Chase Cardmember Services
P.O. Box 15299
Wilmington, DE 19850-5299
January 21
Friends in the Chase Billing Dispute team:
Shame on me for not insisting on renting a car from Dollar Rent a Car at the Cancun Airport, for tolerating lies from the desk rental agent there and not insisting to get a sales receipt when I returned the car.
I knew when I first walked in there and heard the arguments between customers and desk guy that I was in for some kind of scam. A naïve American, but distrustful, I insisted on getting all his figuring in dollars, not just pesos.
For starters, I ordered the car on Orbitz and was given a price. This did not include insurance. As a rule, I don’t purchase additional insurance, since I have insurance from Allstate and your credit card. But, the desk guy said they would not let me have the car unless and until I paid for insurance. And that U.S. Credit cards didn’t’ cover any insurance at all in Mexico. Scam #1.
Brucker dispute (page 2 of 2)
I wrote on the charge slip he gave me “includes mandatory insurance.” He ripped up that charge slip and said they couldn’t accept anything but my signature so I would have to sign the slip without the evidence of the shady practice. (Which was in pesos and he said it was equivalent to the rental agreement form attached). Scam #2?
After seeing how they were eager to charge/scam people an arm and a leg for any scratch (already there probably) on their rental cars, I thought OK, if I buy the full insurance deal (which the guy said covered everything possible – for $180 total for the rental), then I wouldn’t be charged anything if the car got hurt. I thought OK, the most I would be liable for is $180 – and I would avoid a probable hassle (in terms of their people adding a charge for some imaginary damage I might have caused).
By the way, I returned the car without any scratch and a full tank of gas. They gave me the car with less than half a tank of gas. (Scam #3?) They said it was standard practice for them to give out their cars with a half full tank.
And now comes the rub: when I returned the car, there were a lot of people in front of me and time was running out for getting to my flight. The desk guy assured me that I would be charged the exact amount that was the estimate on my rental agreement. It says $375.12. He said, don’t worry, the sales receipt wouldn’t differ from that amount. (Scam #4).
Well, yes it does. The amount charged on my credit card bill is $506.19. So, at first, I was ready to dispute $131.07. Now, when I think of the intimidating, lying and sleight-of-hand service I got from Dollar: I want to dispute all charges beyond the quote I got from Orbitz, which was $143.22 U.S. Dollars. I think I owe $144.22.
So, I’m disputing $362.97. Sorry for getting you guys involved in such a mess. I look forward to hearing from you on what you determine I, in fairness, owe. Thank you.
Note:
On Feb. 2, I talked with Chase Dispute representative yesterday morning who said the case would remain open if I faxed in this letter today. I had been called by Randy Gonzalez for the first time on Feb. 1. I called back 7 times and only got his answering machine. Later, he called and said the Dispute was over – game, set, match, swindle for Dollar. Will you make sure the case stays in dispute until I get the invoice (which previously, I understand Dollar refused to send to you).
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