“Don’t trust them.”
Nobody likes getting hit with surprise charges. One woman says that Enterprise unexpectedly charged her nearly two grand—after assuring her that the damage she reported was no big deal.
According to TikTok creator April Lynn Bencomo (@bencomoapril87), she booked a rental vehicle from Enterprise for a trip in July. When she arrived, they were “really busy.” She was told that she could pick from one of three vehicles.
“We’re like, ‘Okay, we’ll pick this one cause it’s green and green is my favorite color,’” she recalls.
While the Volkswagen was fully functional, she says there were some damages, including scratches and a stain on the seat. When she brought this up to a worker, she was allegedly told, “We probably have all that documented. It’s no problem. You’re good to go. Here’s your keys. Have a good trip.”
This is why Bencomo was so surprised when, two months later, she says she was blamed for all of the documented damages. The damages amounted to around $1,800, per Bencomo.
“I was like, ‘This is not me. I have a video. We did not do this,’” she recounts. “And they still denied that and decided to pursue the claim.”
Thankfully, her sister-in-law had filmed the entire car when they picked it up. After submitting the video, she says Enterprise dropped the charges.
“Take videos,” she advises. “Don’t trust them.”
Her video currently has over 30,000 views.
In the caption, Bencomo writes, “I spoke to multiple different staff members about these damages to avoid this and none of them made proper documentation. This makes me wonder how many other people were blamed for damages they did not cause simply because they could not prove that it wasn’t them.”
Others have reported similar experiences. Across the internet, many claim to have been comparably wronged by Enterprise.
One of the most comprehensive reports on the topic comes from the office of the New Jersey Attorney General. In 2021, the state investigated Enterprise after customers complained that they were not allowed to adequately inspect cars for pre-existing damage, that they were told they wouldn’t be billed for existing damage, and that they were eventually billed for damage that did not occur during their rental periods.
In response, Enterprise agreed to pay $50,000 and change certain policies at its New Jersey locations.
This reportedly didn’t just happen in New Jersey. In another case, a woman rented a car from an Enterprise location in Phoenix, Arizona. Months after she returned the car, she claims she was charged $1,391 for damages to her vehicle even though she submitted photos showing she was not responsible for the damages. The fees were reportedly dropped after an advocacy group reached out to the company.
There are a few ways you can prevent getting an unexpected fee after you drop off your rental car.
The first is by following Bencomo’s example and documenting as much as possible. This includes taking photos and videos of the interior and exterior. Crucially, you should not just do this when you get the car, but when you return it as well.
Second, it’s beneficial to get everything in writing. If an employee says that scratches on the car are already known, make them give you a signed form with the relevant details. That way, if the rental company attempts to fraudulently charge you, you have the possibility of disputing it with information that comes directly from them.
Third, you can try to handle it through insurance. Many credit card providers offer car rental insurance as a perk. You can see if the credit card you used to book offers this benefit, then sort the issue out through them.
Finally, if all else fails, you can attempt to dispute any attempted charges with your credit card.
In the comments section, other people said they’ve had similar experiences with car rental companies.
“Enterprise has done this for DECADES,” claimed a commenter. “Can’t document enough during pre-inspection.”
“This happened to me,” offered another. “Enterprise is the worst.”
Some suggested methods to prevent this. Most involved simply buying their insurance or using the insurance provided by some credit cards.
“I do this and only rent from Avis or Hertz so I can get premium car rental insurance from Amex Platinum for $18 per rental,” wrote a user.
“I always video my rental car inside and out before I take it off the lot no matter what company I use,” noted a second. “Some use AI scanners at the return and will automatically bill you for damage (ie Hertz at TPA).”
We’ve reached out to Enterprise via email and Bencomo via TikTok direct message and comment.
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