TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) – The Florida State Attorney's Office filed legal action in the 4th Judicial Circuit Court of Duval County on Aug. 29 against a rental automotive group who allegedly charged customers highly inflated fees for tolls and misrepresented the state's cashless toll system.
According to Attorney General Pam Bondi's office, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group allegedly charged $10 to $15 each time a rental customer drove through a Florida cashless toll and up to $105 throughout the rental period.
The attorney general's office also alleges Dollar Thrifty failed to disclose the excessive toll fees and charges to its customers for the use of the state's toll roads and misrepresented information on Florida's toll fees in an effort to push rental customers into purchasing the company's toll product called PlatePass. Dollar Thrifty allegedly also pushed its customers to buy damage-waiver products when they declined it or did not need it because it was already covered by their auto insurance, the attorney general's office said.
According to a press release from Bondi, her office received hundreds of complaints from tourists who were vacationing in the state who said they did not know of the charges until receiving a bill weeks after returning home. In addition, customers complained about being wrongfully billed for vehicle upgrades.
Bondi is seeking restitution for the Dollar Thrifty customers as well as injunctive relief and attorney's fees and costs.