You may have seen the following viral Twitter thread last week. If you didn’t, be aware that it is long but worth it in a what-the-hell-did-I-just-read way.
Last Friday, I flew to NJ for the weekend to visit friends and family. I rented a white 2020 Toyota Camry from the Newark Liberty International Airport branch of @Avis. All was going well until my rental disappeared from right outside my childhood home on Saturday night.
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
The police confirmed that there was no impound order on the car, so it couldn’t have been towed. That left me with the thought that it could have been stolen. Even though I still had the keys? And it wasn’t a keyless start vehicle? And car theft has never been a problem here?
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
I called the police back to file a report. They sent an officer to my home who wrote it up. I told him where I’d been all day with the car and that the last time I’d seen it, it was legally parked right outside my home. It was 2:30AM and I had a flight back to Boston at 9AM.
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
The @Avis rep told me that because I hadn’t returned the car I would continue to be charged for it and would be liable if it wasn’t returned. She said the car could maybe be tracked and gave me someone’s business card to follow up with. I gave back the keys. Got on my flight. pic.twitter.com/rjlPRbnokn
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
That was when I got the idea to check the EZPASS activity on that transponder. Like if it had been stolen and the transponder wasn’t removed, then it would have pinged whenever going through a toll and I could sort of track what highways and exits the car went through.
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
Strange…so right around the time I noticed the car was missing, it was on its way to the same area where I picked it up. What a coincidence that a thief would take it there…By itself, this wasn’t much…but then I got a call from my aunt about what her home security picked up.
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
The tow truck spent 12 minutes loading the car and then left with it, rejecting the theory it’d been stolen. But remember, the police hadn’t ordered it to be impounded. Also I hadn’t given out my NJ address to anyone, not even @Avis. My driver’s license address is in Boston.
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
The @Avis app on my phone suddenly showed the vehicle was “returned” at 11:59AM on Sunday, 4 hours after I returned to the Newark branch by lyft and 90 minutes after I’d already landed in Boston. Well geez, who could have returned it??? By now, it should be clear what happened. pic.twitter.com/RtFKcKmdVs
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
So now I’m really blowing up @Avis‘ lines. Remember the business card I was given for someone at the branch to follow up with? Out of service. Another local number I was given: no pick-up and doesn’t take VMs. Customer service reps refusing to connect me directly with the branch. pic.twitter.com/vUzpYb652G
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
And to add insult to injury, @Avis has proceeded to bill me as if I returned the car AND they’re charging me late fees! All without any acknowledgement that they repossessed the vehicle and that I’ve been trying to reach out to them for days.
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
For all the trouble I’ve been caused: losing my rental, filing a police report, worrying my neighborhood, being told I was liable for a $20K+ car, hours wasted trying to reach @Avis, and being charged full price + late fees. I just want @Avis to do the right thing.
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
Now, there are several questions raised by this sequence of events. Why would Avis so desperately need a 2020 Toyota Camry back? Did someone rent it to Campbell by mistake? Did Avis think the car was stolen and wanted it back? Were there, uh, important items in the car or something? What’s the deal with charging and ghosting the guy? Why did Avis tell him they couldn’t track it when they actually could?
None of it made much sense, and still didn’t when later Friday Campbell reported that he’d finally gotten a refund from Avis but still no explanation as to what happened.
Avis is also escalating and investigating this matter. Now while my charges are rightfully being refunded, the overall ordeal has yet to be redressed! And I will not let up. Being made whole will require a lot more than just a refund!!!
— Tarikh Campbell (@tarikhcampbell) August 20, 2021
Naturally, reporters, including this one, asked Avis what happened, but on Friday all Avis had to say about the matter was that it was investigating, and would know more Monday. Monday came and went, but this afternoon an Avis spokeswoman gave me the following explanation:
Following a review, we fully refunded and apologised to Mr. Campbell and offered a coupon for future use. Our internal findings indicate there was an incorrect tow triggered by an administrative error on a previous rental. Mistaken tows occur infrequently but we are taking steps to prevent situations like this from occurring at all in the future.
Mistakes were made, you see. There was an administrative error! We’re doing our best to make sure this won’t happen again!
This is an unsatisfyingly mundane response from Avis, which is how they probably prefer it. Anything to make this story come and go. The coupon for future use is a hilarious detail, though, as if anyone would rent a car from Avis again after going through an ordeal like this, free or not. Rental car companies: Still bad!