Rental car’s mystery ‘damage’ could have been avoided Upon my return, I circled the car with a Hertz attendant and returned it in perfect form, and off I went. Three weeks later, I received a call from Hertz claiming that there was front bumper damage and I would be charged $428. Hertz is saying that I will continue to receive calls and that the claim will remain active — an inappropriate threat for a customer who didn’t do anything wrong. Since this appears to be a recurring issue with Hertz, is there any way you can assist me in resolving this matter? [...] the Maui Airport Hertz location is outdoors, right across from the main terminal. There’s plenty of good light to take a “before” and “after” photo of the vehicle, which would prove your innocence. Note any existing damage (even the smallest dings, dents and scratches). The Hertz representative who checked you in should have seen the damage (if it was there) and asked you for your insurance information. Getting a credible paper trail is pretty easy; I list Hertz’s customer-service contacts on my consumer-advocacy site: http://elliott.org/company-contacts/hertz.