Originally Posted by Dovster

Don't rely on that. Two examples:

*I bought an unlocked "Motorola" cell phone in Florida. Chinese was the default language on it and when I tried to get it changed to English, and have Hebrew fonts put in it in a shop in Boston, I was told that it was a knock-off, manufactured in China, and could not download diddly.

I went to a second shop in DC, was told the same thing, and then I contacted Amex to get my money refunded. Amex investigated, saw that I had signed for it, and refused my refund. I spoke to them again, said I never denied signing for it, but it was not a real Motorola. I suggested that they send someone to this shop to see if he gets the real thing or a knock-off. Finally, after about 4 months, the charge was dropped.

*I made a pre-paid reservation in Israel with Avis in MXP. I paid for LDW but was told that if I want "Super CDW" I would have to get it in MXP. If I did not get it, I would be liable for the first 300 Euros in damage.

When I got to MXP I was given a contract which said that I was being given the Super CDW at no charge. About a month later, I was charged 1000 Euros for damage to the car (Avis MXP claimed there was a chip in the windshield). I contested it with MasterCard and was told that they have an agreement with Avis that they will honor all charges.

I went to the Avis office in Tel Aviv where I made the rental and said that there was no damage that I saw, if there had been it would have been covered by the "Super CDW" which my contract says I was given at no charge, and even if I did not have that "Super CDW" I was only liable for the first 300 Euros.

Avis-Tel Aviv agreed to investigate it, found that the previous renter had been charged the same 1000 Euros for the chip in the windshield (which, if it existed, must have been microscopic) but that Avis-MXP refused their request to credit my MasterCard. Instead, Avis-Tel Aviv gave me the 1000 Euros in Israeli shekels in cash.