Eric Weiman rents a car from Enterprise in Germany. He is later accused of damaging the vehicle. When he disputes the charges, Enterprise threatens legal action. Can he get them to drop the claim?
Question
I recently rented a car from the Enterprise location in Munich, Germany. When I returned the vehicle after several days, no one inspected it. A few days later, I received a message in my spam folder saying I had damaged the car.
Enterprise claims I scratched the car during my rental. The scratch is small, barely finger-length and thin. They sent me a bill for just over $1,800.
The photos they sent show no damage in one photo, and the other two photos that show the scratch don’t show the license plate or any indication that it is the same car. I took a video of the car when I returned it, and it shows no damage where they claim the scratch is.
I called Enterprise customer service. The U.S. representative couldn’t find any record of the damage and couldn’t help me. Three months later, Enterprise charged my credit card for the full amount of the damage. I disputed the charge with my credit card company, but they are siding with Enterprise.
How can I defend myself against this false claim? — Eric Weiman, San Diego
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Answer
You shouldn’t have to pay for damage that didn’t exist when you returned the vehicle. You’re responsible for the car from the time you pick it up to the time you return it. But after you return it? That’s on the company.
You did the right thing by taking a video of the car when you returned it. That gives you some evidence to support your claim. I also recommend taking “before” photos and videos of the vehicle, just to establish a baseline.
The most confusing part of your case is that you showed the rental location a photo and video of the car you rented and it appears the car didn’t have a scratch.
Meanwhile, the photos they showed you allegedly proving you had damaged the car were not identifiable as the car you rented. In other words, it could have been any vehicle in the company’s fleet. And when you asked for clarification, Enterprise seemed to double down on its claim.
I think you had one more option: An appeal to an executive at Enterprise. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of the top customer service executives at Enterprise on this site.
I contacted Enterprise on your behalf.
“We take seriously any concerns brought to us by customers and investigate them thoroughly,” a representative told me. “In this particular instance, damage to the vehicle was not present when the renter took possession of the vehicle, yet, was clearly present when the vehicle was processed for return. (We have the ultimate guide to renting a car.)
Enterprise says it has a photographic tunnel, which is operated by a third party. Vehicles from all rental companies pass through the tunnel in and out of Munich airport and are photographed for damage. The photos show you returned your car with damage.
“Because of this, we do intend to stand by our charge in this case and pursue the renter for damages,” the Enterprise spokesman said.
✋ Your turn
Have you ever been billed for phantom rental car damage after returning a vehicle? Did you fight it—or just pay up? Scroll down and share your experience in the comments after the FAQs.
FAQs
Inspect the car thoroughly and document all existing damage with photos and video. Make sure the rental agent signs off on the condition. Also, confirm what insurance is included and what’s excluded.
Yes, but the burden of proof should be on the company. Without definitive evidence (like timestamped, identifiable photos), you can dispute the charge, especially if you have your own return documentation.
Start by disputing the charge with your credit card company. If that fails, escalate the issue by contacting executive customer service at the rental company and sharing your evidence.
Yes. Many now use photo tunnels to scan vehicles. While intended to improve accuracy, these systems aren’t always error-free, especially when not clearly linked to your rental contract or license plate.
Yes. If you’ve exhausted your options, reaching out to a third-party advocate can help spotlight your case and apply pressure for a fair review.
Pro tip: When returning a rental car—especially at airports—record a full 360° video in daylight, including close-ups and a full license plate shot. It could save you thousands in false claims later.
Key takeaways
- Always document your rental vehicle before and after with timestamped photos and videos.
- If you’re accused of damage, demand photos with identifiable features, such as license plates.
- Don’t ignore damage notices—even if they land in your spam folder.
- Rental companies may rely on third-party photo systems that aren’t foolproof.
- You can still dispute charges with your credit card company or escalate to executives if you’ve been unfairly billed.
About this story
Almost every week, I get an email from someone asking, “Do you ever fail when you’re advocating a case?” The answer: Yes, but I rarely write about it. I’m making up for that today. The agonizing thing about this case is that Weiman had photographic evidence that he returned the car undamaged, which he showed Enterprise. The Enterprise location in Germany said it had evidence that he had damaged the car, but didn’t show us the photos. Obviously, Weiman’s next step will be an appeal of his credit card dispute or to take his case to small claims court. I wish my team and I could have done more to help him.
