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A long-running class action lawsuit alleging Dollar Thrifty duped consumers into purchasing unneeded insurance has finally come to an end with plaintiffs agreeing to settle the claims and drop the suit.
Court documents filed February 21 by the parties to the class action lawsuit did not include the terms of the settlement agreement. Dollar Thrifty and the plaintiffs told U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers that they had reviewed several drafts of the agreement, however, and were coming to a final decision.
“Each party hereby stipulates that all of the individual Plaintiffs’ claims against Defendants in the above-entitled action are voluntarily dismissed with prejudice…with each party to bear its own costs,” said the stipulation signed by representatives for both parties to the judge.
After alleging that Dollar Thrifty tricked rental car customers into buying add-on insurance and other unnecessary services, the plaintiffs lost their motion to certify their proposed class several months ago. Dollar Thrifty had been hit with two other lawsuits over the alleged sale of unnecessary insurance.
Judge Gonzalez Rogers rejected the plaintiffs’ motion to certify the class because the lead plaintiffs did not represent the proposed class adequately. Additionally, the judge found that the plaintiffs proposed class was too broad. The plaintiffs’ proposed class consisted of rental car customers who purchased extra insurance because they weren’t warned by a sign or other posting about coverage they might already have.
In their initial class action complaint filed in 2012, the plaintiffs alleged that several airport locations of Dollar Thrifty mislead rental car customers into purchasing additional insurance that they potentially already had coverage for under different policies. The plaintiffs alleged that Dollar Thrifty should have warned customers that their auto insurance policies and credit cards sometimes provide protection plans for rental cars.
According to the plaintiffs, Dollar Thrifty representatives charged them for liability insurance even after they told them they did not want it. In their class action, the plaintiffs alleged that it was common practice for Dollar Thrifty representatives to use an electronic signature to indicate that customers wanted liability insurance, when, in fact, the customers had indicated on a touch screen that they did not want the insurance.
The class action plaintiffs also claimed that Dollar Thrifty representatives were threatened with disciplinary action if they did not make 30 “upsells” a day, leading to the alleged trickery and fraud.
The plaintiffs alleged that Dollar Thrifty violated California’s Unfair Competition Law and the state Consumer Legal Remedies Act.
The class action had been amended at four separate occasions and another federal judge had denied the plaintiffs’ bid for class certification several years earlier.
The drivers are represented by Alan M. Mansfield, Joe R. Whatley Jr. and Patrick Sheehan of Whatley Kallas LLP.
The Dollar Car Rental Insurance Class Action Lawsuit is McKinnon v. Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc., Case No.4:12-cv-04457, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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18 thoughts onPlaintiffs Reach Deal in Dollar Thrifty Insurance Class Action Lawsuit
They just did this to me in Orlando, FL. I paid for the car before I even got there. I went there to simply PICK THE CAR UP, and that’s it. Nope, I got charged for insurance I had said “no” to. I also got charged for tolls I already paid the state of FL for. This company is horrific. Never, ever, ever again. I’m going to pursue this – and I won’t stop.
They did this to use too $90 admin fees for that three days and $10 toll charges only.
Please let me know how to Get together to file a class action suit.
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The “quick signature” tactics come from the very top Management level. During this same time frame, my husband and I went to “Thrifty Car Sales” here in Arizona to purchase a vehicle. We owned a 2002 4wd Explorer outright, with 150,000 miles on it, and wanted to trade it in for a newer model with less miles. I spoke with the Supervisor, who told me he JUST got one in, and it hadn’t even been cleaned yet. I was to take a look at it the following day. He sent pix, went over details, and advised he could get me out the door for lower than the price showing, which was $15,6. I told him it sounded perfect. We would be by on the way to my Dr. Appt. If we were interested, we could come back again after. That day, the guy ended up in the hospital, so when we went the next day, we met with one of the “BIG” Supervisors (we were advised) (Owners). When we discussed the sale, the price was MUCH higher than than even the list price! And that was WITH the trade in! I told him I wasn’t sure about trade in, it depended on what he could do, I told him I doubted he could give me what I knew it could sell for outright. ($3,500) VERY easily! Mid book, was $4,500. He laughed when I told him that, so I thanked him for his time and we started to leave. He jumped up, asked us if we could just talk about it, let him know more about the vehicle, blah blah blah. Two other times, I told him we really HAD to go. I did NOT want to be late for my appt. Throughout the conversation, he would repeatedly tell me he HAD to make a $1,000 profit on the car. And I OVERHEARD his finance Manager tell him over the phone, that they purchased it for 14 something. He kept popping it up to over $16,000. I kept telling him no, that is NOT a thousand over invoice, and no. He asked how much we were “willing” to pay. I told him (again). We were leaving (again), and he told us “fine”. I’ll sell it to you then. I told him great, we would be back after the appt, as I was going to be late. He stated it would take 10 minutes and we could just drive it home. We said ok. While I was doing the paperwork, he sent my husband up to the bank to get a cashiers check. When he got back, everything was ready, and we started to leave. The other sales guy came flying out of the store, telling us that his boss forgot to have us sign the “disclosure agreement”, which was like 4 pages of signatures. We signed them quickly and started walking again. We had just gotten to the car, and he came running out again, with another paper, which showed “as is”. I said what is this? He said it’s just a paper saying that you’re buying it today as is, and leaving the lot today with it. We signed it, and started to leave again. He came flying out AGAIN as we were leaving the parking lot, wanting us to sign ANOTHER form! I told him no, sorry, it’s going to have to wait, I’m already late, I HAVE to go (Cancer Dr). By the time the appt was done, and we made it back, they were closed. I told my husband we never came to terms with the trade in amount for the car. He told me that it wasn’t theirs, the owner had called him while he was in the bank, and told him the total amount was over $17 grand!! I was IN SHOCK!! I couldn’t get ahold of ANYONE who could receive the car for the next WEEK! DOZENS of phone calls later, The sales guy was no longer working there, the owner wasn’t there, but we had over $17,000 LESS in our account, and NO trade in value for our VEHICLE!!! It’s still a nightmare. Almost $4,000 in repairs have had to be done, or are still WAITING to be fixed, but we don’t have the money to even FIX it!! The “TPU” part is over $2,500 ALONE! The motor wasn’t even bolted down apparently, which was causing SOME of the issues. Pretty sneaky, slippery, greasy types of Owners. I wouldn’t take a TRICYCLE to these people!! Please let me know if there is a lawsuit, I will be one of the very FIRST to jump onboard. I’ve found several others as well, just through word of mouth, and kept their contact info.
They did that to me also. $180 in admin fees for $12.30 in tolls.
I just had them do something similar to me at the Orlando airport! They charged me by the day for a sun pass when the desk agent told me I was only being charged $10 for prepaid tolls! I wrote to the BBB and had no luck with getting my $52.00 back. Would love to find others to join in another class action suit!
I would LOVE to join in a class action suit against Dollar and Thrifty. I rented a car in February in Florida from Dollar and only racked up just over $9.00 in tolls for my 3-day stay. I received a bill in the mail for over $100 that included administrative fees. They offered me a “deal” when I called to complain by suggesting that I take advantage of the prepay plan for $9.95 per day. How is it that $9 in tolls became $32??!! For that reason, I promised myself that I would never rent from them again. Unbeknownst to me, I booked another rental in April and it was through Thrifty. It was like deja vu all over again! I was smart this time and avoided every stinking toll possible. I’m just praying that I don’t get hit with a bill. People UNITE!!! Let’s come together to fight this practice that is wrong on so many levels.
They just pulled this insurance scam on my over the weekend at the Fort Lauderdale airport location. I told them no I have Geico which covers rentals, they still added it on, and neither them nor Chase my CC company is willing to remove the charge.
In March of 2016 I rented a car through Dollar Car Rental on line. When I got to the car rental in Chicargo the male attendant rented me another car after I showed him the Dollar Rental Receipt and claim on the car I had previously paid for online. He didn’t explain anything on the papers after he told me they always put a hold on all credit cards used. I spent two nights in Chicargo with just a few dollars in my pocket and a handicap teen that the attendant saw I was having some difficulties with her. He used my having to attend to a handicap child to stick me with a different vehicle from the first one rented on line .I didn’t get any of my money back on either car rental and they made fun of my situation to get more money on another car. This was a Black man medium build. Arrogant and misleading me to have the only credit card I had to be frozen leaving me to depend on my son to take care of us while we were there. It was his graduation from the Navy.I still have all the paper work from my trip and its disrespectful and discussting That he took advantage of us knowing my situation. When I asked about what the man had done all the lady said was there is nothing we can do now you should have said something when he gave me the bill.He also put a 300.00 dollar freeze on my card. I just want to say thanks Dollar Rent A Car you left a woman and disabled child with out the means to do anything or eat until I finally saw my son .. I rented the car on Wed March 23,2016 to be picked up March 24,2016. The extra insurance was also purchased with the rental. I have two receipts one for 120.33 and one with a lot of extra charges for 164.65.I told him I would take care of the toll charges and he added them in anyway. I just want to know how I can get my money back .The car was previously rented and he charged me for another one and when I asked the lady what I could do she said call hotwire to get my money back They don’t refund and the lady told me that hotwire has nothing to do with their rentals. The car I rented before was no good. Will some one please tell me what I can do ? The man that waited on m e was completed by 3115/ILORD12 at the CHICAGO OHARE INTL AIRPORT .THAT WILL BE MY LAST TRIP TO A PLACE THAT ALLOWS EMPLOYEES TO RIP OFF VISITORS .INTENTIONALY.mY TRIP WAS A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT AND A BAD WAY TO WELCOME PEOPLE TO THE CITY OF CHICAGO. THANKS ALOT FOR NOTHING .There are some places on earth that is not meant to visit because of the hospitallty shown by the very first transaction made in the State. If there is someone who can tell me what to do I would really appreciate it.
This happend to me.
They did this to me.
I rent from them almost every time I’m in Florida, Not anymore!!!!
Dollar Car Rental upgraded a car rental and nearly doubled our bill without agreement. We nearly went bankrupt because if it.
I had a similar experience with Enterprise in TN a few years ago with agents flat out lying in an effort to deceive through upsales of unneeded and unwanted products. I even had an agent to feign ignorance as I pulled up the company’s policy on my tablet as this agent had the audacity to try to evaluate the adequacy of my credit card issuer’s protection plan by calling the card company and being baffled that the rep would not verify any details related to my account. Very blatant and possible racially motivated as well! One agent was even so egotistical as to put it in writing per my request. It still gets me fired up. I filed complaints with my state and within the state that Enterprise is headquartered. Unfortunately the consumer protection laws in my state had been recently amended and not in favor of the consumer.