So, a little "facts from life blog this time"...
Car Rental Companies and Banks, could be the sub heading..
So (I like So, nice little intro.. can not be over used, So, it can even change to Soooooo, and be a kind of question, meaning lots of things. Useful word. So.), I went to Canada late last year, and rented a car. Had rented this nice little Dodge thingy through my travel agent. Got to Vancouver, went to pick it up, and oh, it's one of those "similar" cars! A Toyota Yaris! Super excitement! Oh, and we don't have winter tires, they are illegal in Vancouver. And, no, you can't put snow chains on a rental car... Oh, your not allowed to drive to Jasper without snow tires or chains. But you can rent a 4WD, only another 3-400 dollars.. So (did I say I liked that word?), a couple of hundred dollars poorer, but, hey, a Jeep Grand Cherokee thats gone 15ks!
Later were driving along a road, littered with small pebbles (as they put those on the roads the Canadians..) and CRACK! one of the little pebbles hit the windscreen, leaving a nice little mark. %$#$^%#$% we thought, but, me being Swedish (and not learned my lesson with the winter tires) thought, well, that SURELY have to be classified as wear n tear.... WRONG!
You'll have to pay for that, you do have an insurance, so you only need to pay CA$250 for that and the weeny tiny scratch we found that you didn't see..
Oh, well, my travel insurance will pay for the excess, no worries.
A month or so later:
You will need to pay us CA$250, let us know if you have any questions, if not we'll take it from your card.
No worries.
2 months later:
Bank lady: Your card has been compromised!
Me: What, how where?
Bank lady: In Canada!
Me: Oh, that may be legit, how much did they take?
Bank lady: Eh, what? Your card is compromised
Me: Yes, you said, but it may be legit.
Bank lady (bit annoyed): The transaction may be legit but your magnetic strip have been compromised. The security department told me.
Me: Ok, but..
Bank lady: You want to cancel your card or not?
Me: Ok
Bank lady: Good, we'll send you a new card. Anything else I can help you with?
Me: No
So, card cancelled.
Then, yesterday:
YOUR DELINQUENT ACCOUNT HAS BEEN PLACED WITH OUR COLLECTION DIVISION FOR IMMEDIATE COLLECTION ACTION
PAYMENT IN FULL TO CREDIFAX ONTARIO LIMITED IS REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY
FAILURE TO PAY WILL RESULT IN FURTHER ACTION BEING TAKEN AGAINST YOU WHICH MAY REFLECT ON YOUR CREDIT HISTORY
GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY
Very nice I though, especially the use of all CAPITALS.. So I wrote back:
I got a letter saying:
YOUR DELINQUENT ACCOUNT HAS BEEN PLACED WITH OUR COLLECTION DIVISION FOR IMMEDIATE COLLECTION ACTION
PAYMENT IN FULL TO CREDIFAX ONTARIO LIMITED IS REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY
FAILURE TO PAY WILL RESULT IN FURTHER ACTION BEING TAKEN AGAINST YOU WHICH MAY REFLECT ON YOUR CREDIT HISTORY
GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY
Disregarding why I get this letter and it's kind words, how do I pay it? It kindly says to
*** PLEASE DETACH AND RETURN TOP PORTION WITH YOUR PAYMENT ***
Return where? Ontario? I have no problems paying it, as it was always my intention to do so. The only reason I haven't do so far is
that I was waiting for Thrifty to take the money from my credit card as that was how I understood the letter sent to me. Two weeks ago
my bank calls me and tells me to cancel my credit card as my magnetic strip had been "compromised" in Vancouver..
My question is, how, as I live in Australia, do I pay these CA$250? Credit card? Bank transfer?
And figured I better call my bank again:
Me: Hello, I'd like to check on why my card got cancelled.
Bank Chap: It got reported as stolen
Me: Eh? Stolen? I didn't report it as stolen
Bank Chap: So you have the card?
Me: No, it got cancelled so I cut it up and threw it away
Bank Chap: ..
Me: I just want to know why it got cancelled, if someone tried to take money from it and how much that was
Bank Chap: Ah, I'll check it up for you
Me: ok
Bank Chap (after a little wait): I'm happy to say that your balance is only $2 so nothing got taken
Me: Yes, but that wasn't what I asked..? I want to know if someone tried to take money from my and that was why my card got classified as compromised
Bank Chap: Rest assured, no money got taken from you account. And we'll send you a new card in the mail. You only need to give us a call when you get it and we can activate it. Is there anything else I can help you with?
Me: ...
Useful phone call.. Also, I forgot, I called them on Sunday as well, asking when my card was supposed to come.. when she said it will be at yours at ABSOLUTELY latest Wednesday.. Which, was yesterday...
Anyways, got a reply from the Mrs Powell:
Karl,
The funds are in CDN. Forward the payment to Credifax Ontario Limited
1064C Hargrieve Road
London, Ontario
N6E 1P5
How? How do I "Forward" money? I pass them on? I tell them, hey, mr Dollar, when your in the neighborhood, can you give Credifax $250 from me? I admit I'm probably being rather stupid here, but what is wrong with a bank account? Or even a pay pal account??
Checked my travel insurance, and got a bit worried. But got all sorted by giving them a call, although I did my best to confuse the poor claims lady. Only worry I have now is.. my insurance is in Mattias, while dear Credifax prefer to call me Karl.. May there be some complications there one wonders?
