| Technical credit card question 11:27 - Jan 5 with 5094 views | Pegojack |
I'm always amazed by the breadth of knowledge on this website, so I'm going to fire out a question regarding a credit card situation I've got and hoping there's an industry expert on here who can answer it.
I was scammed by an Italian care hire company on a recent holiday. They have charged my credit card for repairs for damage that didn't exist when I returned the car.
I won't go into that long saga, but the basic facts are these. During the initial car pick up at the airport desk, they asked me to take out their overpriced excess insurance. When I declined, they asked if I had a private insurance policy which covered damage. I said I did.
They then did the usual thing of blocking out an amount on my credit card to cover damage, I think it was around 1100 Euros.
When I took the car back, they said there was damage caused by me, I disputed it, I was told it would be up to manager if it was taken further.
A couple of weeks later, a charge for £488 appeared on my credit card for this supposed damage repair. On my statement, there was no sign of the blocked out amount. I don't know what blocking out actually means in terms of the amount actually appearing on your account. Does it get put on, then taken off, so it doesn't show on the next statement?
My question for the experts is this. When I was told at the car return that they were likely going to 'stiff' me for a charge which was fraudulent, a thought crossed my mind to report my credit card lost/stolen abroad as soon as I landed back in the UK. Would that have prevented the feckin thieving bar stewards putting the charge against me two weeks later? Or does the 'blocking out' somehow give them the ability to make a retrospective charge against your credit card?
Sorry for the technical nature of this enquiry, but I want to know in case the same thing happens again! |  | | |  |
| Technical credit card question on 09:46 - Jan 6 with 985 views | Pegojack |
| Technical credit card question on 09:32 - Jan 6 by BrynCartwright |
What was the name of the company?...
Mafiavis? |
No, it was Ecovia, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some Mafia involvement. The car was hired at Bergamo Airport in the north, but when they produced an invoice for repairs from a garage, guess where it was? Palermo in Sicily! You couldn't make it up. | | | |
| Technical credit card question on 09:53 - Jan 6 with 982 views | whoflungdung |
Very disturbing to read this Mike especially as I ll be hiring a car in Italy this summer.
I've never yet ,ever,had anyone from a hire company check a car over with me on collection. It's often the case they don't bother when you return.
Good luck |  |
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| Technical credit card question on 10:12 - Jan 6 with 972 views | keith_gatebroth |
The same thing happened to me last summer in Corfu. Luckily for me I had bought full cover excess. When I took the car back the guy found a dent under the sill which you could only see by getting down on your hands and knees. I asked to see the diagram of the cars existing marks to see if this dent was itemised but he refused. He told me I had to fill in an accident report. I said I didn’t do it and declineded because there was no accident to report. He then got aggressive and said by the time I got home the cost of repair would be taken from my credit card deposit of 700 euros. I got home and phoned the credit card company. They said no deduction had been taken and they would block them. When I had my next bill 380 euros had been taken, obviously before the blocking. I phoned the excess insurance company and they wanted an accident report before paying out. I explained the situation and that the car hire company were trying to get money under false pretences and after a few weeks investigating luckily for me they eventually paid out. I had noticed, when returning the car and waiting for it to be checked there was this German guy about to rent a car and he meticulously videoed the whole car including low down, as proof of condition, so a good tip when renting. Also don’t risk not paying the full cover excess to save money, it’s not worth it, there are many sharks about, don’t get bitten! | | | |
| Technical credit card question on 11:32 - Jan 6 with 952 views | trampie |
| Technical credit card question on 09:46 - Jan 6 by Pegojack |
No, it was Ecovia, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some Mafia involvement. The car was hired at Bergamo Airport in the north, but when they produced an invoice for repairs from a garage, guess where it was? Palermo in Sicily! You couldn't make it up. |
One has to laugh otherwise one would cry. |  |
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| Technical credit card question on 22:14 - Feb 1 with 862 views | Pegojack |
Just a happy footnote to this story, folks.
I was informed tonight that, following the investigation by my Visa credit card company, in which they obviously concluded that the company concerned are a bunch of crooks, they instucted Autovia to refund the money they charged me. The Eye-talian rogues have complied with the instruction and refunded my account with the full amount.
Justice prevails! | | | |
| Technical credit card question on 12:17 - Feb 2 with 796 views | stevethejack |
Good News |  | | |
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