Europcar caught scamming customer at Sydney Airport

[Mattg]

I came across this article on LoyaltyLobby about Europcar at Sydney Airport:

https://loyaltylobby.com/2025/02/10/reader-case-fraudulent-practices-at-europcar-sydney/?omhide=true

If the claims in the article are true, this all seems pretty dodgy. The main issues seemed to be:

• Europcar changed the price of the rental after the person had already picked up the car
• The person did not get the car they booked
• There was no report provided of existing damage to the car
• When they returned the car, they were told it was all fine but then an hour later (when the customer was already inside the airport terminal) Europcar advised they found a scratch and would charge for this. The scratch was already there when the customer picked up the car, which they had proof of, and Europcar's "proof" was an image of how the car looked two weeks before this person picked up the car.

The customer escalated this to Europcar's head office, and the extra charges were removed. Still, all in all, doesn't sound great.

 

[esquire]

Interestingly my company (>6500 staff in Australia) only offers Europcar as a last resort (ie manual request) - was told by our travel manager there were a disproportionately high number with claims and insurance issues compare to others. Wonder if this is related?

 

[anat0l]

Although the big car rental companies (except maybe Sixt and Budget) all have the collective ethical integrity about as worthless as a Zimbabwean dollar, Europcar has had a long standing bad reputation of dinging customers for almost any damage on checkout, no matter how small or superficial it may be, and - yes - like in the posted example, they are not above using underhanded and unethical tactics to bring about those damages.

You'd think they were on commission when they charge the customer for damages, really weird.

Still, probably better than being falsely accused of having stolen the vehicle and having the law come after you (*cough* Hertz *cough*).

 

[Happy Dude]

Would there be enough evidence to support criminal charges? Looks like a calculated attempt to steal/defraud.

 

[#flying]

I avoid Europcar like the plague. Not the first time they’ve engaged in questionable conduct.

 

[JohnK]

I may have posted how a Hertz employee at BNE airport tried to scam me around 6-7 years ago.

Returned the car to BNE international in the morning before 6:00 am and no damage to the car, and we went to BKK. Tried to check in at Millenium Hilton and credit card rejected. They had charged $3000 to credit card and I had to get on phone to Amex to allow us to check in.

Eventually the $3000 dropped off and the real charge went onto credit card. Can't remember exact amount now. $350-$650? Apparently the car was not checked before my rental and I was charged for damage that was not mine. Note I did have travel insurance so the money was not an issue but I did not want to be treated this way

I fought asking them to check airport footage of us returning footage but apparently this was lost or not available. I provided photos I took and eventually they returned all the money around Aug 2019. I requested compensation and they refused eventually agreeing to give me 600 Hertz points which was equivalent to 1 days rental.

And here is where joke continues. I had 1100 Hertz points which was enough for 2 days car hire. Covid hit and we could not go anywhere. It took more than 1 year for Hertz to credit the 600 points and the test of the points expired. I tried to fight and in the end I lost the 1100 points + 600 points compensation. I even posted on Hertz Facebook and someone got in touch and pretended to help but nothing.

I do not understand how staff are allowed to get away with this stupid practice of attempting to stealing money. And the Hertz customer care dumped with endless back and forth and stealing 3 days car hire from me. I gave up and said never again.

Unfortunately I did use Hertz last year in Thailand via QEEQ and again this year. I returned the car on 21 January and was told all ok. They have still not returned the 10,000 baht deposit they promised to return and we are now starting week 4. No email and nothing from QEEQ either. This one could be fun. And I do have travel insurance so not worried about the deposit but don't want to be scammed.

I'm hiring from Europcar in SYD on the weekend and I have prepaid 2 days car hire.

 

[eastwest101]

I would not be surprised if this was a systematic thing in some rental car agencies at some locations, there would be corporate-mandated KPI's that some managers and staff would be "gaming" the system to pump up their own profitability stats. For every one case that someone is organised and has the evidence and time to fight practises like this, there might probably be 2 or 3 cases that "go through to the keeper" or become a travel insurance claim, or externalised somehow with other people's money.

 

[Brissy1]

I may have posted how a Hertz employee at BNE airport tried to scam me around 6-7 years ago.

Returned the car to BNE international in the morning before 6:00 am and no damage to the car, and we went to BKK. Tried to check in at Millenium Hilton and credit card rejected. They had charged $3000 to credit card and I had to get on phone to Amex to allow us to check in.

Eventually the $3000 dropped off and the real charge went onto credit card. Can't remember exact amount now. $350-$650? Apparently the car was not checked before my rental and I was charged for damage that was not mine. Note I did have travel insurance so the money was not an issue but I did not want to be treated this way

I fought asking them to check airport footage of us returning footage but apparently this was lost or not available. I provided photos I took and eventually they returned all the money around Aug 2019. I requested compensation and they refused eventually agreeing to give me 600 Hertz points which was equivalent to 1 days rental.

And here is where joke continues. I had 1100 Hertz points which was enough for 2 days car hire. Covid hit and we could not go anywhere. It took more than 1 year for Hertz to credit the 600 points and the test of the points expired. I tried to fight and in the end I lost the 1100 points + 600 points compensation. I even posted on Hertz Facebook and someone got in touch and pretended to help but nothing.

I do not understand how staff are allowed to get away with this stupid practice of attempting to stealing money. And the Hertz customer care dumped with endless back and forth and stealing 3 days car hire from me. I gave up and said never again.

Unfortunately I did use Hertz last year in Thailand via QEEQ and again this year. I returned the car on 21 January and was told all ok. They have still not returned the 10,000 baht deposit they promised to return and we are now starting week 4. No email and nothing from QEEQ either. This one could be fun. And I do have travel insurance so not worried about the deposit but don't want to be scammed.

I'm hiring from Europcar in SYD on the weekend and I have prepaid 2 days car hire.

Hertz got caught

Hertz undertakes to refund consumers and improve damage assessment and charging practices

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has accepted a court enforceable undertaking from Hertz Australia Pty Ltd (Hertz) following an ACCC investigation into Hertz’s vehicle damage charging processes.

www.accc.gov.au

I would never hire from Europcar because of friends experience of the same.

 

[markis10]

I have been done by both Europcar and Hertz, the former in Darwin and latter in BNE. In the case of Europcar I dropped the car of early so I could catch up on work in the lounge. A few hours later I got a call saying there was extensive damage on the car. I said that there was none evident in the photos I took at drop off and would pop down to show them. They seemed a bit surprised I was still local, needless to say when I got there they claimed it was another vechicle, I have not used them since.

My hertz story is similar to JohnK, dropped car off at BNE INT and caught QF51 to SIN, on arrival in SIN found a $3000 charge. Took a few weeks to clear once I tracked down the manager and showed the photos, only comment was that I should have dropped the car at a manned locale!

Reading the comments on product review for Europcar I can see why they are lucky to get 1 star, charging a refuelling charge for a car written off is one of the eye openers!

https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/europcar

 

[Gredgy69]

Yep, I got done by Europcar too. I had an accident first day back at work in January 2024. Insurance company used Europcar for their replacement car company. I had the hire car for 2 months and when I returned it they said it was too dirty and would require professional cleaning and that I had lied and had dogs in the car ( I had not) because there was odd bits of dog fur on the drivers and passengers seat. I agreed there was some there as I had 2 golden retrievers whose fur gets on everything and that it would have come from my clothes. They told me they would organise the cleaning and charge my card. They did this and I did a charge back against my ANZ card, but ANZ did me over and never went through with the charge back and have never got back to me about the matter. Needless to say I have changed credit cards since then and never used Europcar again.

 

[drron]

Another pinged by Europcar and Hertz. Avoid both.

 

[JohnK]

Hertz got caught

Hertz undertakes to refund consumers and improve damage assessment and charging practices

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has accepted a court enforceable undertaking from Hertz Australia Pty Ltd (Hertz) following an ACCC investigation into Hertz’s vehicle damage charging processes.

www.accc.gov.au

I would never hire from Europcar because of friends experience of the same.

Hertz got caught and kept/keep on doing it? Disgusting practice.

How can human beings inconvenience another human being to get ahead in life? Yes I know it happens but these people are the lowest of the low.

 

[anat0l]

I would not be surprised if this was a systematic thing in some rental car agencies at some locations, there would be corporate-mandated KPI's that some managers and staff would be "gaming" the system to pump up their own profitability stats. For every one case that someone is organised and has the evidence and time to fight practises like this, there might probably be 2 or 3 cases that "go through to the keeper" or become a travel insurance claim, or externalised somehow with other people's money.

Why should charging for damage be a profit maker?

Is this a bit like bank late fees, i.e. they charge whatever they like as pure revenue rather than the actual cost of doing business (viz in this case the cost to get the car repaired)?

 

[markis10]

Why should charging for damage be a profit maker?

It is when they charge an excess regardless of fault then pursue the at-fault person for all damages, keeping the excess as profit. Fortunately such practices are no longer allowed if the companies follow the updated code of practice that’s in effect from April Car Rental Code — AFIA

 

[oz_mark]

Hertz pinged me once. Never used them again.

 

[flyingfan]

More than 10 years ago I wanted a luxury rental at SYD and hired a Mercedes E-Class from Europcar who seemed to be the only ones providing them. It was probably also when I was gifted Europcar status from VA?

Returning the car they accused me of damaging it. They eventually relented but by then I'd missed my flight. The VA person at the gate called someone trying to get me on saying "He's a platinum" (which seemed more important than being in J which I also was ) but was told it was very difficult. No worries, I was put onto the next flight which was not far away from boarding.