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Update:
- Hertz Global Holdings has agreed 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.
- The class action settlement will put an end to 364 pending claims against Hertz, according to the company.
- Hertz had been accused of filing thousands of false reports of rented vehicles being stolen, after the company was unable to immediately find them.
- Customers argued Hertz would fail to enter the theft report into its systems and end up renting out the reported-stolen vehicle to unsuspecting customers.
- Hertz said it only falsely reported cars as stolen prior to its 2021 bankruptcy filing, a claim that was contested by customers.
Hertz stolen rental cars class action lawsuits overview:
- Who: Nearly 200 Hertz customers have lobbied class action lawsuits against the car rental company.
- Why: Customers claim Hertz falsely reported vehicles they were renting as stolen, causing them to face legal trouble.
- Where: The class action lawsuits involve consumers nationwide.
(Dec. 16, 2021)
Hertz customers from across the country are continuing to come forward with claims the rental car company has had them arrested or jailed after filing reports that vehicles they were renting had been stolen.
Almost 200 individuals have lobbied class action lawsuits against Hertz, claiming they were falsely implicated in car thefts they did not commit, reports Nashville’s WSMV News4.
Plaintiffs are reported asking for roughly $530 million in damages aimed at recovering days spent in prison, reputation damage, credit repair, expungement and days of prosecution.
One plaintiff, Cristel Hibbs, claims she was arrested after she was unable to return her rented vehicle that she had previously extended prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, WSMV News4 reports.
Hibbs claims she called Hertz to inquire about returning her car, but was told she would have to travel to another state to do so, something she argues she was unable to do on account of pandemic-induced lockdowns.
Police ultimately showed up and arrested Hertz, she claims, putting her in handcuffs and telling her she was in possession of a stolen vehicle, WSMV News4 reports.
“It has torn my life up!” Hibbs told WSMV News4.
Hertz calls the allegations “baseless” and says attorneys “blatantly misrepresent the facts”
While Hibbs’ criminal case was ultimately dismissed, she claims she lost her residence as a result of the situation, which she says still causes her emotional distress.
“It was just a really tough time, and I’m just praying and hoping I can just close this chapter and move forward,” Hibbs told WSMV News4.
In a statement provided to WSMV News4, Hertz called the allegations against the company “baseless” accusations made by attorneys who “blatantly misrepresent the facts.”
“The vast majority of these cases involve renters who were many weeks or even months overdue returning vehicles and who stopped communicating with us well beyond the scheduled due date,” Hertz said in its statement. “Situations where vehicles are reported to the authorities are very rare and happen only after exhaustive attempts to reach the customer.”
Hertz reached a $48 million settlement agreement with a former employee earlier this year to settle claims it had failed to pay them for overtime hours worked.
Has Hertz accused you of stealing a car you rented from the company? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiffs are represented by Francis Malofiy of Francis Alexander, LLC.
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149 thoughts onHertz settles false stolen car report claims for $168M
This happened to me between sept 24th and October 23rd 2021. Please tell me who I contact in regards to joining this class action suit. Hertz also sent police, investigators to my home (thank god I wasn’t home), my families homes, and phone harassed my elderly mother and family. Embarrassing me and my family extensively. Then had the nerve to almost double charge my credit card, which put a fraud alert to my account temporarily shutting down my account, affecting my credit, and putting me on a national “do not rent list” and etc. Hertz needs to be held accountable. Destroyed business for me, employment contracts and such. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP
Read the comment I posted on Patricia’s Post. Attorney contact information. Looks like more people will be suing Hertz & rightfully so.
Hertz in NJ airport did the same thing to my friend, called the police and said the car was stolen meanwhile my friend had requested for an extension and was told that she could. This company is clearly shady af if over 200+ more people who haven’t even told their story are saying so. When my friend told me this last year, I told her that they’re goin g to get caught. If they’re doing this to 1 customer, you better believe that they’ve done this to many. It’s finally time for them to get their karma.
Hertz did this to me in Denver Colorado. I was pulled over driving back from the airport in a car that had been extended. Thankfully the police officer quickly determined that I hadn’t stolen it, based on my email communication with the Hertz office and the payment receipt from my credit card that he was willing to look at. He made me leave the car and drove my kids and I to our house. I was a president’s circle member and I will NEVER rent from them again. I could have been arrested that day but for a very kind policeman.
hertz filed charges against me(eusebio hinojos]…6 mos after my hertz rental had possession been turned in…..aleady paid in full./i was arrested for something[grand theft auto]..for i never committed
Yes I experienced the same thing February 2021 who do I contact.
How do I join this class action lawsuit? Thank you.
I was pulled over, arrested, although i didnt even know the car was a rental, i was told by a friend that it was someone in their family who died and i could drive borrow it. Soon enough i get pulled over and guns drawn. My bail was $60,000 and this situatiin has destroyed so much of my reputation, destroyed family bond, and i was 100 percent unaware it was a stolen vehicle that was a rental. Am i still liable? Still dealing with court over this and dont know what to do anymore. Plz help.
This wasnt stolen first of all, thats what you need to realize. You nor your friend did anything wrong. Hertz has been doing this for years and theyre finally getting caught. What you need to do is sue them for everything, talk to a lawyer right now bro. You went to jail, got everything taken from you, you’ll get more than 100K
Hi yes the king do answer prayers I’m so glad I found someone that was going through almost the same thing I’ve been through so much with hertz rent a car and StateFarm insurance company I was mistreated so badly I got so sick and still is I don’t recommend my family and friends and anyone to deal with them I been so hurt and disappointed and depressed until all I do is cry it’s so sad how they treat ppls they need to be stopped hurting innocent people they day will come the king don’t like ugly and karma karma will get them all that do wrong
Yes they accused me of stealing a car for same reason.. it was extended rental. Police came in middle of night. I would like to participate in the lawsuit. Who do I contact?
Hertz overcharged me and will not give me my deposits.
hertz was paid 1,022 statefarm ,final balance,then called my bank..collected.1,670 after statefarm paid them off ,hertz(RM)claimed that they had not recieved or heard from statefarm…..they had already been paid prior to embezzle money from my bank,bank executive authorized the 1,670 to hertz without me knowing about the 1,670…executive closed my account to cover this corruption between hertz and ally bank