ARTICLE
A customer made an appointment to drop off her vehicle for service and obtain a service loaner. The drop-off/pick-up occurred at 5:00 pm so the loaner was for overnight use. The dealership executed a rental agreement limiting the loaner's use to within 50 miles of the dealership. When the dealership contacted the customer with the repair estimate the next morning the customer did not authorize repairs. The customer delayed returning the vehicle for a few days after which she simply dropped off the service loaner and took back her own vehicle without having any repairs performed. When the rental vehicle was returned, the dealership learned that it had been driven several hundred miles and incurred IL tolls and tickets. It was apparent to the dealership that this wasn't the first time the customer had used a daily service loaner as a free rental. Other issues of note. The customer caused a loud confrontation as a way to get the dealership to expedite her transaction and possibly avoid close scrutiny of her license and insurance. The customer obtained insurance on the vehicle she dropped off for service the day prior to dropping it off for service. Ways to avoid this scam: The dealership has some recourse against the customer because she violated the terms of the rental agreement but, because the vehicle was returned, it isn't considered stolen so the police would have no interest in involving themselves in the issue. Had the dealership reported the vehicle stolen after it wasn't returned when promised, the customer might have had a less comfortable trip. Secondly, the dealership can pursue the legal remedies outlined in the rental agreement forcing the tickets and tolls onto the driver. The dealership can also sue for excess mileage because, based on the IL tolls, the customer clearly took the vehicle more than 50 miles from the dealership. Most likely the scammer is hoping that the money the dealer might hope to recover is not worth the hassle of the dealership pursuing recovery. WATDA would like to thank Hudson Chrysler for bringing this to our attention.
A customer made an appointment to drop off her vehicle for service and obtain a service loaner. The drop-off/pick-up occurred at 5:00 pm so the loaner was for overnight use. The dealership executed a rental agreement limiting the loaner's use to within 50 miles of the dealership. When the dealership contacted the customer with the repair estimate the next morning the customer did not authorize repairs. The customer delayed returning the vehicle for a few days after which she simply dropped off the service loaner and took back her own vehicle without having any repairs performed. When the rental vehicle was returned, the dealership learned that it had been driven several hundred miles and incurred IL tolls and tickets. It was apparent to the dealership that this wasn't the first time the customer had used a daily service loaner as a free rental.
Other issues of note. The customer caused a loud confrontation as a way to get the dealership to expedite her transaction and possibly avoid close scrutiny of her license and insurance. The customer obtained insurance on the vehicle she dropped off for service the day prior to dropping it off for service.
Ways to avoid this scam: The dealership has some recourse against the customer because she violated the terms of the rental agreement but, because the vehicle was returned, it isn't considered stolen so the police would have no interest in involving themselves in the issue. Had the dealership reported the vehicle stolen after it wasn't returned when promised, the customer might have had a less comfortable trip.
Secondly, the dealership can pursue the legal remedies outlined in the rental agreement forcing the tickets and tolls onto the driver. The dealership can also sue for excess mileage because, based on the IL tolls, the customer clearly took the vehicle more than 50 miles from the dealership.
Most likely the scammer is hoping that the money the dealer might hope to recover is not worth the hassle of the dealership pursuing recovery.
WATDA would like to thank Hudson Chrysler for bringing this to our attention.