkatmom]

My daughter rented from Dollar in HI. They charged her for a tank of gas. One problem -- the gas tank was full.

This is the trick I learned from her: When you rent the car, you take a picture of the gas gauge [make sure you have the date stamp on your picture]. Then when you return it, take the time to take another picture of the gas gauge.

She was able to get the charge reversed, but only after many telephone calls. It is a clear case of fraud on their part, so don't be afraid of accusing them of that. [They don't like that word.] If you don't get satisfaction from the person on the phone, ask to talk to a supervisor.

 

[Tozzie]

thanks scammermom,


I hope so too.

There was no speeding or running any questionable red lights, plus dont you think those type of violations would of been much more that 26.00? I hear they are back in Illinois.

I called my credit card company (Disney Visa) and they were very helpful and gave me the phone # of the dispute dept should Irecorded need help.

Wish me luck in the am, i know in the big picture this is not a big deal but I believe in principal and this is sounding like a scam to me, I have no reason to believe that any sort of violation occured during the use of the car.

You have no idea if you had a traffic violation from a camera they take a few months.

The other possibility is and I hope you kept the reciepts from paying cash for tolls, is that while you paid cash there was a sunpass or whatever it is called in florida in the car, well guess what the device prolly recorded the toll even though you paid cash even if you in an exact change lane. Those things are very sensitive and sometimes record the charge even if you pay cash at the toll plaza

 

[kaytieeldr]

Wouldnt the state of Florida find out who was in the car

Absolutely not. Why do ANY research when they can simply ticket the owner of the vehicle? The owner - the rental agency - is then well within its rights to pass the ticket cost on to the renter at the time.

You should be able to get a copy of the ticket.

 

[scammermom]

Police agencies only have a picture of the license plate from the tolls, red light and speeding cameras. The ticket goes to the owner of the car from the registration. The rental car company is supposed to then check the date and time of who had the car during that time. Like I mentioned previously, this can take a month or two easily to process.

I'm sure today will be better!

 

[Lewisc]

My daughter rented from Dollar in HI. They charged her for a tank of gas. One problem -- the gas tank was full.

This is the trick I learned from her: When you rent the car, you take a picture of the gas gauge [make sure you have the date stamp on your picture]. Then when you return it, take the time to take another picture of the gas gauge.

She was able to get the charge reversed, but only after many telephone calls. It is a clear case of fraud on their part, so don't be afraid of accusing them of that. [They don't like that word.] If you don't get satisfaction from the person on the phone, ask to talk to a supervisor.

It's too easy to change the date in your camera. Just keep a receipt showing you got gas within a few miles of the rental agency, within a half hour of the time you dropped of the car. Based on the MPG of the car, and the miles you drove the car, it should be evident you gassed up.

Accusing a company of fraud can backfire. Some companies may refer your complaint to their legal department which makes negotations more difficult.

I'm not sure how can say it's a clear case of fraud. A mistake is more likely. Not much Dollar could do if the customer saved the receipt, or used a credit card bill to show when/where he gassed up. I might agree with your fraud comment if they logged every tank as being 7/8 full but not empty.

 

[Michael623]

Maybe this thread should read "I won't rent from Dollar again" because honestly I have also rented from Dollar several times and nothing in this thread would keep me from renting there again. Just a thought.

 

[helenk]

Why in the world would you accuse a company of fraud before investigating the situation first? Basically you are slandering Dollar rent a car.
Wouldn't the prudent thing be to investigate first and then if there is a problem post on the boards?
Why would you rant about something that you are not even sure about?
I've rented from Dollar for business and pleasure and have never run into a problem with them before.

 

[Lewisc]

Blame whatever agency is responsible for the toll road. Am I the only poster who has an issue with an exact change/transponder only exit on a road used by visitors who just flew in? Taking pictures of license plates so inflated bills can be sent to car renters. Not to mention double billing if the customer doesn't shield the rental agency supplied transponder but also pays cash.

We pay high car rental surcharges. I don't see any reason why a part of those charges aren't allocated to at least pay for the stretch of the toll road from the airport to I-4.

 

[SamSam]

You have no idea if you had a traffic violation from a camera they take a few months.

The other possibility is and I hope you kept the reciepts from paying cash for tolls, is that while you paid cash there was a sunpass or whatever it is called in florida in the car, well guess what the device prolly recorded the toll even though you paid cash even if you in an exact change lane. Those things are very sensitive and sometimes record the charge even if you pay cash at the toll plaza

This is what I was thinking. We use similar device in Kansas and it is very sensitive.
Yes, the extra charge on the gas was our own fault. We now keep all receipts as proof.
As far as the double charge goes, that's a little trickier for me. They have corrected it each time, but it's a hassle and I wonder how many people either don't notice or don't bother. Probably an honest error, but twice in a row bothered me.
Will we use Alamo again? Of course, overall we've had good experiences.

 

[SamSam]

Blame whatever agency is responsible for the toll road. Am I the only poster who has an issue with an exact change/transponder only exit on a road used by visitors who just flew in? Taking pictures of license plates so inflated bills can be sent to car renters. Not to mention double billing if the customer doesn't shield the rental agency supplied transponder but also pays cash.

We pay high car rental surcharges. I don't see any reason why a part of those charges aren't allocated to at least pay for the stretch of the toll road from the airport to I-4.

The cash only tolls are the ones that used to always get us, felt wierd to drive through them when we didn't have exact change. Thankfully we never got a charge for doing so. Now, we try to have a handful of quarters....just in case.

 

[tlens]

I always rent from Dollar in Orlando and have never had issues. It sounds like you are the one most likely at fault though some toll (sunpass perhaps) you drive though by accident. Why should dollar eat your charge?

 

[Magic4UsZ's]

After being on hold for 14 minutes and never getting thru, I called a second time this am and was on hold for nearly 20 minutes before anyone picked up.

Obviously a very busy department.

Lisa from this department stated that it was for a toll charge of 1.00 from the state of Florida which they (dollar) added a 25.00 charge to that.

We went thru and paid every marked toll on our trip to and from the port and have been on this road before and never had any trouble of this sort.

I have to say I am an honest person, this was our 10th trip to the Disney/Orlando area and have known about the tolls and always have quarters and dollars ready for the exact change lanes. They said it was on May 4th on airport road which on that day we were at WDW going to the port for our cruise,I will look at a map and see if we were near or on this road that day at the time they say. If not, DH states he thinks it might be worth checking into and seeing if there is some improper actions going on.

I will let you know later if I figure out if we were truely on that road at that time they say.

Dollar said they will refund their 25.00 charge but not the dollar charge from the state of Florida.

Also Im sure in the contract we signed it says something about how they can charge you later for this kind of thing, however 10 weeks later seems long, also why was there no communication for the charge,(other than just showing up on my visa) they have multiple ways of getting ahold of me from the information in the contract, it seems to me they hope to just slip it in and no one would notice kind of thing, were they going to send me any receipt for the charge or notify me of the violation? Im thinking probably not, which is a bit on the deceitful side instead of straight forward kind of business in my opinion.

Will I rent from dollar again- no.

Should anyone else? you should decide for yourself
.
My experience from other rental agencies have been very good, even free upgrades, a discount for things that did not work right on the car, fast service ect... I went with dollar for the price and have learned a lesson I allready know but was reminded of you usually get what you pay for.

Thanks for yor listening and support, and remember to speak up when you think something is not right!!! watch your bill!!! Honest mistakes are made but also in this time and day it makes you wonder if it isnt a calculated plan for the car rental agencies to make some more money.