Wisecars Reviews

Syed Qasim 2025.12.07

     

WISECARS is one of the worst, terrible, and horrible car rental companies. They are scammers; please keep in mind. Do not book and be careful; they will say everything you like to read, but the fine print, written in such a way, will work in their favor. I booked the car through the Kayak site. They did not list that the deposit would be $ 1,500.00. After booking and payment, I received the email confirmation stating that the deposit will be #15000.00. We went to pick up a car. The counter guy told me he cannot rent the car since I live in IL, and the rental is only for out-of-state, as mentioned in the email confirmation, but no such information in the email confirmation. I called to cancel the reservation, and Marcus said they cannot cancel because I was a no-show and I WAS not over 48 hrs. I told him I am here at the location, but Marcus kept saying you are a no-show and you have over 48 hrs.' time limit, which I did not. When I told them I would dispute the credit card charge, they threatened me, saying their accounts department knows who I am and that they would take care of me if I filed a dispute. I Call the Credit Company and filed a dispute. BE CAREFUL, THEY SCAMMER AND Looters' WILL BE CALLING Better Business Bureau, state attorney's office, my Local IL and US Rep, and Kayak. I will put a message on every digital media for awareness. They are not getting away with this Scam. If you do not believe me, see other reviews on Reddit

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.12.09

Dear Syed,

Thank you for contacting us. We take all customer concerns seriously and would like to clarify the situation.

The deposit amount is clearly stated several times throughout the booking process, and any geographical restrictions imposed by the car rental company are included in the terms and conditions accepted before payment. Customers can verify this by entering our website. We also send a reminder email highlighting that each car rental company may have such restrictions.

Cancellations can only be made up to 48 hours before the scheduled pick-up, and as you were already at the counter, it was unfortunately too late to cancel. We want to assure you and all customers that no one at Wisecars threatened anyone.

We strive to provide clear information and support at every step and regret any confusion you may have experienced.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Brandon Emig 2025.12.03

     

Although it seems, I reserved a car through this rental agency. In fact it was supplied through Fox. And they do straight up lie. All of the messages that you receive, and even when you call state that their cars or at least service desk are available at the car rental station from the train. That is not true. You must take another shuttle, which comes very very infrequently. Furthermore, given their very low rating, I would never have booked with this company if I had known that.

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.12.05

Dear Brandon,

Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about the confusion and inconvenience you experienced.

We’d like to clarify that Wisecars is a car rental broker, and we work with various car rental companies, including Fox in this case. Both the car rental company and the pick-up location are displayed on the booking page before completing the reservation.

The voucher you received after booking also includes the specific pick-up instructions. For this reservation, the instructions stated that customers must take the train to the car rental station and then use the shuttle service provided by the supplier.

If you need any further assistance or would like us to review your reservation in detail, we’re here to help.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Linda Knisley 2025.11.15

     

I booked through wisecar, with some concerns after reading some reviews. I did not have any issues. They sent me voucher through my e-mail. When I arrived at the car rental desk, they acknowleged that the car was paid in full. No hidden costs, no difficulties getting the vehicle. Great value for 10 day rental in Vancouver.

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.11.17

Dear Linda,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

We’re really glad to hear that everything went smoothly. It’s also great to know you found good value for your 10-day rental in Vancouver. We appreciate you giving us a chance despite the concerns, and we’re here anytime you need us again.

Safe travels!

Kind regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Marcin Głębocki 2025.11.14

     

If I could give this company zero stars, I absolutely would. My experience with THEM was nothing short of a complete disaster from start to finish. This is, without exaggeration, the most unprofessional, dishonest, and customer-hostile rental service I have ever encountered. They hit me with outrageous hidden fees that were never mentioned during the booking process. It was a blatant money-grab, and when I questioned the charges, THEY rely on misleading practices and hope customers are too tired to fight back. This company operates with zero transparency, zero accountability, and zero respect for the people who trust them. I walked away feeling scammed, frustrated, and determined never to let anyone else fall into the same trap. Save yourself the stress and the money. There are plenty of legitimate rental services out there — this is absolutely not one of them. Avoid THEM at all costs.

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.11.14

Dear Marcin,

Thank you for contacting us.

We’re very sorry to hear about your frustration. We would like to clarify that, according to the rental agreement, you agreed to add three insurance products at the time of pick-up. Our agents had explained these options, and the associated charges were applied as per your selection. Additionally, the deposit was also charged at pick-up; this is standard procedure and will be released following the rental, as outlined in the rental terms.

We are in touch with you directly to go over the details and ensure everything is fully explained. Our goal is always to provide clarity and support throughout the rental process.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Georgia Anderson 2025.11.12

     

If I could give this place no stars I would. The worst experience I have ever had at a rental agency. Do not use this place ever. They lie about extra charges. Are rude and complete morans.We ended up going back to the airport and getting a car there. STAY AWAY!!!

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.11.14

Dear Georgia,

Thank you for your review.

We’re very sorry to hear you are not satisfied with the service. Unfortunately, we were not able to locate your booking in our system. To help resolve this, please contact us directly at support@wisecars.com so we can investigate and assist you as quickly as possible.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

melissa hudson 2025.11.12

     

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.11.14

Dear Melissa,

Thank you for your review.

We’re very sorry to hear you are not satisfied with the service. Unfortunately, we were not able to locate your booking in our system. To help resolve this, please contact us directly at support@wisecars.com so we can investigate and assist you as quickly as possible.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Chaden Lassoued 2025.11.12

     

This rental is a scam, be careful! They attract you with cheap price and start charging you for fine prints They have no shuttle to IAH and you have to take weired hotel shuttle to get there They close early, the place is almost emplty (I visited twice) Checking in feels like getting a loan from a bank so much paperwork and confirmation you nees to provide them.

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.11.12

Dear Chaden,

Thank you for contacting us.

We’re very sorry to hear about your experience and appreciate you bringing this to our attention. This is not the standard of service we aim to provide. We will be reaching out to you directly to clarify what happened and to see how we can assist in resolving your concerns.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Catrina Wilson 2025.10.21

     

Total scam company! They don't tell you full information when you talk to them about your booking! I tried to rent a car through them through Budget. I paid with my debit card for almost $500. I went to pick up my rental car and am told I can only use my debit card if im flying and have an itinerary. Ok I get that Budgets end. But why doesn't Wisecars know this? If you're working with a company shouldn't you know their policies? Then i told them I wanted a refund they refused claiming they did give me all the information if I had read the terms of condition. But no where in that says I have to pay with both a credit and debit card if i book through them! Who doesn't know that you can't rent a car with two forms of payment?! They want you to pay your deposit with the same card you booked with! Common knowledge!! Nothing about airports requiring an itinerary for debit transaction! Then the guy i spoke to accused me of being late to my pick up... which i wasn't! I was early! This company is a joke and a scam if I could give no stars I would!

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.10.22

Dear Catrina,

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.

We’re sorry to hear about the confusion, but we’d like to clarify a few important points. During the booking process, it is stated multiple times that the main driver must present a credit card in their own name at the time of pick-up, as well as on the emails we send our customers. Each car rental company, including Budget, has its own specific policies regarding payment methods and deposit requirements, which is why we always encourage customers to carefully review these terms before finalizing their reservation.

To clarify, you can use any card online to prepay your booking — this payment simply secures your reservation. However, at the rental desk, a credit card in the main driver’s name is required to leave the security deposit, as this is a standard policy for security and liability reasons.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Laura Filipek 2025.10.19

     

Have rented cars all over the world without a problem. Tried this company for the first time. Don’t waste your money. Misrepresent their extra policies. Deal with shady companies. When you don’t trust the company when you show up you can’t get out of it. They don’t stand by their policy.

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.10.21

Dear Laura,

Thank you for contacting us.

We’re very sorry to hear about your frustration. After reviewing your booking, we can confirm that the deal you selected did not include full insurance coverage. You had only added our Excess Protection product, which covers the excess in case of an accident, meaning you would file a claim with Wisecars to be refunded. It is not a CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) or TPL (Third Party Liability) policy itself.

If a rental deal does not include CDW or TPL, the car rental company requires that you either purchase coverage at pick-up or present your own valid insurance. This requirement, as well as information about the Excess Protection product, is clearly stated in the terms and conditions accepted during booking.

We understand this may have caused confusion and disappointment, and we sincerely regret any inconvenience. We always encourage reading the booking terms carefully so that all coverage requirements are clear before pick-up.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Charlie Beales 2025.10.19

     

Without a doubt the worst experience I have had with a rental agency. If you want to rent from a a company that allows vendors to scam you and then communicates in the most infuriating way possible, Wisecars is the one for you! Like others I was unfortunately lured by the lowest price offered for a rental of 2 weeks in Antalya, Turkey. Upon arrival, the vendor Hit Rent a Car immediately and blatantly scammed us and other customers by simply pretending their card machines couldn't process deposits but could magically take extra payments. They forced an extra 210 EUR payment from us by threatening to cancel our booking, refusing to help with transport back to the airport if we refused and then threatening to call the police on us. This effectively doubled the cost of the booking. After reporting this outrageous behavior to Wisecars, their customer service as disgraceful. Completely unhelpful, ignoring the content of messages and effectively blaming me. I have never experienced such an infuriating communication with a company. Like other customers, short of suing Wisecars and Hit Rent a Car, I am out of options. The behavior of both the vendor and Wisecars has been atrocious throughout. Avoid at all costs. (I look forward to any reply from the company to this review which will carefully explain how this was all my fault).

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.10.21

Dear Charlie,

Thank you for contacting us.

We are very sorry to hear about the frustration you experienced. Please know that we genuinely tried to assist you throughout the process. As part of the booking requirements, a valid credit card is needed to rent the car. If a valid credit card is not presented, the car rental company’s terms require the purchase of insurance.

We reached out to verify that you indeed presented your credit card (with all sensitive information appropriately protected) to help avoid any additional charges and to find a solution. Unfortunately, we were unable to proceed as you chose not to provide proof of the card. As a result, the reservation was classified as a no-show due to the absence of a valid credit card at pick-up.

We understand this was a disappointing experience and sincerely regret the inconvenience it caused. We always aim to support our customers and hope this clarifies why the situation unfolded as it did.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

samandbrynne hammack 2025.10.19

     

Not helpful- from Europe. Absolutely no recourse- 3rd party rental everyone points fingers at the other company- if you need to make any changes- beware-

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.10.21

Dear Brynne,

Thank you for contacting us. We are sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations.

After reviewing your booking, we can confirm that the rental was refused because a valid driving license was not presented at the time of pick-up. In such cases, the reservation cannot be modified once the pick-up time has passed and is considered a no-show according to the car rental company’s policy.

We understand this was frustrating, but these requirements are standard for all car rentals and are outlined several times during the booking process. We appreciate your feedback and hope this clarifies the situation.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Avi Waldman 2025.10.18

     

A horrible experience! We received a faulty car that caused us to get stuck on the road! It took 24 hours to replace it, and even the replacement car was defective. Our trip was ruined, and we also incurred significant additional expenses. We will never rent a car from this company again.

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.10.21

Dear Avi,

Thank you for contacting us.

We are very sorry to hear about the issues you experienced with the vehicles during your trip. This is certainly not the standard of service we aim to provide, and we understand how frustrating and disruptive this must have been for you.

We appreciate you bringing this to our attention, and we will share your feedback with the car rental company to help prevent similar situations in the future. Your experience highlights the importance of promptly reporting any vehicle issues so that we can assist in resolving them as quickly as possible.

Thank you for sharing your experience, and again, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Stefan Dolgert 2025.10.16

     

What a nightmare. I have been travelling to the US from Canada for nearly 20 years, and have never experienced a rental car experience like this one. Wisecars contracts with other companies, but only tells you about the other company just before your departure. There was no information that my insurance (from Canada) would not be accepted (from Wisecars or the other company, Mex-rent-a-car), and in all these years I have never once had an issue before. But when I showed up at the rental counter (after taking two lengthy bus rides from LAX), I was summarily told that no non-US insurance was accepted. Since I was tired, had already paid Wisecars, and there were no other companies nearby, I went ahead and bought the insurance from Mex (which nearly doubled the rental cost). I complained when I returned from my trip, but neither company would accept responsibility. If Wisecars had indicated that I would have to purchase insurance from someone else in order to rent a car, I would never have made the reservation in the first place. But they hide this by delaying the information on the secondary company, and the secondary company provides almost no information either. I suspect that Mex-rent-a-car knowingly ambushes vulnerable non-US customers (whom they know have just arrived from a long international flight, and who are standing at their counter needing a car, and who don't have any way to get another car since the MexRentACar site is fairly distant from the airport, and who have already paid upfront for a rental car), and that Wisecars is aware of this and does not care. Don't let yourself be scammed, and don't waste time with "Hazel" from Wisecars trying to resolve the issue. You will get boilerplate that doesn't apply to you, and that's about all. This is a trash company that contracts with scam artists. (In response to the Wisecars response: only AFTER I paid Wisecars, and just 48 hrs before my flight, did I receive any information about Mex. Buried deep in Mex's Terms is a statement that Mex may not accept all insurance providers, but there is nothing specific about non-US insurance. Yes, I could have contacted Mex to inquire, after reading through all the long list of terms and conditions. I did not, and I suspect most customers do not do this either, because in nearly 20 years of travel to the US it has never once been an issue. Mex, and Wisecars, are relying on customers to not notice these details, in order to fleece customers once they have arrived at the rental counter. This is NOT common practice in the US, and I will never deal with Wisecars in any capacity again. And to be clear, all of this is NOT evident to non-US customers at the point of sale from Wisecars. Only 48 hrs before departure do they provide the company name, so if I wanted to change at that point, after seeing the terms from Mex and after calling them, I would be paying a higher rate due to booking right before my trip. If customers are going to have to pay for their own insurance, PUT THAT IN THE INFORMATION THE CUSTOMER SEES WHEN THEY PAY YOU, Wisecars.)

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.10.16

Dear Stefan,

Thank you for your feedback.

We want to clarify that the name of the car rental company is clearly shown next to the picture of the car on our website, and you can also filter by supplier. The supplier’s name is also included in the confirmation email sent immediately after booking.

When renting a car, it is mandatory to read the supplier’s terms and conditions, which you accept when making the reservation. These terms include important information about accepted insurance, which varies between rental companies, especially if you plan to use insurance from another country. All of this information, including the supplier’s name, was available to you before paying for your booking.

Regarding Hazel, she was simply providing the facts based on the booking and supplier information — not offering a judgment or personal decision. We apologize that our support did not meet your expectations.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Gašper Golmajer 2025.10.10

     

They are the worst, be careful! In the rental agreement it was clearly written that they cover road assistance and towing service. After 3 months of messaging and "escalation of my case to higher levels" (whatever that means) they wrote it was mistakenly written so in the agreement and I still did not get my money back. I will never again book my rent a car via them.

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.10.14

Dear Gasper,

Thank you for sharing your feedback.

We’re sorry for the confusion caused by the error in your rental agreement. As soon as the mistake was identified, we took full responsibility and issued a refund for the affected amount. I can see that you reached out to us regarding this, and our agents confirmed that the refund was processed and provided you with the transaction details.

We truly regret the inconvenience this caused and appreciate your patience throughout the process.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Alina 2025.10.09

     

Verified

They never provided the car and refused to refund . $140 paid 2 months in advance with the deposit- no car and money is gone

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Charlie Xiorcal 2025.10.06

     

🚨 DO NOT RENT THROUGH WISECARS — TOTAL SCAM! 🚨 This is the second time I’ve rented through Wisecars and the second time they completely failed to give me a car. The first time, they refused because I was driving out of state. This time, they refused because I live in the same state I was renting in. Are you kidding me? I called their “customer service,” and they told me my only option was to pay more than double the original price to get another car — and this was just hours before my scheduled pickup. Wisecars is a rip-off company that hides behind fine print and shady practices. They take your money, waste your time, and leave you stranded. Avoid Wisecars at all costs. You’ve been warned! DO NOT USE WISECARS – COMPLETE SCAM! I’ve never had such a frustrating and dishonest experience with a car rental in my life. My friends and I booked a car through Wisecars with Fox Rent a Car for a two-week road trip. Everything seemed fine—I got a confirmation email that clearly said I just needed to bring a driver’s license and a credit card. That’s it. When we showed up at the rental counter, they suddenly told us the credit card had to match the name on the driver’s license—a detail NEVER mentioned in the confirmation. I had used my wife’s credit card (she was coming on the trip but was at work at the time), and that was apparently a problem. So, we tried to switch the reservation to my friend who had his license and credit card ready. THEN they told us we weren’t allowed to drive through certain states, even though our booking clearly included unlimited mileage. Again, not mentioned anywhere during the booking process. In the end, the Fox Rent a Car agent canceled our entire trip on the spot and said Wisecars would refund us. So we had to scramble last-minute and book another rental—one that cost us more than double what we originally budgeted. Here’s the worst part: Wisecars refused to refund us. They claimed Fox Rent a Car had the money. So I called Fox, and guess what? They said they already returned the money to Wisecars. Now I’m stuck in a loop, and Wisecars is keeping all the money for a rental that never happened and that THEY canceled through their partner! This company is a scam. They don’t care about their customers, they won’t take responsibility, and they are impossible to deal with. I lost hundreds of dollars and hours of my time because of their incompetence and shady practices. Avoid Wisecars at all costs. Spend a little more for a company that’s actually reliable and won’t rob you blind

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.06.02

Dear Charlie,

Thank you for reaching out to us. We're truly sorry to hear about the difficulties you encountered at pick-up.

We understand how frustrating this must have been. However, it's important to note that throughout the booking process, we clearly state that a credit card in the main driver's name is required to collect the vehicle. This requirement is outlined in several places: in the confirmation email sent after your booking, as well as in the “Important Information” email, which highlights the necessary documents and any potential geographical restrictions.

The reason for this requirement is straightforward: the main driver must be the one held financially responsible in the event of any damage to the vehicle. It is not possible to assign that responsibility to someone else.

I also want to clarify why a refund wasn’t possible. Our policy allows cancellations up to 48 hours before pick-up. Unfortunately, the agents at the counter don’t have access to our contract details with Fox and cannot advise on refunds for a reservation made on a different platform. Failure to present the necessary documents at the pick-up will result in a No-Show as per the terms accepted.

That said, I’d like to see if we can help in some way. Please reach out to our support team at support@wisecars.com, and we can check if there’s an option to offer rental credits for a future booking. We truly appreciate you choosing Wisecars, and we’d love the opportunity to turn this experience around for you.

Regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Charlie Xiorcal 2025.10.06

     

DO NOT USE WISECARS 🚨 DO NOT RENT THROUGH WISECARS — TOTAL SCAM! 🚨 This is the second time I’ve rented through Wisecars and the second time they completely failed to give me a car. The first time, they refused because I was driving out of state. This time, they refused because I live in the same state I was renting in. Are you kidding me? I called their “customer service,” and they told me my only option was to pay more than double the original price to get another car — and this was just hours before my scheduled pickup. Wisecars is a rip-off company that hides behind fine print and shady practices. They take your money, waste your time, and leave you stranded. Avoid Wisecars at all costs. You’ve been warned!

Date of experience: 06 October, 2025

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Charlie 2025.10.06

     

Verified

🚨 DO NOT RENT THROUGH WISECARS — TOTAL SCAM! 🚨 This is the second time I’ve rented through Wisecars and the second time they completely failed to give me a car. The first time, they refused because I was driving out of state. This time, they refused because I live in the same state I was renting in. Are you kidding me? I called their “customer service,” and they told me my only option was to pay more than double the original price to get another car — and this was just hours before my scheduled pickup. Wisecars is a rip-off company that hides behind fine print and shady practices. They take your money, waste your time, and leave you stranded. Avoid Wisecars at all costs. You’ve been warned!

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Kimberly Sue Harms 2025.10.03

     

Marcus was extremely helpful, he took multiple calls from me and answered every question. He was knowledgeable and polite and walked me through the entire booking process, even making sure I received my conformation email before concluding our call. I will most definitely call Marcus again to book any future rentals!

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.10.06

Dear Kimberly,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

We’re delighted to hear how helpful and attentive Marcus was in assisting you through the booking process. Making sure our customers feel confident and supported every step of the way is exactly what we strive for.

We look forward to helping you with your future rentals!

Kind regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.

Børge Pahlm 2025.09.30

     

Easy to order and great, efficient help from Eduardo to split my invoice into two for a combined business and private trip.

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Reply from Wisecars 2025.10.02

Dear Børge,

Thank you for your feedback!

We’re glad to hear that Eduardo was able to assist efficiently and make splitting your invoice easy. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with him and look forward to helping you on your future trips!

Kind regards,
Rachel from Wisecars.