Dear Sirs, Europcar Portugal issued a completely unfair damage invoice after my rental. Car had a scratch that pre-existed before my rental on 14/05/2026, around 10:00. I didn't pay too much attention to what exact scratches were listed in the original protocol, as the front bumper (as well as the whole car) was really full of scratches from every possible side. One scratch was not included in the original protocol, and while returning the car (on 14/05/2026, around 18:25), the serviceman told me that it's me who did it. I was surprised, and told him we have video: we checked together and this scratch was visible on the video taken before rental, but he denied everything and included it in the return protocol as "new" and "caused by me". I immediately (on the very same day, at 22:23) contacted them and explained the situation: a video & screenshots from it (with metadata when the video was taken) as a confirmation that this scratch pre-existed before my rental - the scratch is literally visible there. I sent all the evidence. They returned my EUR 300 deposit after a few days and I thought the situation was over. On 18/05/2026, I received a damage invoice for this scratch at the amount of EUR 177,85 (whole rental cost me around EUR 20). I contested the invoice, sending the same evidence to them on the very same day - 18/05/2024. On 13/06/2026 they replied that they wouldn't cancel it as in the protocol before rental this scratch was not included (most probably - deliberately). I think this situation has signs of an illegal consumer practices scheme: they give a customer a car full of scratches, counting that 1 scratch will be missed for sure in the protocol, and then charge customers crazy amounts of money for the existing scratches. Very disappointing situation. I count on your support. Thank you.
