Hertz stolen vehicles class action overview:
- Who: Hertz is facing a class action lawsuit from Plaintiff Coriana Benson.
- Why: Hertz is accused of falsely reporting hundreds of customers as stealing vehicles, leading to arrests, felony charges and jail time for some customers.
- Where: The Hertz class action was filed in federal court in Florida.
Hertz Corporation is facing a class action lawsuit claiming that it falsely accused hundreds of customers of stealing vehicles, leading to arrests, felony charges and jail time for some of those customers.
“Specifically, lapses in Hertz’s rental records led to errors which included not properly reflecting rental extensions in the computer systems, not rescinding police reports for cars that had been reported as stolen and then re-renting those vehicles, and negligently associating stolen cars with the wrong customer(s),” the Hertz stolen vehicles class action says.
Plaintiff Coriana Benson and the class are attempting to recover damages for those who were wrongly accused of theft.
Hertz failed to keep proper records of rental extensions, didn’t investigate thefts before reporting them, reported cars stolen that they did not know were stolen, reported cars stolen that the company had in its possession and more, the Hertz stolen vehicles lawsuit says.
Hertz rented cars that it had already reported as stolen to new customers, lawsuit claims
Hertz also is accused of renting cars out that it had already reported stolen, not checking its car inventory with cars it had reported as stolen or using safeguards to prevent false reports of theft, the lawsuit claims.
Hertz is also accused of using outdated computer systems that lead to reports of theft..
Benson says that she was accused of theft during a routine traffic stop, like happened to many other Hertz customers.
Hertz Global Holdings agreed in December to pay $168 million to resolve more than 350 claims that the car-rental agency falsely reported missing vehicles as stolen, leading to customers being detained by law enforcement.
Have you had issues with a Hertz car rental? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiff is represented by Jeff Ostrow, Jonathan Streisfeld and Kristen Lake Cardoso of Kopelowitz Ostrow P.A. along with Paul J. Doolittle and Blake G. Abbott of Poulin Willey Anathopoulo LLC.
The Hertz stolen vehicles class action lawsuit is Benson v. The Hertz Corp., et al., Case No. 2:23-cv-00992, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Fort Myers Division.
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53 thoughts onHertz class action alleges company accuses customers of stealing vehicles
Hi there! My name is Jasmine, and I live in Australia. In 2020 I hired a car from Hertz, which I then extended and paid for over the phone only to have the police arrive and arrest me in front of my children and neighbours. I got thrown in the back of a paddy wagon by the police and charged with larceny. It took me over 4 years to ultimately have the charge ultimately dismissed however it has completely ruined so much of my life. My poor kids only know me as a stressed out wreck and all aspects of my life have been affected.
Hi i was arrested and spend a night in jail after returning the Hertz rental and was returned a small remainder of deposit. Car was never properly reported as returned but reported as stolen instead. Am wondering if I have a case.