Common Car Rental Scams in Rwanda to Watch Out For

Renting a car in Rwanda is considered the most convenient way of moving around in Rwanda. It provides comfort and privacy to the traveler and flexibility to travel at your own pace. In this article, we walk you through the common car rental scams in Rwanda.

Just like other countries, Rwanda has scammers in the car rental business and it is important to watch out for some of the most common scams.

Physical location

The biggest scam to watch out for is the lack of physical location for the car rental. Most scammers use websites and online payment methods but do not have a physical address or office.

To avoid falling victim of this, ask the agent to give you the office address  and make sure you physically go there. This should give you proof that the company is legitimate and allows you to inspect their vehicles, gauge their professionalism, and clear all doubt.

Payment methods

Another red flag is when the provider asks you to pay upfront for the cars. Most legitimate car rentals only ask for a small booking fee and the rest is cleared when the car is delivered to you.

At all costs, avoid paying fully for these services beforehand. Car rentals that require you to pay upfront online are usually scammers and should be watched out for.

Little or no online presence

In this digital era, any legitimate car rental should have an active website and should have good reviews from the past customers. Customers usually leave reviews on reputable sites like Trip Advisor, and Google about their experiences with certain car rentals.

These customers are even able to point out the scammers by name. A company with no reviews or recommendations from past users is likely to be a scam and should be avoided. Genuine companies have a consistent track record of positive recommendations and testimonials.

Extremely low prices

Although competitive pricing is common, beware of too-good-to-be-true prices. There are market rates for these services and a good price should be slightly lower than the market price and not extremely low. Scammers use this technique to attract customers and who doesn’t like a cheap service?

They use these extremely low prices to scam as many people as possible so watch out.

Licencing and registration

A legitimate car rental should be registered by the Rwanda Development Board and have a valid operating license.   Before signing any agreement or making any payments,  endeavour to ask the operator for the certification and crosscheck with RDB’s official listing.

Should the providers be hesitant to provide this information, that means they’re likely to be scammers and should be avoided.

Comprehensive insurance cover

A car rental that doesn’t provide you with the insurance plan upon request is a total scam. Since most people book these rentals online, it is important to know that you’re covered in case of accidents and damages.

Should you ask the provider about the insurance cover and they don’t give it, avoid them and go with those that  provide you with this information. Also, some companies might sell fake or unnecessary insurance so endeavour to verify these.

Fuel scams

It is important to check the fuel level when the car is dropped off. Also test drive to see that the fuel gauge is working correctly because some companies can charge you for fuel that you haven’t used.

Rental Agreement

Before paying for a car rental in Rwanda, ask for the rental agreement and this should be detailed; outlining the terms and conditions, pickup and drop-off details, rental duration, mileage limits, and other important details.

Also, the agent should patiently walk you through this agreement and answer any questions you might have. Failure to do this, the company should be avoided.

Bait-and-switch

This is a tactic used by car rental scammers not only in Rwanda but around the whole world. You book a car and when the time comes for you to get it, you are told that it isn’t available. You are provided with a more expensive one and are required to pay extra.

According to the New York Times, many car rental companies, desperate to enhance their sputtering revenue,  are pushing customers to upgrade to more expensive models and by several accounts claim that the requested vehicle is not available.

Do not fall for this scam. It is illegal and many car rentals in Kigali get away with it.

To avoid these Car Rental Scams in Rwanda, research and choose reputable companies, ask questions to clarify any concerns, keep documentation, and understand the rental agreements.