Car scam: Rent-a-car vehicles sold to scrap

Published Monday, December 19, 2011

By Joseph George

Rent-a-car companies in the UAE have raised guard against increasing cases of missing vehicles.

In a series of incidents that have emerged over the last few months, many cars have gone missing after clients renting them have failed to return them on time.

In one such case a Dubai-based rent-a-car car company that did not want to disclose its identity said it managed to recover a dozen odd cars that were abandoned in different places, including one at the airport, while four vehicles are still missing.

“The guy who rented it from us openly said that he had sold it to scrap,” said Shamir, the Manager at the firm.

“We have already registered our complaints with the police. We have been told that two of them who rented two of the four missing cars have already left the country,” he added.

“I don’t know if there is a drastic increase in numbers but when we went to the cops we were told of many such cases involving various rent a car companies. In fact one of the guys who had disappeared with one of our vehicles had rented vehicles from other companies as well,” he said.

According to him it is easy to trace vehicles if they are left abandoned in Dubai. "It becomes more difficult if they are left abandoned in any of the Northern Emirates, as there are not many paid parking zones there,” he added.

Hamid Karim from Carfare Rent a Car said his company would have lost about five to six cars during the last year.

“The rate of loss in life one or two in 500 rentals, which is still a big number. While we have managed to locate some of the cars, there is no way to trace the others. Most of the such cases are from cars that are rented with an intention of either stealing or non-payment,” he said.

According to companies such incidents continue despite stringent precautionary measures. “We take the passport copies, copy of driving license and a copy of the credit card. Yet those who want to outsmart us come of innovative ways to do so,” added Karim.