Now more than ever, people are traveling. What's the perfect accompaniment to your long-awaited road trip? …a rental car that will make your journey enjoyable and memorable. Unfortunately, con artists are trying to cash in on this travel-heavy season. They'll take your money and run, leaving you confused and without the resources you need.
At Autorent, we're concerned to hear about this car rental scam that's happening all around the world. As a secure rental company serving the Doylestown, Langhorne, and Boyertown, Pennsylvania, area, we want to help our customers avoid being taking advantage of.
Gift Cards for Rental Cars? Nope, That's a Scam
The car rental scam that's (trying) to sweep the nation starts like this:
You need to rent a vehicle for your upcoming road trip. You search for the best rates online and come across one that's far lower than normal. Unfortunately, that may not be a great find on your part. That could be a scam artist trying to take your hard-earned money.
Though a scam website may look legitimate, the person you'll speak to on the phone is only impersonating a car rental representative. Here's the kicker: Instead of asking for your credit card information, they'll have you purchase a prepaid gift card. Then, they'll ask for your PIN and take everything in the account.
By the time you notice anything is wrong, the con artist has disconnected their phone number and shut down the website, leaving you with nothing but a loss.
Car Rental Scam: Warning Signs to Watch for
First things first. Autorent will never ask for pre-paid cards as payment. We take pride in the reputation we've built in the community and want to make sure this scam never happens to you.
Aside from securely contacting Autorent for all your car rental needs, look for the following warning signs if you're trying to reserve a rental:
- Strange URL: When you find a hard-to-beat rate online, make sure to carefully inspect the URL on the website. A legitimate company, like our own, includes the company's name. Fake ones will not. Make sure the URL matches the business you're trying to reach.
- Asking for Pre-Paid Cards: We cannot emphasize this enough: No trustworthy company will ask for payment in gift cards. This is a huge red flag, and if someone asks you to do this, back out of the deal quickly.
- Poorly Made Website: Well-known companies take pride in the services they offer. This includes offering their customer base a well-constructed website. If you notice glaring misspellings (like "Vechile" instead of "Vehicle") or lots of grammatical errors, chances are it's not real.
If you come across any of these warning signs, reach out to the Federal Trade Commission or the Better Business Bureau and report it. Also, be diligent with your research and always pay for your rental with a credit card. This allows you to track any suspicious activity easily and get your money back if it has been taken.
 Avoid Rental Car Scams-Choose Autorent
At our car rental company, we think the best way to ensure you don't get scammed is by renting a vehicle from a reputable and local business like ours. We have a large variety of rental models to choose from and straightforward policies that get you behind the wheel quickly.
If you're ready to make a reservation or have any questions about the nationwide car rental scam, contact us. We're always happy to help both residents and visitors of the Doylestown, Langhorne, and Boyertown, PA, area.
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