Bluffing the Scammers – The Rental Car Saga
A little background first. I’d decided last Thursday (Feb 21) to rent a car for 8 days to get out and really explore the area, plus to get me to Viñales. I’d asked Pototo where was a good place to rent a car from and he’d suggested that I head to the Habana Tryp Libre Hotel.
So away I went and decided on a small Korean car from the VIA Gaviota rental people who have a desk inside the hotel lobby. The price quoted (the same at all VIA agencies) was $65 CUC per day which included all insurance and unlimited mileage which for 8 days would total $520 CUC. This was to be paid by both Credit Card and Cash.
They billed $400 CUC to my MasterCard (converted to US dollars of course) plus $120 CUC cash to equal the total rental cost. In addition, they get an “Authorization” for an additional $200 CUC damage deposit, but this is not actually billed to your account, just authorized to see that the credit is available. I went downstairs with the assistant to the garage to see the car and to determine if I’d actually fit with enough room to drive the small car. It was Ok for a week, but I’d never own something that small. The car was brought outside and I both looked the car over (it was brand new with only 1400 km on the clock) and took a complete set of digital photos from all sides as proof of the condition of the car.
Back inside, the paperwork is complete and presented to me for signature. I’d had to show my Passport as well. Carefully reading over the contract, I note that it simply says that $400 was applied to my credit card and the balance in cash. But the contract also doesn’t state the total rental cost so the cash balance could be anything. I insisted that it be written in that $120 was paid in Cash and this was done. With everything correct, I signed the rental contract. The rental manager then stated that the only thing left for me to do was to go out and verify the actual mileage on the car’s odometer and then sign the actual car condition report. So out again with the assistant to do this, then back inside.
I was presented with the rental contract (whose copies had been separated) with my copy letter folded, but stapled at each end, effectively sealing it shut. It was handed to me along with a map and everything was said to be “in-order”. And that’s where I made my mistake and got caught off guard. I should have twigged to the stapled contract but simply missed that very subtle ploy. So with contract and map in hand, away I went.
A couple of days later while sitting around the Casa in Viñales, I thought I’d open up the contract to read it and practice some of my Spanish. Aware that one scam is the “Damaged Contract” scam whereby if the contract is ripped or otherwise damaged, you are charged an additional $50 CUC when returning the car, I very carefully used a pocket knife to open the staples and remove them. Well knock me over dead!!!! The contract has been changed and where it once said $120 CUC cash deposit, it’s now been scratched out and says $40 CUC cash. It’s done very sloppily but none the less, the scam is obviously on. In addition, another area of the contract has now been filled in which states that it is $360 CUC rental for 8 days, plus $80 CUC for insurance, which only then equals $440 CUC. So the scam is clearly for $80 CUC. But what to do? Obviously the only thing to do is to wait until I return the car and work the problem at that time.
So today (Friday 29) I arrived at the Tryp earlier than the contract time (2 pm) so as to have a bit of time to work on the problem. Instead of going to the rental car desk, I went straight to the front desk of the hotel and asked the receptionist to get me the hotel General Manager and informed her that she might also have to call the Police. When asked what the problem was, I informed her that there was a thief working in the hotel and I wanted to both report it and rectify the problem.
Well needless to say, things started to happen quite quickly (by Cuban standards) and a very short time later the Manager appears. He quickly appraises me, only to find a “tourist” standing there in clean slacks, dress shirt and polished shoes, more a businessman than an obvious tourist. When he asks the problem, I suggest that as gentlemen, perhaps we should discuss the “Hotel’s problem” somewhere more private and away from the line of people at reception. Eyebrows raised, he complies and we move to a side office. Now before even discussing the meat of the issue, I take out my notepad and ask for his full name and position title…..”For my Report” that I will be presenting to “my Amigo” back in Canada. Naturally, he asks what report and what friend back in Canada, and now it’s full bluff time. Casually, I reach into my wallet and present him with “my friend’s” business card. It’s the formal diplomatic business card of Senior Darias, the Cuban Ambassador to Canada, who I had met last year. Well now the eyebrows are touching the ceiling, and his tan has faded just a little. Gee, this might actually work! So I now fully outline the situation, and ask if the hotel is prepared to rectify the problem. Caught off-guard, the manager states that unfortunately the car rental agency is a separate company and there is nothing official he can do. But he is prepared to assist if he can and asks what I would like done. I state that I would like the Area Manager for VIA cars contacted and to have him come to the hotel. And in addition, and if necessary, would he kindly contact the Police and have them come as well. The tan fades just a little more! Perhaps there is a better solution he says, and we agree to go together to see the manager of the VIA agency at the hotel (the same man who was trying the scam), but seeing nothing to loose by being reasonable, I comply, but also state that if I’m not entirely satisfied, I will still be contacting other people.
Well now we arrive at the VIA rental desk and the hotel Manager in rapid Spanish informs the VIA scumbag (manager) of the problem and he tries to bluff his way out of the situation. I clearly hear “loco tourista” (crazy tourist) a few times (if ONLY he REALLY KNEW!!!) and the hotel manager leaves at this point. I think he was glad to officially duck the situation. So once again, it’s bluff time and the first thing I do is get his ID card and carefully copy his full name and VIA personnel number into my notepad, for my report (LOL). I go through the whole explanation again, only this time I am calling the VIA Manager a thief, right to his face. When the Ambassador’s business card comes out, the VIA Area Manager is mentioned, and the Police are also mentioned, there is absolutely no doubt that this guy goes white as a sheet of paper and slumps into his chair, probably shitting a few bricks as well. At this point, I think he knows he’s beat and tries to insist that it is all a simply mistake. I tell him that he is now both a Liar and a Thief and state that it’s obvious that the only people that can solve this issue are his manager and the Police. I then further inform him that is it my intention to see that by tomorrow he won’t have a job anymore either. The bricks now turn to solid 24K gold bricks!!! Then I calmly sit back in my chair and the stare-down begins. Well for the longest 60 seconds of time, I calmly sit there lightly tapping my pen on my crossed knee. He’s staring back at me, white as a ghost, with sweat streaming down his face. (it’s actually quite comfortably air conditioned inside)
Finally he blinks, admits that it was a stupid mistake on his part but that his family is poor and he needed the money for food. Telling him not to insult my intelligence because he is wearing nice clothes, has a very nice watch, gold rings and a gold necklace (the Cubans do love to show their bling!) I finally throw him a glimpse of resolution and ask what he is prepared to do to settle this matter and that if I’m not satisfied with his settlement, then perhaps the Area Manager would be more agreeable.
Well I’ve never seen a Cuban move so fast in my life before. Out with the contract and all the figures are quickly changed to now reflect a rental price of only $55 CUC per day (total of $440), the damage Authorization Slip is quickly ripped up and handed back to me, and in the absolutely sweetest of moments, he stood up and took out his OWN WALLET and counted out $80 CUC cash and handed it back to me, all the while apologizing and professing stupidity on his part for trying to cheat me. Never in my time in Cuba have I seen a Cuban actually be forced to hand back money after scamming it eight days earlier. I think he would have done anything to simply get me out of there and end the matter. People from the other sales desks were watching and also closely listening (other rental car companies and tour operators) so I think this guy publicly eating crow and having to pay me back was a good lesson. Not all tourists are stupid or ready to give up.
He wanted to shake hands with me, but I refused and chose to just leave, with my money now back in my pocket and having achieved a good deal on the car. With one final colloquial Spanish phrase that questioned his ancestry and the profession of his mother!
Did the Ambassador’s business card help? Well of course it did, but so did politely complaining and starting from the top down, and of course a good bluff and poker face. A new lesson learned for me and one for the books. Did I want him actually fired? Honestly, that’s a difficult one to answer. I know that life in Cuba is hard, and if he’d treated me politely, efficiently and respectfully he would have got a nice tip and the end. As it was, he gets nothing and hopefully will think twice before scamming another tourist. But reality also says that he’ll likely lay low for a little while, then go back to his old scamming ways. The payoff is just too tempting in a poor country.
Es Cuba!!
Steve
Topic: Steve_YYZ's 2008 Trip to Habana y Vinales (Read 45235 times)