ORLANDO, Fla. – An ex-cop turned criminal who Channel 9 previously reported on is now being accused by car rental customers of charging questionable rates and sending threatening letters when they try to dispute the bill.
A customer told Action 9 she was charged airport fees, but Orlando International Airport leaders say the rental car company is not affiliated with them in any way and have now issued a cease and desist and withdrawal
Channel 9 investigative reporter Karla Ray tried to track down the owner for answers.
A Disney vacation turned into a rental car nightmare for the Clark family from Texas that unfolded in messages, emails and certified letters.
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“Immediately, I started getting texts from Joseph, saying if I didn’t do XYZ, I would lose my rent,” Brooke Clark said.
Clark talks about Joseph Conover, who now runs “Orlando Experience by Joseph.” It is a car rental service booked by the family through a third party website.
Clark showed us the texts he received, including a request for a deposit in addition to what he had already sent through this website.
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“At that point, we had already paid the $840 non-refundable,” he said. “And then I already paid him a $500 deposit. So now, I really felt like I had to get over this.”
Only then was she sent an email with a link to the company’s rental policies, including fines of up to $1,000 for cleaning and instructions on what to do upon arrival at Orlando International Airport; in bold, “Don’t go to the rental desk.”
“Joseph told us he needed another amount of money or we would lose the car, saying it was airport fees,” Clark said. “I still paid it, because I had already paid so much and I didn’t want to lose the car.”
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A bank record shows the charge for more than $200, but we learned the airport does not collect fees from Conover’s company. An airport spokesperson told us via email that the company is not affiliated with the airport as an airport operator or off-airport permit holder.
“The airport staff never heard from him,” Clark said.
We attempted to speak with Conover at his office address and at his home in Kissimmee. Both attempts were unsuccessful and our calls to their business number went unanswered.
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The company has a D+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. A representative for the company responded to Brooke’s complaint on the BBB website stating that they “do not comment on pending litigation” and that they “operate a properly licensed and insured vehicle rental company that complies with all regulatory provisions.”
Clark decided to return the car early, switching to another company and stopping the $500 deposit payment. This led to a letter being sent to her by certified mail, threatening legal action against her, plus additional charges for alleged damage to the vehicle.
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“I feel like I let my family down,” Clark said. “I feel like I let myself down, I feel like I fell in love with something that was wrong.”
The letter Clark received threatened “criminal” charges, something only a law enforcement officer could file. Airport leaders told Action 9 they issued a cease and desist against Conover’s business, and if he returns to airport property to conduct business, he will be issued a trespass.
The Florida Attorney General’s office received a complaint from another consumer, who claims he was threatened with legal action for leaving a bad review about his online experience. This office has advice on how to protect yourself when renting a car, which you can read here.
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