A Utah woman’s warning about a car-sharing rental gone wrong has gone viral online after she said a trip booked through Turo led to an unexpected $160 charge and a dispute she initially couldn’t resolve.
In a TikTok viewed roughly 200,000 times, Baylie Merrill (@bayliemerrill) detailed what she described as a frustrating experience following a multi-day Turo rental in California, an online platform that lets private car owners rent out their vehicles to travelers, functioning as a peer-to-peer alternative to traditional rental car companies. “We fully just got scammed on Turo,” she said at the start of the video.
Merrill explained that she and her partner rented a vehicle for several days and maintained communication with the host throughout the trip, including reporting a brake issue. She described the host as responsive and said the car had strong reviews.
After returning the vehicle, Merrill said they followed standard procedures, taking photos and leaving a positive review. But shortly after completing the rental, she said the host filed a complaint. “She reports to Turo that we had smoked in the car,” Merrill said.
Smoking allegation led to $160 fee
As Merrill explains the post, the smoking allegation resulted in a $160 fee, which Merrill said appeared days after the trip had ended. She disputed the claim, noting that she and her partner do not smoke and were traveling with their infant. “Clearly, we do not smoke. We had our 6-month-old baby in the car with us the whole time,” she said.
According to Merrill, the host submitted photos showing cigarette ashes in the vehicle. Merrill questioned the images in her video, saying, “Look at that. Like, literally, is that AI? Because who’s dumb enough to leave half-smoked ashes in the cup holder after Turo’s so strict?”
The situation was further complicated by a separate issue during the rental. Merrill said they received a parking ticket due to the car’s expired registration and notified the host at the time.
Despite disputing the smoking claim, Merrill said initial attempts to resolve the issue through customer support were unsuccessful. “They’re fully on her side,” she said, referring to the host, adding that the company noted its smoking policy in their initial conversations.
The video drew widespread reactions, with some users sharing similar frustrations. One commenter wrote, “I had a Turo get towed once because the registration was expired. It was an AWFUL ordeal.” Another added, “Hotels and enterprise rental cars for me! Air bnb & Turo, what a scam.”
Still, the situation ultimately shifted after the video gained attention. Merrill later updated her caption to read: “UPDATE POSTED! We were able to talk to someone and they made everything right and are conducting an investigation! Thanks.”
Merrill got her refund
In a follow-up video, she confirmed the company reversed the charge and took additional steps. “They refunded us our $160,” Merrill said, adding that the company plans to investigate whether similar complaints have been made about the host.
She also said she was advised that customers can request escalation to higher-level support if issues are not resolved through standard channels. “They were super nice about it and very understanding,” she said. Merrill added that the company provided credit toward a future trip, and she indicated she would consider using the platform again. “Kind of unfortunate that I had to make a video” to get Turo to agree. “But all’s well that ends well,” she said.
