Been asked about employment details when hiring a car?

[james_zy]

Weird one - have any of you been asked details about your employer when hiring a car/van (in the UK)?

Never happened to me until renting a van from Enterprise from a London branch. Booked it all online, got a call the other day (booking is for next weekend) and they wanted to know the name of my employer "for security". Were quite persistent but eventually gave up and said they didn't need it.

Have rented from this branch a few times and never been asked this, seems a bit odd. Some sort of scam? Any thoughts?

[98elise]

I can't see it being a scam if it's enterprise. No idea why thay would want employer though. It's not as if they can check for security purposes.

What about people who are not employed (like me)?

[Baldchap]

I hire tons of cars and occasionally vans, yet I've never been asked.

Maybe OP looks dodgy?

[Unreal]

Probably something they think might help if you don't return the car/owe them money or something.

[Buzz84]

Are you hiring it for personal reasons or for work?

If it were the latter I could sort of see why they were asking, but then again surely it would have been hired using a company account/details.

[Pica-Pica]

Just some sort of guarantee/security. It is London after all!

[loafer123]

Maybe they have had a load of delivery drivers hiring recently?

[Little Pete]

Did you ask them why they need employment details?

[rcspeirs]

It's unusal but they may have exclusions on their policy for certain employment types. Famously insurance costs for publicans and journalists were always way higher than other occupations

[james_zy]

Little Pete said:

Did you ask them why they need employment details?

The guy on the phone just said “it’s for security”. Went around in circles a few times then he said don’t worry.

[james_zy]

Baldchap said:

I hire tons of cars and occasionally vans, yet I've never been asked.

Maybe OP looks dodgy?

Ha guilty!

I’ve rented from this same branch 3 times before. No issues. Just seems odd they would need this information? If they don’t, why are they asking…

[nobrakes]

Just data gathering and profile building to get a better picture of their clients - plus they get more cash when they target sell your profile to their ‘associate companies’.

[911hope]

It could be an employee seeking to gather more info on you on top of that they have in their system. Then perhaps selling it for identity theft.

[911hope]

Employee gathering more data...identity theft info trawling?

[carinaman]

I've heard it said Enterprise likes hiring Law graduates. I know of a Law graduate who worked for Enterprise before getting a job with a firm of solicitors. They may be a solicitor themselves by now.

[PSRG]

Enterprise asked me that when I hired a car from them earlier in the week - and that was in Chichester. I just made something up

[carinaman]

Wayne Couzens hired a car from Enterprise.

[loafer123]

carinaman said:

Wayne Couzens hired a car from Enterprise.

So?

[pincher]

james_zy said:

The guy on the phone just said “it’s for security”. Went around in circles a few times then he said don’t worry.

I’d have just said “I not allowed to tell you that for security reasons”

[Chucklehead]

Their follow up question at the branch or possibly on the phone would've been, "and do they rent cars?". They're trying to find out if you can put them in touch with someone at fleet / procurement / whatever to set up an account. It's part of their training process.