ATLANTA — Potential renters should be aware of possible rental car scams as companies try to work to meet the sudden increase in demand.
Rental cars are in short supply, and that’s driving up prices. It’s also driving up the number of fraudulent rental sites online.
Channel 2 anchor Jorge Estevez sits down with consumer adviser Clark Howard who breaks down the steps you need to take to avoid them.
“This one really is so sad. So you go on the internet, and you do a Google search or whatever it pops up, and you’ll see this company or that one or the other, it’ll show you these great rates. And you’re like, ‘Hey, that’s from me.’ The internet special, you click on it, you book it, and then they tell you that they need you to pay them, either with some form of app or with a prepaid card of some kind,” said Clark.
Clark warns about using a prepaid card for the fraudulent booking.
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“The prepaid card, the app, whatever, because you’re sending money to who you think may be a major car rental company. You show up at the counter. They’re like, ‘We don’t know who you are, and you don’t have a booking.’ And there’s nothing you can do,” Clark advised.
Clark said your money is simply gone in this process.
“Your money is gone. You have no car. You got to know you’re dealing with an actual real company when you’re booking a car, and this is how you do it. You go to the actual website of the car rental company or the travel agency booking site. You use their books, cars — like you plug in car on Priceline, Hotwire. That’s fine,” said Clark.
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