Cash/debit Card Customers

Part of the problem is that banks do everything they can to convince their customers that debit cards are indeed the same as credit cards.

And a lot of the folks who use debit cards often either 1) don't know the difference or 2) so shocked someone gave them a piece of plastic with numbers on it that they feel now they have finally made it to the world of entitlement.

The worst situation I ever had was with a guy trying to rent a 15 passenger van for a wedding party with a debit card. We explicitly told him when he made his reservation "major credit card, not debit or check card." And I believe we confirmed that a few days prior to the reservation date. So he walks into the office about 9am on a Saturday(we did single shifts on saturday, even though we were a 100 car office, and typically I would write between 15 and 20 contracts in 4 hours.) He held up the line for about 30 minutes. I called my area manager - he wouldn't approve the debit card, so I called admin - they wouldn't approve the debit card use.

After about 30 minutes I basically had to tell him, look I am sorry we can not help you - we can rent you cars, etc but 15 passenger vans, as we have told you twice before today, require a major credit card.

He then gave me another nice explanation about how debit cards are the same as credit cards, and credit card companies are out to get him etc. I eventually had to inform him he had two options: leave peacefully, or leave with a police escort.

He left peacefully.

The blacks are difficult customers although most ERAC customers are just staright up pains-in-the-anuses!

Remember when you got your Debit Visa in the mail? In BIG BLACK BOLD LETTERS accross the top of the page reads "THIS IS NOT A CREDIT CARD" You can't get any clearer.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Part of the problem is that banks do everything they can to convince their customers that debit cards are indeed the same as credit cards.

And a lot of the folks who use debit cards often either 1) don't know the difference or 2) so shocked someone gave them a piece of plastic with numbers on it that they feel now they have finally made it to the world of entitlement.

The worst situation I ever had was with a guy trying to rent a 15 passenger van for a wedding party with a debit card. We explicitly told him when he made his reservation "major credit card, not debit or check card." And I believe we confirmed that a few days prior to the reservation date. So he walks into the office about 9am on a Saturday(we did single shifts on saturday, even though we were a 100 car office, and typically I would write between 15 and 20 contracts in 4 hours.) He held up the line for about 30 minutes. I called my area manager - he wouldn't approve the debit card, so I called admin - they wouldn't approve the debit card use.

After about 30 minutes I basically had to tell him, look I am sorry we can not help you - we can rent you cars, etc but 15 passenger vans, as we have told you twice before today, require a major credit card.

He then gave me another nice explanation about how debit cards are the same as credit cards, and credit card companies are out to get him etc. I eventually had to inform him he had two options: leave peacefully, or leave with a police escort.

He left peacefully.

Wow! Is every single Enterprise employee a complete idiotic moron? Let me guess...you all have your GEDs. Am I right? And for some reason, you think that makes you somewhat intelligent? Thats funny shit. Take a hint folks, go back to school.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The blacks are difficult customers although most ERAC customers are just staright up pains-in-the-anuses!

Then there's the other side...

I am black and DO have a major credit card (several, actually). I am also a pilot for a major airline. I rented from Enterprise and called to have the contract extended for my father when I left town after a funeral for a relative, so he could remain an additional two days. The employee I spoke to said there would be no problem with extending the rental by swapping it to my father's name and credit card.

When we arrived at the airport (I was in uniform going to work), I expected things to go smoothly since it had all been arranged beforehand. Boy, was I wrong!

My father had ridden with me in the rental to the airport, and had no way back when he was told that he couldn't rent with a debit card (he had a credit card, but was unable to find it at the time.) I offered to pay with MY credit card since my father is an authorized user on my card, but for some obscure reason that involved the name on the card not being the same as the primary driver, that was unacceptable.

I then offered to simply extend the contract in my name, on my credit card, with me remaining as the primary driver, and adding my father as a secondary driver for the extra $5/day. Here was the part that was truly unclear. They STILL would not accept this! So I was okay to rent the car and drive the car, but to add another driver they not only needed the extra $5/day, they also wanted TWO (2) credit cards! Without a SECOND major credit card, they refused to rent us the car.

Fortunately my father in digging through his briefcase was finally able to find his own credit card and rented the car on his own. I still wonder though, was it because I am black that my credit card wasn't good enough for me to add a driver to my rental? Is ERAC the next "Denny's", bigoted service without the smile?

PS. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. When I first rented the car, I pulled into the nearest gas station (two miles) to fill up the "full" tank. It took nearly FOUR GALLONS, adding about $12 to my one-day rental. So much for you prep dweebs doing YOUR jobs right. You've got a lot of nerve wondering why your customers are "pains-in-the-anuses"!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Remember when you got your Debit Visa in the mail? In BIG BLACK BOLD LETTERS accross the top of the page reads "THIS IS NOT A CREDIT CARD" You can't get any clearer.

Don't be a clueless idiot.

I had my debit card stolen a couple of years ago and the bank caught it when it was used AS A CREDIT CARD (they didn't have my PIN number) to charge over $1500 at a casino in Las Vegas. They paid the money but called me when they noticed that wasn't part of my normal pattern of spending. I checked and realized the card had been stolen, and had it cancelled, but that was too late to stop that first charge.

If you debit card says VISA on it with a 16-digit account number embossed on the card, it CAN be used as a credit card without the PIN. If it doesn't, it can't.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Don't be a clueless idiot.

I had my debit card stolen a couple of years ago and the bank caught it when it was used AS A CREDIT CARD (they didn't have my PIN number) to charge over $1500 at a casino in Las Vegas. They paid the money but called me when they noticed that wasn't part of my normal pattern of spending. I checked and realized the card had been stolen, and had it cancelled, but that was too late to stop that first charge.

If you debit card says VISA on it with a 16-digit account number embossed on the card, it CAN be used as a credit card without the PIN. If it doesn't, it can't.

Your totally clueless. You can't open a checking acocunt with $50 and then go out and run up a bill for $5K. Come on now a check card sends you statements in the mail. Not bills requesting monthly payments. I'm having flashbacks like I'm at the counter right now.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Then there's the other side...

I am black and DO have a major credit card (several, actually). I am also a pilot for a major airline. I rented from Enterprise and called to have the contract extended for my father when I left town after a funeral for a relative, so he could remain an additional two days. The employee I spoke to said there would be no problem with extending the rental by swapping it to my father's name and credit card.

When we arrived at the airport (I was in uniform going to work), I expected things to go smoothly since it had all been arranged beforehand. Boy, was I wrong!

My father had ridden with me in the rental to the airport, and had no way back when he was told that he couldn't rent with a debit card (he had a credit card, but was unable to find it at the time.) I offered to pay with MY credit card since my father is an authorized user on my card, but for some obscure reason that involved the name on the card not being the same as the primary driver, that was unacceptable.

I then offered to simply extend the contract in my name, on my credit card, with me remaining as the primary driver, and adding my father as a secondary driver for the extra $5/day. Here was the part that was truly unclear. They STILL would not accept this! So I was okay to rent the car and drive the car, but to add another driver they not only needed the extra $5/day, they also wanted TWO (2) credit cards! Without a SECOND major credit card, they refused to rent us the car.

Fortunately my father in digging through his briefcase was finally able to find his own credit card and rented the car on his own. I still wonder though, was it because I am black that my credit card wasn't good enough for me to add a driver to my rental? Is ERAC the next "Denny's", bigoted service without the smile?

PS. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. When I first rented the car, I pulled into the nearest gas station (two miles) to fill up the "full" tank. It took nearly FOUR GALLONS, adding about $12 to my one-day rental. So much for you prep dweebs doing YOUR jobs right. You've got a lot of nerve wondering why your customers are "pains-in-the-anuses"!

Next time don't be so F*** lazy and have your father make sure he has the card out and he can present it right when they ask for it. Then this wouldn't be a problem and you wouldn't be launching a racist probe against ERAC because your dad couldn't find his card at first.
Enterprise kept their part of the bargain, and that was their policy to have a credit card swiped. You were the one changing your end of the bargain until your dad found his card. Next time don't look to hid behind race. That will get you know where you should be ashamed of yourself.

[slave no more]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Don't be a clueless idiot.

I had my debit card stolen a couple of years ago and the bank caught it when it was used AS A CREDIT CARD (they didn't have my PIN number) to charge over $1500 at a casino in Las Vegas. They paid the money but called me when they noticed that wasn't part of my normal pattern of spending. I checked and realized the card had been stolen, and had it cancelled, but that was too late to stop that first charge.

If you debit card says VISA on it with a 16-digit account number embossed on the card, it CAN be used as a credit card without the PIN. If it doesn't, it can't.

A debit/check card is that and only that. When you use the credit option the funds are not automatically removed as they are with the debit option but take 24-48 hours to post. You can also remove cash from the account when you use it as debit. THE BANK DOES NOT EXTEND YOU CREDIT hence it is not a credit card. The banks use that to get people to get Debit/Check cards and think it is a credit card when you HAVE to have the money available for you to use it regardless of Credit or Debit. If you did not have $1500 in your account and they used your debit card then you probably have a savings account that the charges can rollover into or you have overdraft protection up to a certain amount. Eitehr way it is not a CREDIT card and cannot be used as such.

[slave no more]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Then there's the other side...

I am black and DO have a major credit card (several, actually). I am also a pilot for a major airline. I rented from Enterprise and called to have the contract extended for my father when I left town after a funeral for a relative, so he could remain an additional two days. The employee I spoke to said there would be no problem with extending the rental by swapping it to my father's name and credit card.

When we arrived at the airport (I was in uniform going to work), I expected things to go smoothly since it had all been arranged beforehand. Boy, was I wrong!

My father had ridden with me in the rental to the airport, and had no way back when he was told that he couldn't rent with a debit card (he had a credit card, but was unable to find it at the time.) I offered to pay with MY credit card since my father is an authorized user on my card, but for some obscure reason that involved the name on the card not being the same as the primary driver, that was unacceptable.

I then offered to simply extend the contract in my name, on my credit card, with me remaining as the primary driver, and adding my father as a secondary driver for the extra $5/day. Here was the part that was truly unclear. They STILL would not accept this! So I was okay to rent the car and drive the car, but to add another driver they not only needed the extra $5/day, they also wanted TWO (2) credit cards! Without a SECOND major credit card, they refused to rent us the car.

Fortunately my father in digging through his briefcase was finally able to find his own credit card and rented the car on his own. I still wonder though, was it because I am black that my credit card wasn't good enough for me to add a driver to my rental? Is ERAC the next "Denny's", bigoted service without the smile?

PS. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. When I first rented the car, I pulled into the nearest gas station (two miles) to fill up the "full" tank. It took nearly FOUR GALLONS, adding about $12 to my one-day rental. So much for you prep dweebs doing YOUR jobs right. You've got a lot of nerve wondering why your customers are "pains-in-the-anuses"!

I feel for yo uin this situation because the employees did the right thing but they did not explain it correctly. Main drivers need to qualify to rent. ADDITIONAL drivers need to qualify in the same manner as main drivers otherwise people with great credit would rent for their deadbeat relatives (not saying you) and that is when rentals go shitty. The way I would put it is if the add driver could not rent on their own then they cannot be add drivers. Simple as that.