One month after returning his Hertz rental car on a German holiday without a scratch, Michael Remmert found himself suddenly billed for $1000 in repairs. Moreover, when he asked to see the repair estimate, they sent him one dated 30 days after the charge first appeared on his credit card.

Welcome to the sleazy world of car rental repairs. The LA Times has posted a good round-up of what seems to be a growing industry of bogus repair fees charged to customers credit cards long after they returned their vehicles. These fees, obviously, mostly seem leveraged against customers who don’t opt for insurance coverage.

The article also features the bold claim that National and Alamo actually pay bonuses to employees who are able to ding customers for scratches and dents.

The entire situation has gotten so bad that the article recommends that customers go over their vehicle with a magnifying glass before they return it, to make sure that a microscopic molecule abrasion doesn’t magically transmogrify into a $500 fee.

There’s a dented fender on my bill! [LA Times]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.