Europcar "Serenity Pack" scam

wumblehoots

and here's a link to the article:

www telegraph.co.uk/travel/columnists/gillcharlton/6204884/Ask-Gill-Paying-for-car-hire-insurance-I-did-not-want-travel-advice.html

(you need to replace the space with a dot at the start of the address)

wumblehoots

OK I just phoned them. Like the person in the telegraph article, I too had asked for the carbon copy of my contract when I completed the booking, and the text "I agree to be charged for the Serenity Pack" was not present on my copy but appeared to have been added to the copy that europcar emailed to me when I requested it after the event. Europcar asked me to email me them a scan of my carbon copy and said they'll get back to me...

dandee2

Further to my letter to Gill Charlton published in the Telegraph on Saturday 19 October if you have been caught by this scam write or contact: Claire Curley,
Client Services Director Europcar UK, James House, 55 Welford Road, Leicester, LE2 7AR. Telephone 01162 565656 or email claire.curley@europcar.com

The client services department have access to electronic copies of your rental agreement with their franchisee at Europcar Bergerac Airport and can tell immediately if the serenity pack has been added after you have signed the agreement.

I have received a refund of the fraudulent charge to my credit card but my two letters to Ms Curley have so far been ignored.

Dan Dorrian, Potters Bar, Herts.

dandee2

See previous thread. Date my letter published in Telegraph should read 19 September and not 19 October.

wumblehoots

In case anyone's interested, Europcar today finally agreed to refund the charge for the "Serenity Pack" insurance. Thanks to everyone for help!

If you've been caught by this scam I recommend pursuing a complaint, I am now aware of three people who've been refunded. In one case, they did not have a carbon copy of their contract (like I did) but still managed to get a refund.

diddlysquat2

I am that person without the carbon copy and yes I did get a full refund, costs to cover my time and expenses and an apology! However it took 33 e-mails, 10 phone calls and a letter to the MD of Europcar. If you have not received a full refund yet I recommend getting in touch with the Office of Fair Trading for advice. I also discovered that these complaints have been on going since 200.7- so I'm sure Europcar are well aware of what's going on- astounded or not!

kelloggs36

I wonder if I have been hit, although the cost is very small. We hired a car with Europcar in July/August and at the time I was offered additional insurance which I declined. I had booked and paid for it in advance and did not want any additional costs. We returned the car in perfect condition and with a full tank of diesel before the allotted time, thus not incurring an additional day's charge on 19 August. On 7th October they have charged my credit card with 35 Euros. I have to wait until Monday to call them, but I can't think for the life of me what this would be for!!!

kelloggs36

This was at Nice airport btw.

molly2009

Dear All,
Just to let you know that I have been refunded the £499 + that Europcar at Bergerac took off my card back in June!!!! It has however taken me 5 months of chasing them!!!
There is a very nice chap in the customer services [EMAIL="Stuart.Hayes@rentpremier.com"]Stuart.Hayes@rentpremier.com[/EMAIL] that was absolutely appauled at my case and got the money transferred straight away. He says they are unable to contact Bergerac, so i think they may have done a bunk!
Anyway I suggest you pursue Europcar for the money! I am so relieved we got our money back! Good luck!

wumblehoots

Congratulations molly2009. That's great news, and I'm also hearing reports of many other people getting there money back.

In case you are interested there should be a report on the watchdog website about this problem on Monday!