On 06/07/2024 we arrived at Malaga airport to collect our hire car vehicle from Gold car.
The car was 2 hours late and we had to wait with our 8 month old crying baby. My partner had to take our baby away and I dealt with the forms as I am the car driver.
I was told by the man at the booking desk I was to pay 183euro only for the car deposit. I asked why is was not 2000 euro as my original booking stated and he assured me it is just 183 euro now. He said this would be returned when the car comes back with full fuel and obviously not damaged. I agreed to this and inserted my credit card as instructed. There were no numbers on the pad, but again he confirmed the amount is 183 euros only. There was Spanish writing on the card reader. He then asked me to sign to authorise this deposit amount.
After this he then said the car still wasn’t ready and to wait for it. After another 30 minutes he finally handed us a folded leaflet and told us to go upstairs into the car parking lot and collect the keys. I never saw any documentation at any point.
After another very long delay waiting for the car upstairs we finally got into the car and drove it away. I did not look at the leaflet until the next day as we were exhausted and very delayed by the car pick up.
I then the next day noticed a charge on my credit card pending for way more than 183 euro and immediately checked the leaflet they gave us. The man at the desk added on “super relax coverage” and two other extras I don’t understand as I don’t speak Spanish.
They have taken my signature from the card reader (when I paid my deposit) and forged it onto a Spanish document. The document details the correct deposit amount, and then they have added on extras and charged my credit card for them.
I never authorised this. The charges include “super relax insurance”. I had paid for my own excess insurance with my travel insurance. The man at the desk spoke English and there was no breakdown in communication that could have led to these charges. I was very clear as was he, that I was paying only 183 euros refundable deposit.
After this incident I have read into goldcar and Europcar reviews, and they are doing this to many many people. They have even been investigated by WHICH.
I am extremely disappointed that he has discriminated me based on my ethnicity and stole over 200 euros of money (by means of forging my signature onto a document in a language I do not speak).
Goldcar have been less than helpful with their responses. I also tried calling and they denied to speak over the phone, stating that customer service is not available other than email.
Please check the added comments from their Facebook pages and also their trustpilot reviews where you can see they do this to hundreds of people if not more.
They are also well known for trying to charge your card for fake damages after the car is returned and I am extremely worried now they have already stolen £100s of pounds from my account.
Desired outcome: Refund of my stolen money
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