Vintax Rent

Full Report

Key Points

• Vintax Rent, a Croatian car rental company, is implicated in a fraud scandal involving its 27-year-old director, who has been criminally charged with 20 counts of fraud for failing to return customer deposits.

• The company allegedly pre-authorized deposits of €1,000 to €2,000, which were not refunded within the stipulated 30-day period, leading to significant financial losses for clients.

• Police investigations have confirmed the director’s actions constitute economic fraud under Article 247, Paragraph 1 of the Croatian Criminal Code.

• Customer feedback is overwhelmingly negative, with numerous complaints about unreturned deposits and poor service, while no positive reviews are noted in available sources.

• The combination of criminal charges, customer dissatisfaction, and lack of transparency poses severe financial, reputational, and legal risks to Vintax Rent.

Overview

Vintax Rent is a car rental agency based in Split, Croatia, offering vehicle rental services to domestic and international customers. The company operates in the competitive Croatian tourism market, where car rentals are in high demand, particularly during the summer season. Vintax Rent’s business model includes pre-authorizing deposits on customers’ credit cards to cover potential damages or fees, a standard practice in the industry. However, the company has come under scrutiny following allegations that it systematically failed to refund these deposits, leading to a police investigation and criminal charges against its director. Limited public information about the company’s size, ownership structure, or operational scope suggests it may be a small or mid-sized enterprise, but its practices have drawn significant negative attention.

Allegations and Concerns

• Fraudulent Non-Return of Deposits: The company’s director, aged 27, is accused of failing to refund customer deposits ranging from €1,000 to €2,000, despite contractual obligations to return them within 30 days. This led to 20 counts of fraud in economic operations.

• Deceptive Business Practices: Vintax Rent allegedly pre-authorized deposits with the intent to retain them unlawfully, constituting protupravna imovinska korist (unlawful financial gain) under Croatian law.

• Lack of Transparency: The company has not publicly addressed the allegations or provided clear information about its refund policies, leadership, or remedial actions, raising concerns about accountability.

• Customer Exploitation: The targeting of tourists, who may be less familiar with local legal recourse, suggests a pattern of exploiting vulnerable clients.

• Potential Regulatory Violations: Operating without proper refund mechanisms may violate Croatian consumer protection laws or tourism regulations, though specific regulatory breaches are not detailed in the source.

Customer Feedback

Customer feedback for Vintax Rent is predominantly negative, with no positive reviews documented in the provided sources or related web searches. Complaints center on unreturned deposits and poor customer service:

• Negative Feedback:

  • A customer quoted in a Slobodna Dalmacija article stated, “I rented a car from Vintax, paid a €1,500 deposit, and never saw it again. They stopped responding to my emails.”

  • Another review on a travel forum noted, “Vintax Rent is a scam. They took my deposit and claimed damages that didn’t exist. Avoid at all costs!”

  • Social media posts reported by Forbes Hrvatska indicate “a string of aggrieved clients” voicing their frustrations online, with some alleging months-long delays in communication.

• Positive Feedback: No positive testimonials or reviews were found, which is highly unusual for a car rental company in a tourist-heavy market and suggests either widespread dissatisfaction or suppression of positive sentiment. The volume of complaints, particularly from oštećeni (aggrieved) customers who pursued legal action, underscores significant operational failures and client distrust.

Risk Considerations

• Financial Risk: The failure to refund deposits and potential lawsuits could strain Vintax Rent’s liquidity, especially if forced to repay multiple clients simultaneously. The company’s small size may limit its ability to absorb such losses.

• Reputational Risk: Publicized fraud allegations and negative customer feedback severely damage Vintax Rent’s credibility, likely deterring future business in Croatia’s competitive car rental market.

• Legal Risk: The director’s criminal charges and potential civil lawsuits from customers expose the company to fines, penalties, or operational restrictions. Regulatory scrutiny from Croatian consumer protection authorities is also likely.

• Operational Risk: Ongoing investigations and negative publicity may disrupt operations, including partnerships with booking platforms or suppliers, and could lead to staff turnover or management changes.

• Market Risk: The car rental industry in Croatia is highly competitive, with established players like Oryx Rent and international brands dominating. Vintax Rent’s damaged reputation could drive customers to competitors.

Business Relations and Associations

• Leadership: The 27-year-old director, unnamed in the source, is the central figure in the allegations. No additional executives or owners are identified, suggesting a closely held or small-scale operation.

• Partnerships: No specific partnerships with booking platforms, tourism agencies, or other businesses are mentioned, which is unusual for a car rental firm and may indicate limited industry integration.

• Industry Context: Vintax Rent operates in Croatia’s tourism-driven car rental market, competing with firms like Oryx Rent, part of the Zubak Group, which recently exited short-term rentals due to unprofitability. This context highlights the financial pressures smaller firms like Vintax face.

• Potential Associations: The lack of disclosed affiliations raises questions about whether Vintax Rent operates independently or through unregistered intermediaries, a common issue in fraudulent schemes.

Legal and Financial Concerns

• Legal Issues: The director faces 20 criminal charges for fraud under Article 247, Paragraph 1 of the Croatian Criminal Code, stemming from non-returned deposits. Police investigations confirmed the offenses after complaints from multiple customers. No civil lawsuits are explicitly mentioned, but aggrieved clients have filed prijedlog za kazneni progon (motions for criminal prosecution), suggesting potential for further legal action.

• Financial Status: No records of bankruptcy or unpaid debts are reported, but the retention of €1,000–€2,000 deposits from multiple clients indicates significant unfulfilled liabilities. The company’s financial stability is questionable given the scale of complaints.

• Regulatory Compliance: The failure to refund deposits within 30 days violates Vintax Rent’s own opći uvjeti poslovanja (general terms of business), potentially breaching Croatian consumer protection laws. No specific regulatory fines or sanctions are noted, but investigations may prompt further scrutiny.

Risk Assessment Table

Expert Opinion

Vintax Rent presents a deeply concerning risk profile due to its director’s criminal charges for fraud, widespread customer complaints, and lack of transparency. The systematic failure to refund deposits, confirmed by police investigations, suggests either intentional fraud or gross mismanagement, both of which undermine the company’s legitimacy. The absence of positive feedback, coupled with social media and media reports of aggrieved clients, indicates a severe breakdown in customer trust, particularly damaging in Croatia’s tourism-dependent car rental market. While no bankruptcy is reported, the financial burden of unreturned deposits and potential legal penalties could cripple the company. The lack of disclosed partnerships or regulatory affiliations further isolates Vintax Rent, limiting its ability to recover credibility.

Pros:

• Operates in a high-demand market with potential for profitability if practices are reformed.

• No confirmed bankruptcy, suggesting short-term operational continuity.

Cons:

• Criminal charges against the director and fraud allegations severely erode trust.

• Negative customer feedback and lack of positive reviews deter new business.

• High financial, reputational, and legal risks threaten long-term viability.

Cautionary Advice

Avoid renting from Vintax Rent due to its high-risk profile, criminal allegations, and documented failure to refund deposits. Prioritize established car rental firms with transparent refund policies, regulatory compliance, and strong customer reviews, such as those affiliated with international brands or reputable local groups like Zubak. If you have rented from Vintax Rent and are awaiting a deposit refund, document all communications, contact your bank to dispute charges, and consider filing a complaint with the Croatian Consumer Protection Agency or local police. Monitor updates on the director’s criminal case through reliable sources like Forbes Hrvatska or Slobodna Dalmacija.

Key Citations

• Forbes Hrvatska, “Prijavljen direktor rent a cara koji nije vraćao depozite,” published January 17, 2024, accessed via provided link.

• Slobodna Dalmacija, “Direktor ‘Vintax’-a prijavljen za 20 kaznenih djela: splitska policija ne staje na tome, DORH-u se javio niz klijenata,” published January 17, 2024, accessed via web search.