sicily by car auto europa do not deal with these people florence

I rented a car in Florence from Sicily By Car. I was warned about the problems with them. No surprise then that they were the cheapest, but I took the risk. I booked them for a few days for about EUR49. Then after arriving back home, I look at my credit card, and there is 4 separate charges of $94 ($376 in total) charged punctually each month of my trip! Apparently, I got a parking fine in Rome somewhere. I never received the fine - despite the rental company having my address. I hear it can take up to 12 months.

It appears that the traffic police contact the rental company – every month – to ‘ask where I am’. The rental company supposedly then inform me – and charge me $99 for their labour. It does not pay the fine then pass the charge onto me. If it had, I would be actually better off! The fine I can live with. A single administration charge to hand over my address to the ‘Carabinieri’, I can understand.

But I doubt the police are knocking on the door - every month - just to check if maybe I am ‘keeping in touch’ with my old friends at the car rental company. Once my details have been handed over – that is it. I have no doubt they will continue to charge me until my limit is reached, so obviously, I have had to cancel the card. So basically Sicily By Car (Auto Europa) are unethical thieves to be avoided at costs! Do not under any circumstances rent from these people! They will not accept prepaid credit cards either, if you think you can ‘beat the system’.