Be careful of 118Carhire.net

landsberger64

Arrow Motorhomes's website looks impressive, but their are no reviews for them on the web, which leads me to believe they might also be scamsters. They also appear to be offering very low rates for Motorhomes. They have an address in Rutland. Arrow House, Seaton Grange Offices, Grange Lane, Seaton, Rutland, LE15 9HT. Hotfrog also gives us another address in the Midlands: Unit 3, Kinwarton Workshops, Kinwarton Farm Road, Kinwarton, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 6EH. Looking at their website registration address, there's only the address of their registrar (Euston Digital) in London, and not any address used at the time of registration. Interestingly, 118carhire.net is registered via a company calling itself Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc.

and shows contact details thus

Fax: PMB 368, 14150 NE 20th St - F1
C/O 118carhire.net
Bellevue, WA 98007
US

Administrative Contact:
Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc.
Whois Agent (hhwsrmyynh@whoisprivacyprotect.com)
+1.4252740657
Fax: +1.4259744730
PMB 368, 14150 NE 20th St - F1
C/O 118carhire.net
Bellevue, WA 98007
US

which is presumably why the bank thought 118carhire.net were American. That email address certainly looks made up! The phone number and address are in Seattle. Later on, it shows that 118carhire.net was created on the 6th July 2011.

The company address at Companies House for Arrow Motorhomes, as you stated, is also in the Midlands: STRATTON HOUSE, 25 THE STRAND, BROMSGROVE, WORCESTERSHIRE, B61 8AB, but as you also said, it shows the company's status as dissolved as of the 13th August 2008 and the company being maily concerned with "Construction of Commercial Premises in Bromsgrove", which doesn't sit easy with their claims to be involved in the Motorhome Industry and that Arrow Motor Homes's previous name was "Arrow Design Engineering Limited". I've just looked at similarly named companies - for instance Arrow Motors Limited and they also had an address at SUITE B, 29 HARLEY STREET, LONDON, W1G 9QR, which is a suite of serviced offices and was dissolved in 2005 This could have nothing to do with Arrow Motorhomes though. Indeed Arrow Motorhomes could be entirely innocent parties whose reputation, addresses and finance systems could have been hijacked.

The crucial difference with last year's scam is the fact they accept credit cards - last year's mob (maybe this year's mob are the same?) claimed their machine was broken, and asked for deposits via bank transfer.

One wonders if, after hopefully refunding you, the credit card companies will pursue the miscreants with perhaps more vigour than Her Majesty's Constabularies have.

mudweiser_2

Thanks for all that JND, at least it sounds as if they're answering their phones now.

Despite their claims we haven't heard anything about any refunds or been told about cars not being delivered. Ours is due to be delivered this Friday and it's left us out of pocket and our Christmas plans in ruins.

So we'll chase them up for a refund, see what happens.

If not we'll go to the bank and see if there's anything they can do.

JND_2

In case of help to anyone having trouble getting their money back from 118 Car Hire Ltd and wanting to report it to someone - these are the details from the receipt I was sent in the post to prove my money had been refunded earlier in December:

Arrow Motor Homes
Arrow House
Seaton Grange
Merchant ID: 2100459570
Terminal ID: 210045957001
URN: G9KKBOFCQ2L (The 'O' could be a number or letter, not sure)

landsberger64

JND wrote: »

In case of help to anyone having trouble getting their money back from 118 Car Hire Ltd and wanting to report it to someone - these are the details from the receipt I was sent in the post to prove my money had been refunded earlier in December:

Arrow Motor Homes
Arrow House
Seaton Grange
Merchant ID: 2100459570
Terminal ID: 210045957001
URN: G9KKBOFCQ2L (The 'O' could be a number or letter, not sure)

Seems to agree with the data above. The Seaton Grange Offices appear to be a legitimate suite of offices at Seaton Grange Farm, shared by Financial Consultants, Environment Consultants, so I assume "Arrow House" is an artifice to make you feel they are more secure.

They (the people who own Seaton Grange) rent offices by the month (which should ring alarm bells) - this is they.

http://www.flexioffices.co.uk/rutland/seaton/grange-lane_le159ht_id7127

Lauramc78

Hi,

I have also ordered a car to be delivered through 118 car hire on friday this week (23rd).....and paid £330 for the privilege (fortunately on my credit card). Has anyone actually received a vehicle through this company at all or is it definitely a scam?

Any help anyone can give would be gratefully received as Im getting a bit stressed!!

Thanks

Laura

landsberger64

Seems as if you have to wait until the car isn't delivered, and then raise a chargeback with the credit card company, seems to be the guidance here. Seems also as if you at least need to try and contact the company.

iamchris

Hi Guys,

Really useful information here, many thanks.

I too have been caught out by this! Unfortunately I paid using my debit card, rather than a credit card. Are you able to give me any advice on what I can do I try and claim my money back? Also, generally what is best to do in terms of informing the authorities etc.

Thanks,
Chris

NFH

iamchris wrote: »

I too have been caught out by this! Unfortunately I paid using my debit card, rather than a credit card. Are you able to give me any advice on what I can do I try and claim my money back?

Most debit cards provide protection for goods or services not received, but this is a voluntary scheme provided by the card networks (Visa etc) rather than a legal requirement. The difference between this and Section 75 (applicable to credit cards) is that with the latter you could claim for consequential losses instead of the original transaction amount, e.g. the much higher cost of hiring a replacement car at the last minute.

catco

DO NOT BOOK A CAR WITH THIS COMPANY

I booked with 118 carhire on 2nd December after searching the net and finding nothing negative about them. I was told by Clive Taylor that I would receive a confirmation email following my phone booking but this never arrived. After several phone calls where I was told that they were having problems with their email or that someone may have taken mine down incorrectly I decided to email them so they definately had my address. Received a generic email back saying "Thank you for your email" but still not confirming my booking.

On 15th December they took the deposit of £250.00 and the hire fee from my account. I paid by debit card and as of yet am not sure if I will get any money back.

I received confirmation of the booking at this point, although, like some others here, they got my address wrong and had not shown the hire of a child car seat. I called them to discuss this on Saturday 17th December and spoke to a girl called Abbey who assured me that there was a child seat booked and that they would correct the address.

On Friday 23rd December I decided to call them to confirm delivery time and double check there would be a child car seat only to get an answer message saying that the number was currently unavailable.

This morning while waiting for delivery I decided to check my emails and discovered that they had emailed me at 9.27pm last night -

It is with great regret that I must inform you that we are no longer able to facilitate your booking due to factors beyond our control.
Due to the bad press that we have received, a number of our third party providers no longer wish to supply us with vehicles and this has meant that we are unable to fulfil a certain number of bookings.
Unfortunately, your booking has been one of those affected and to this end we have had to cancel. I can confirm that a refund has been processed for the full amount paid and you should receive this within 7 ? 10 working days.
If you feel you need to pursue a compensation claim please submit this to the Customer Service Manager in writing and this will be looked at in the New Year.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this matter.

Sincere Regards,
Kelly Franks
Customer Service Manager

Needles to say I tried to call them this time to discover that the phone is switched off!

I am now left with no car over the Christmas period and have been scammed for a substantial amount of money which, like most people I'm sure, I cannot afford to lose.

These people need to be held accountable.

If you have booked and not received a car or your money please contact Companies Investigation Branch of Companies House or Action Fraud.

catco

I booked car hire with these people before Christmas and paid by debit card. Needless to say they did not deliver a car! Like many others it seems I have been the vitim of a massive fraud. I have reported them to the police and companies house.

If you are in this position I urge you to claim through your debit card - either Visa or Mastercard. I did and have just received the full amount back.

It is possible to get your money back...it may take a bit of effort and time but at least you'll get back what they fraudulently took!