Hertz - Hertz Illegal Overseas Billing Practices

So I rented from Hertz in Dublin Ireland in October 2010. All was well until I got home:

Despite all my Hertz receipts stating that they will bill in Euros and in the local currency, I had Hertz charge my credit card in US Dollars at a grossly inflated exchange rate.

Furthermore, after a letter Hertz Customer Service department they are claiming that they did bill in Euros and my credit card company (Visa) is to blame. When I talk to Visa and look at the the transaction summary printout it clearly states that Hertz billed me in US Dollars. In fact the Billing Merchant name is "658.19 EUR 1.47266 HERTZ".

Has anyone else have this happen where your receipt states billing in Euros but still got billed in US Dollars at an inflated exchange rate?

I know that if you are not careful they will print your receipt in US dollars when you return the car but this the case where they bill you what they want in what ever currency they want no matter what your receipt says.

Seems like some sort of illegal activity going on here.

So I rented from Hertz in Dublin Ireland in October 2010. All was well until I got home:

Despite all my Hertz receipts stating that they will bill in Euros and in the local currency, I had Hertz charge my credit card in US Dollars at a grossly inflated exchange rate.

Furthermore, after a letter Hertz Customer Service department they are claiming that they did bill in Euros and my credit card company (Visa) is to blame. When I talk to Visa and look at the the transaction summary printout it clearly states that Hertz billed me in US Dollars. In fact the Billing Merchant name is "658.19 EUR 1.47266 HERTZ".

Has anyone else have this happen where your receipt states billing in Euros but still got billed in US Dollars at an inflated exchange rate?

I know that if you are not careful they will print your receipt in US dollars when you return the car but this the case where they bill you what they want in what ever currency they want no matter what your receipt says.

Seems like some sort of illegal activity going on here.

Despite your frustration, there is nothing illegal going on. When you take cash out of ATMs overseas, you get a choice: take the exchange rate provided, which is invariably poor, or let your bank do the exchange rate. Same with Hertz and other car rental companies. When you do return at the airport, the machines are pre-programmed to do the exchange rate directly into your home currency (in your case $$). If you want otherwise, you have to go to the booth or rental center and stand in line.

Its called DCC Dynamic Currency conversion. Usually you have to approve it, and after chip cards became the rule in europe with pin it has been easier to avoid it. However on rental cars it's in the fine print of your gold contract. I got a separate amendment on it a few years ago.

I have solved it by having a euro Amex card. But before I always complained to my cc company and they returned the charge to hertz,(avis too) sometimes they correct and charge in eur and quite a few times the charge just disappears.:D

I think you avoid this using Amex

Its called DCC Dynamic Currency conversion. Usually you have to approve it, and after chip cards became the rule in europe with pin it has been easier to avoid it. However on rental cars it's in the fine print of your gold contract. I got a separate amendment on it a few years ago.

I have solved it by having a euro Amex card. But before I always complained to my cc company and they returned the charge to hertz,(avis too) sometimes they correct and charge in eur and quite a few times the charge just disappears.:D

I think you avoid this using Amex

Hertz is saying that there was NO DCC but that it was Visa that did the Dynamic Conversion even though I have full documentation to show otherwise.

I'll avoid this by using a different car rental company next time I go overseas... I dont travel enough to Europe for it to be worth going to a euro Amex card.

Despite your frustration, there is nothing illegal going on. When you take cash out of ATMs overseas, you get a choice: take the exchange rate provided, which is invariably poor, or let your bank do the exchange rate. Same with Hertz and other car rental companies. When you do return at the airport, the machines are pre-programmed to do the exchange rate directly into your home currency (in your case $$). If you want otherwise, you have to go to the booth or rental center and stand in line.

I went to the booth to get in sent through in Euros and all my receipts say so.. Still it did not matter which is why I think something dishonest is going on here.

Dublin is an independent licensee, which may be part of the problem.

Hertz is saying that there was NO DCC but that it was Visa that did the Dynamic Conversion even though I have full documentation to show otherwise.

I'll avoid this by using a different car rental company next time I go overseas... I dont travel enough to Europe for it to be worth going to a euro Amex card.

Don't Ask Hertz, send a letter to your cc issuer and ask for a formal statement. If it is dcc they have to return the charge to sender by law.

Also, it will not help using another rental company, they all do it. Use Amex or Diners they will not reveal your origin currency. Thats at least my experience using my euro Amex worldwide.

Avis does this based on your booking country or adress. A couple og years ago I had a rental in Spain. The final bill said 300 euro. It was converted to Norwegian kroner by Avis and back to euro by Amex. It ended up showing up as 327 euro on my statement. Even though my payment slip said 300 and nothing about kr.

This is big business:mad: