Even the cat can’t believe this bill. (Illustration by Dustin Elliott)

🔑 A returned car that Dollar says he kept — Hand over the keys and the contract should close. Dennis Drake’s didn’t, and a few weeks later Dollar wanted $1,858 for a Jeep he had left at the Albuquerque airport. Except, he had returned it. You can read the full story today.

On Backchannel, Mark Rumizen has 75 minutes in Amsterdam this month and can’t work out where Europe’s new exit checks will catch him.

For Members Only: Our friends at Kuru measured the walk from the front door to the farthest gate at 20 U.S. airports, and the worst one runs a mile and a half. Its write-up crowns a different airport than its own ranking does. Which airports will cost you the most steps this fall? — Christopher Elliott

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Why did Dollar charge me $1,858 for a car they didn’t have?

Dennis Drake and his wife dropped their Jeep Compass at the Albuquerque airport, mentioned the leaky tire and the engine light, and left without a receipt. A few weeks later a text said the car was overdue, and then a letter threatened repossession. Dollar insists he returned it in person days after he had flown home to Texas. Can a paper trail stop a $1,858 bill?

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Travelex Insurance Services is a leading travel insurance provider in the United States with over 55 years combined industry expertise of helping people dream, explore and travel with confidence. We offer comprehensive travel insurance plans with optional upgrades allowing travelers to customize the plans to fit their needs. Compare plans, get a quote and buy online at Travelexinsurance.com.

📌 Here’s what you missed this week

Catch up on the latest stories from the Elliott Report

Why did Dollar charge me $1,858 for a car they didn’t have?
Dennis Drake returned a Jeep Compass to Dollar at the Albuquerque airport and flew home to Texas the same afternoon. Dollar’s system logged the car as still out, and the bill that followed came to $1,858 on top of insurance he had declined at the counter.

Help! Budget says I smoked in my car — but these photos prove nothing!
Ray Oswald and his wife returned their rental to Budget at O’Hare after a family funeral and left with a clean receipt for $312. The company billed them $450 for smoke residue five days later, citing photos of a cup holder that could have been taken in any white Mazda.

How AI bots are deceiving travelers—and what to do about it
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Why I turned down a $15,000 case
A Pennsylvania carpenter says a fraudulent Western Union transfer cost him $15,000, and my team couldn’t take the case. It’s also the peg for our relaunched podcast, which opens on another file we lost and the twist that brought it back two years later.

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How to find $4,762 when Comcast says it’s gone
A San Francisco reader meant to pay her credit card and sent $4,762 to Comcast by mistake. The refund came back on a prepaid debit card, and by the time she checked the balance it read $82, with no transaction list anyone could produce to explain it.

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TravelInsurance.com makes it fast and easy to compare and buy travel insurance online from top-rated providers. Our unbiased comparison engine allows travelers to read reviews, compare pricing and benefits and buy the right policy with a price guarantee, every time. Compare and buy travel insurance now at TravelInsurance.com.

💬 What you’re saying in Backchannel

To infinity and beyond.

Mark Rumizen flies Toulouse to Boston this month with 75 minutes in Amsterdam between the two flights, and he can’t work out where Europe’s Entry/Exit System will catch him. Schiphol’s border halls have been running an hour or more for non-EU passengers, and the EU’s emergency pause on fingerprint and face scans has now expired. Is that connection long enough? Here’s what our team said on Backchannel.

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Yonder Travel Insurance is an online travel insurance comparison site offering 5-star customer service from friendly humans, guiding you from quotes to claims. Our experts have poured over hundreds of policies from the top travel insurance providers in the US to provide the best travel insurance recommendations for the type of trip you take. Compare travel insurance options at Yonder Travel Insurance.

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