Truth in Auto Rental: Fake IDs are Real

Fraud!

In the auto rental business, it should always be tickling the edges of your mind.
Is this customer really who she says she is?
There are instances of rental cars being rented and not returned after being used to transport people and illegal contraband around the country.
Of all the solutions available to rental car businesses, one is the simpliest and least expensive. Checking for fake ID.

We all know how to check for fake $20.00 bill with those pens, but how about fake ID? There have been several lawsuits involving rental locations that rented to clients with bogus licenses.

The worst scenario that has been the news is a rental car company rented to an individual that had a fake driver’s license and credit card. He rented the vehicle, had an accident and killed an innocent person. The bereaved family is suing the auto rental company for not verifying his ID.

Then there is this all to common occurance for rental car businesses: the car does not come back.

I got a call from one of our guys. He rented a car that did not come back. He called the cops and was told that it was not a stolen car (it was converted, but that is a story for a different day). So they had no jurisdiction. It took him over a month to find the car and get it back.

And how much did that month cost him?

Here is a story that appeared recently about credit card and fake licenses…how many cars did this guy get before he was caught?

These issues would not have happened had the owner, manager or counter agent taken a few simple steps to verify the renter’s ID. Verifying an ID can be as simple as calling the home phone to see if it works, running a credit bureau on the customer, calling the place of employment, or verifying other references. Yet,even these steps can take a lot of time (which you may not have) especially when there are customers waiting to be served.

Auto Rental Solutions created a simple 1 minute solution in RIC: Renter’s Identification Check.

If rental fraud has not touched your business yet, good to hear. But this does not mean your business is not suceptible.

Now is a good time, when fraud has not happened, to create your “what-if fraud-happens-here” policy. Be proactive, not reactive. Your bottom line will thank you.

Give us a call to learn about RIC and how-to implement a fraud alert program for your business, (800) 396-9128.