INDIANAPOLIS — Several people are saying they too are victims of an Indianapolis dealership after WRTV shared one person's story who is accusing the dealership of tampering with odometers.
After reading the article and seeing the story on-air, several consumers looked up their Carfax and found out they were victims of KBB Auto Sales, many of them stuck with the bill and waiting for answers.
“Before leaving the lot I had an issue with the window," Dyquisha Lacy said. "As I see it rolls down perfectly when the door is open and rolls up. The moment, I shut the door nothing."
She purchased a GMC big enough for her and her six kids on March 1 from KBB Auto Sales on Troy Avenue.
She told WRTV on March 3, the engine light came on, so she took it to Auto Zone and their diagnostic test found the car needed two catalytic converters.
“I wanted my money back," Lacy said. "I didn't want to deal with the car. I only had it four days I’m like 'is there any way I can get my $7,000 back or y'all can put me in another car?'”
Things continued to get worse for Lacy when the car broke down on the interstate.
“On March 15th I was leaving my kids tutoring and the car cut off on me in the middle of the road coming off the highway bypass," she said. "I have to spend $150 getting it towed here but since they laid it down, I have not moved it."
Of course, frustration was brewing for Lacy as she felt scammed and taken advantage of.
“$7,000 drove the car for literally 14 days and I’m out 7000 dollars,” said Lacy.
Not even 12 hours after her car broke down, WRTV aired a story about Indiana State Police investigating the dealership.
“I woke up early in the morning saw the article and was like that’s God…that isn’t nothing but God," Lacy said. "I contacted the detective on there and in fact, my car is one of the vehicles that was mileage rollback or whatever they did. They stated all my bill sales and everything in on the car that it was 132,000 miles. In fact that is incorrect. Nearly almost closer to 200,000 miles that’s on this truck."
Lacy continues to call KBB Auto Sales and work to get her money back.
“Because it people like me. People like me who don’t know much about cars that work hard for their money. And got kids and run into problems like this and we are told just wipe it off, brush it off. I've been calling them since four days that I just telling them I want my money back," she said.
The number of small claims suits against them has more than doubled since the original story aired last week. KBB Auto Sales currently has five suits against them in Perry Township Small Claims Court.
One woman who filed a claim tells WRTV later the same day KBB Auto Sales repossessed her car.
Alicia Akins said she bought her vehicle on March 5 and everything was running fine on the car until Detective Brandon Farias with ISP called and told her she was a victim of odometer fraud.
She filed the lawsuit on March 17 and the next morning her car was nowhere to be found.
“So I called them and I'm like 'Hey my name is Alicia Akins and I'm looking for my car' and first they stated that the car was repossessed because I don't have car insurance. Well, I have car insurance, I have proof of car insurance. And then about five minutes later, someone else called me back and he stated 'Oh well we have documentation stating that you're suing us for $10,000.' So I said 'Ok.' So he said 'Either you pay off the rest of the balance of the vehicle or we can hash it out in court. And I said 'Ok see you in court,'”
WRTV also reached out to the Attorney General to see what consumers should do if they are victims of odometer fraud.
“Those impacted consumers should consider filing a consumer complaint with our office," Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said in a statement. "Odometer fraud can be an issue and could be a violation of the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act if there is evidence supporting it. Consumers have many choices where to spend their hard-earned money and should be treated fairly and honestly.”
You can fill out a consumer complaint by clicking here.
The Attorney General's Office said seven complaints have already been filed against KBB Auto Sales from May 2021 through December 2021.
According to the Better Business Bureau, KBB Auto Sales opened in October 2020 and is not an accredited business.
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