Enterprise Rent A Car/ Nikole Ramos/ Leo/ Jonathan False Damage Claim, Possible Insurance Fraud, Entrapment Corona California

When I picked up the car on November 29, 2017 at around 5:54pm, the Enterprise representative named Leo went over the car with me however he didn’t point out the 6 to 7 inches scratch at the bottom of the driver side of the car. During the “walk around” I did not notice the scratch, mainly due to the fact that when I picked up the car it was in the evening around 5:54 pm (winter time) and this location has a very dark parking lot. Leo had a flash light and he just quickly perused the body of the car pointing the light downwards standing up which the scratch will not be visible unless you kneel down and look underneath the side of the car and you really have to look closer and touch the scratch to confirm that it was there.

I also mentioned to Leo all the big scratches on the front bumper and small scratches on the rear bumper and the one in the front bumper is really big, but he said it was “normal wear and tear” and not to worry about it. He also mentioned that as long the damages are around the bumpers and bottom of the car, I don’t have to worry about it because those are considered “normal wear and tear”. Leo then showed me a chart that have a coin diagram and said that as long as the scratches and the ding are not bigger that the coin then I don’t have to worry about it. 

Upon returning the car on December 6, 2017 at around 6:13pm, the Branch Rental Manager named Nikole Ramos performed “walk around” and this time she also used a flashlight pointing the light on an angle immediately and directly to the scratch at the bottom of the driver side of the car and said to me that I damaged the vehicle. I looked at the location of the scratch and I repeatedly said to her that how did she immediately know the location on the vehicle where to point the flashlight and what angle to point the flashlight to make the scratch visible. She also mentioned that she doesn’t even have to look closer to see it. It felt weird because she already knew where to look without even completing the whole inspection of the vehicle and the whole time she emphasizes on that particular damage without checking the whole vehicle. I even have to show her the very big scratches in the front bumper but she is determined to get me on the bottom one. My instinct tells me there’s something fishy about this person, so I asked her why did she already know where the damage is and how to point the flashlight in an angle if she doesn’t have a knowledge that the scratch is a pre-existing damage. So, I looked at the scratch while she’s pointing the flashlight but I couldn’t even see the scratch not until I came closer, kneel down and look up because the scratch is under the side of the car and touched the scratch, that’s the only time I can tell it was a scratch. The scratch which looks like a line about 6 to 7 inches of size. I repeatedly explained to her that we didn’t damage the car and it seems like it’s already been there when we picked up the car and the scratch is related to the existing big scratches at the front bumper that she said I am not responsible for. I also emphasized to her that when Leo did the “walk around” with me when I pick up the car he didn’t do the inspection the way she did it. I repeatedly explained to Nikole that Leo didn’t point the flashlight in an angle like she did and Leo pointed the flashlight downwards and basically just walking around and not pointed the light on both bottom side of the car. That only explain something is fishy and it seems like an entrapment to make me a victim of fraudulent claim of something that I didn’t do and entrapment to make me responsible for a pre-existing damage to that car. 

After a long argument, Nikole started processing the payment, she said that my total payment due is $500 plus tax and I was so surprised when she said this because I got an authorization from my insurance company when I picked up the car. In fact, Leo spoke to Wes from Geico and noted the authorization on the computer records. She didn’t even bother reading my contract she just adamant to get my payment. Then she finally read and saw the note on the contract and she said that they didn’t actually get an approval from Geico and said that I have to pay the $500. I immediately dialed Geico because they were about to close and got Wes on the line and I gave Nikole my phone to talk to Wes. So, Wes told Nikole that since it was not through their normal accident claim, they have to provide Enterprise a charge account number for a Mechanical Breakdown coverage, which again Wes had provided Leo at the time I picked up the car. I was extremely disappointed in the customer service treatment I received and the uncompromising way of the manager’s attitude. She didn’t even verify my insurance coverage and just want to charge me for the whole amount of $500. When she finally verified my insurance coverage and got all the paperworks done, she printed the documents that has the details of the damage for signature but I told her that I’m not signing the documents because I’m disputing this false claim and I think an insurance fraud they are commiting. Then she said that since I’m not signing the document, she will not give me a copy of the damage claim document and instead she gave me a copy of contact information of Enterprise Damage Recovery Unit and said that I can talk to them and dispute the claim. Then she told me to pay the $300 deductible for the damage and I told her to send me a bill and I’m not paying it because I didn’t agree with the damage claim. She insisted and said that I have to pay the $300 because that’s what I signed in the contract. I reluctantly agreed to pay but since I was so tired and I just wanted to get over it. But I asked her to put it in writing that my payment is not a proof of that I am agreeing or accepting that I damaged the car. She refused to put it in writing and told me that I am responsible to pay the $300 because it’s in the contract. I left and as soon as I got home I checked the contract that I signed electronically that they e-mailed me and it doesn’t say anything about the $300 deductible. She totally tricked me on that one, so I am calling my credit card company to dispute the charge from Enterprise.   

On December 7, 2017, I verified my contract and the receipt they provided me. The starting mileage was 41,929. In the receipt, Nikole had put miles driven as 2,278, which is a lie and very impossible. We only use that car to go to work, which is from Corona, California to Anaheim Hills, California for 8 days. Per working day it will accumulate about 30 miles (back and forth) X 5 working days = 150 miles, even if I drove the car on the weekend around Corona and Orange County for another 300 miles just because we didn’t go anywhere other than Orange County the whole 8 days. So, with the discrepancy in the mileage, I decided to contact Enterprise in Corona/Sixth Street at 2:15pm today, December 7, 2017 and I spoke to Jonathan and I asked him to verify the mileage of the Hyundai Elantra that I returned last night. He said that the record in the computer says 44,207 miles which matches the 2,278 miles that Nikole had type in my receipt. So, I explained to Jonathan that I believe the miles driven of 2,278 is a mistake, so I asked him nicely to step out in their lot (this location is not very big) and verify the current mileage on the car.

So, Jonathan finally asked my name and the license plate number of the car, then he said that the car that I returned last night is currently in the shop. I was very surprised when he said that the car is in the shop, so I explained to Jonathan that this inconsistency in the mileage may likely get them in trouble, so I asked him nicely again if he can contact the shop to ask for the current mileage of the car. I was able to persuade Jonathan to call the shop and he put me on hold for about 2 minutes and told me that he spoke to the shop and said the current mileage is 42,207 minus the original mileage of 41,929 is 278 miles usage. On my record, it says 2,278 miles driven, they advertently added 2,000 miles to the car. Then I asked Jonathan why is the car taken to the shop, he said they’re doing repairs because I turned it in damage last night. I told him that the damages are still under investigation why would they start the repair, he said that they don’t want to lose money while the claim is being investigated. He said that they took some pictures of the damage before they handed over the car to the shop. I told Jonathan that the car wasn’t wrecked, it’s completely operational and the only damage it has when I turned it in last night that they’re allegedly claiming to be my fault was the scratch at the bottom of the driver side. So, I asked Jonathan if it is truly in the shop and he said yes, so I said if I stop by tonight I will not find that same car on their lot. Then he became defensive and said that they have a lot of similar cars on their lot and he will not answer any more questions.

Below is the information of the Enterprise Rental Agreement:

Rental Agreement No. 9RCBV8

Vehicle Type: 2017 Hyundai Elantra 4SE. VIN 5NPD74LF5HH085212. License No. 7SOM234

Starting mileage: 41,929 Ending mileage: 44,207

Enterprise 32N2 – Corona/Sixth Street

852 W. 6th St.

Corona, California 92882

(951) 270-5085

Nikole Ramos, Branch Manager (person inspected car upon return)

E-mail: Nikole.S.Ramos@erac.com

Leo (person inspected car during pickup)

Enterprise Damage Recovery Unit (DRU)

E-mail: DRU2@erac.com

Phone: (866) 300-3238

Fax: (888)-874-8937

Please contact me if your need more information.

Thank you,

Ludwig L

Phone: (951) (((REDACTED)))

E-mail:(((REDACTED)))

(((REDACTED)))