A Minnesota woman’s $150 rental car blunder exposes a sneaky scam—find out how to spot the warning signs and save your wallet! 🌐 #News #StPaulMN #Minnesota #Travel
ST. PAUL, MN — When Amy Erickson rented a car for a weekend trip in St. Paul, Minnesota, she thought she’d snagged a great deal—until a simple oversight turned her plans into a costly nightmare. What started as a routine rental quickly spiraled into a lesson she’ll carry with her forever. Here’s what happened, broken down step-by-step, so you can steer clear of the same trap.
A Too-Good-to-Be-True Deal
Amy, like many of us, wanted to save a few bucks. She found a rental car online with a jaw-dropping rate—half the price of the big-name companies. The website looked legitimate, complete with customer reviews and a sleek design. She booked it, paid upfront, and felt good about her thrifty choice. But when she arrived at the pickup location, things took a turn.
The Pickup That Never Happened
Amy showed up at the address listed—a nondescript lot in a Twin Cities suburb with no signage, no staff, and worst of all, no car. Confused, she called the customer service number from the booking confirmation. It rang endlessly before disconnecting. Her rental car, it turned out, didn’t exist. The “deal” was a scam, and her $150 payment was gone.
“I felt so foolish,” Amy said. “It never crossed my mind that a rental company could just vanish like that.”
The Hidden Red Flags
Looking back, Amy realized there were warning signs she missed. The website had no physical address beyond the pickup spot, the payment process demanded immediate full payment with no refund option, and the company’s name didn’t match any known rental brands…