Consumer complaint received 2022-09-19
Company: NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: MD
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
Re : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX dispute with Navy Federal Credit Union XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Located in : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I prepaid for my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX rental car ( reservation # XXXX ) rental car through third party, XXXX 

Despite XXXX XXXX XXXX being fully aware and in receipt of my prepaid rental, they charged my credit card nearly {$700.00} additional frivolous charges which will cost me over {$100.00} in credit card interest. 

When I took possession of the rental car, on Monday, XX/XX/2022, the vehicle broke down approximately 3-4 hours after I picked it up which I PROMPTLY reported to management AND l received a replacement rental car later the following day. Not only do I have all of my text message exchanges that support management being fully aware of the disabled vehicle and assisting me with filing the disabled vehicle report, I was also told to catch an XXXX back to my hotel as well as XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX management assured me they would reimburse my XXXX and prorate my bill due to the vehicle breaking down. 

Throughout my reporting the rental car breakdown, I agonized with the manager XXXX regarding my time sensitive XXXX XXXX that I traveled from XXXX to have and was scheduled for my XXXX XXXX early the next morning ( which I also have documentation of ). 

During the conversation, XXXX made it explicitly clear that she was unable to get me a replacement rental that evening because her office was closed and she just picked up her XXXXXXXX XXXX. When she informed me of having her XXXXXXXX XXXX in the car, she expressed concerns about not feeling safe traveling downtown XXXX XXXX so she was limited in her options that evening. The ONLY immediate resolution she could offer is asking me to catch an XXXX to my hotel then send her the receipts for reimbursement. Again, she was fully aware of my being in town for my early morning XXXX XXXX appointment  and assured me she would assist with the replacement vehicle once I returned from XXXX. I also texted her a copy of my *prepaid* garage parking pass AND she spoke with the parking garage staff that attempted to assist me via speaker phone to advise of XXXX XXXX XXXX  decision to leave the rental car overnight. 

I feel it is also important to mention, when I discovered the way this company was handling my account, I researched the company and found a number of customers endured similar experiences with their rental car breaking down only to be charged astronomical fees and not given an explanation for the charges. The point that I am trying to make is the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in particular has an overwhelming percentage of customers that endured fraudulent charges on their credit card wherein nobody within the XXXX XXXX XXXX chain of command will answer WHYYYY they added the charges on prepaid rentals. 

The following day, I communicated with XXXX to ensure she was still going to reimburse my XXXX as well as deliver the replacement rental. While XXXX responded to my initial inquiries regarding this matter, she eventually stopped answering my texts and calls once she texted me and had the replacement vehicle delivered to my hotel. After discovering XXXX stopped returning my calls shortly after the replacement vehicle was delivered to me at my hotel, I made repeated attempts to speak with a manager regarding my XXXX reimbursement and prorated bill. Not only did management ignore my calls, the local office told me they were inundated with customer requests so I need to give them time to investigate. 

Within days of returning home to XXXX from my vacation, I noticed several charges on my credit card and called to inquire about the charges. I made NUMEROUS attempts to reach various levels of management and NOBODY followed through on my attempts to understand the charges. During this stage of my inquiry, even the rental car customer service office did NOT try to provide a response! 

I eventually wrote a XXXX  complaint; filed a bank dispute; sent emails to XXXX and wrote a review. After a nearly two months, XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX sent me an email claiming I abandoned the rental car and it had to be towed when they were FULLY aware of the disabled vehicle! They outright IGNORED all of the irrefutable texts ; recorded calls and videos that I sent to XXXX XXXX XXXX 

MOST IMPORTANTLY, A DISABLED VEHICLE WOULD HAVE HAD RO BEEN TOWED ANYHOW SO THEY PROVING MY SUSPICION THAT THEYRE KNOWINGLY SCAMMING CUSTOMERS THAT FILED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS! 

I have waaaaaay more evidence that I sent ALL parties but I am not getting a response from Navy Federal credit union management. They even closed my first claim within 24 business hours of filing as opposed to FULLY investigating the matter. 

During this hellacious ordeal, the XXXX XXXX XXXX also agreed to pay for my XXXX AND reimburse the XXXX day that I did not have use of the rental. Instead, they made excessive charges on my credit card and outright REFUSED to return any of my calls. I even sent management XXXX receipts, videos and photos that they requested. Yet, during the first two months the rental car company outright ignored my calls and texts! 

When I made REPEATED attempts to further investigate WHY they added charges to my credit card, XXXX XXXX XXXX STILL would not give me any intelligible response other than the matter is being investigated. I then filed a complaint with XXXX XXXX and XXXX. I wanted XXXX XXXX to be aware of my experience as well as raise awareness of the company reviews due to XXXX XXXX XXXX refusing to answer my inquiry as well as transferring me back and forth to the line that was supposed to be designated for management only to be told that I should be speaking with the customer service department. 

Once I became relentless in my inquiries/complaint, XXXX XXXX XXXX made false allegations claiming they charged my car due to the disabled vehicle twas abandoned! Not only do I have a plethora of text messages from the rental car manager XXXX that prove the company was fully aware of the rental car breaking down within a few hours of my driving the vehicle ; I also have text messages that show the rental car manager XXXX had extensive conversation with me regarding their commitment to pickup the disabled rental car ; she also asked me to submit my XXXX receipts for reimbursement AND she facilitated the delivery of a replacement rental car to my hotel. I feel it is important to reiterate, XXXX actually spoke with the parking garage staff where the vehicle was disabled and asked permission to leave the vehicle overnight until she could make arrangements to pick the disabled vehicle up during business hours. 

Given XXXX 's request to leave the disabled vehicle at the garage overnight, I took thorough videos of the rental car for my records so it would be clear that I left the vehicle in pristine condition. When I did not receive clear answers about the charges, I sent the pictures and videos to XXXX XXXX XXXX to prove the pristine condition of the car when *the rental car company asked me to leave the vehicle in the parking facility where it broke down* and they will retrieve it in the morning. Despite the plethora of evidence that proves the rental car company was fully aware of the vehicle breaking down, they had the audacity to send me an email changing the story claiming that I abandoned the vehicle and it had to be towed. 

When I continued to provide supporting documentation in my XXXX complaint, XXXX XXXX XXXX  changed their excuse for the charges yet AGAIN. They now claim that the charges are due to having the vehicle towed because I never prepaid for parking and that I never returned the keys to them which my text exchange with the manager, XXXX proves they LIED! The parking garage where the vehicle broke down was FULLY aware of the vehicle breaking down and gave permission for management to leave the vehicle overnight because the manager XXXX indicated they did not have anyone working after hours to pick up the disabled vehicle and she had a XXXX XXXX as well as she did not feel safe driving to the location to pick up the car. Not only did I pay to park in the garage, management had sufficient opportunity to get the keys for the rental car. Instead, they outright LIED for the last three months and refused to return my calls! They not even acknowledging how a customer NEVER should have to deal with a disabled rental car which took significant time out of my vacation. Nor have they reimbursed for the XXXX as promised ; they also have NOT prorate my bill for the time I did not have the rental. Instead they REPEATEDLY LIED which I will seek accountability!! 

I eventually received a call from the supposed XXXX XXXX XXXX risk management representative representative about two weeks ago. He was not the least bit of concerned about my evidence and claimed he would call me back within 72 hours which he NEVER followed through on! Instead, they submitted the final claim that the charges are valid due to the *disabled* vehicle having to be towed! 

BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AND THEIR BLATANT CUSTOMER ABUSE, I BELIEVE THEYRE REMOTELY DISABLING VEHICLES IN THEIR SCAM WHERE THEY CHARGED OTHER CUSTOMERS NEARLY {$700.00} EACH TIME THEY ENDURED VEHICLE BREAK DOWN! 

Initially, I thought they mightve been trying to charge me fees because the parking facility that they requested I leave the vehicle at charged them {$15.00} for overnight parking. Whatever the case for such egregious charges, it is cruel to ignore a customer for several months then add astronomical fees on my reservation in addition to what I already paid for the rental car! 

It should be further noted that XXXX XXXX XXXX  has thousands of reviews that show other customers endured frivolous charges with this company. I am devastated beyond repair! I have XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX My days are filled with taking care of family responsibilities. Meanwhile, this greedy unscrupulous company has abused the process of stealing money from customers!! 

This company is a MAJOR SCAMMER! I read their reviews and noticed many customers had similar experiences.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation