In the world of fraud, surprises never cease. This particular case involves a car salesman, but not your typical con artist scheme. Instead of swindling money or pushing bad cars, this salesman took a different route—he used employee discounts to entice buyers, boosting sales and commissions.
The Allure of Employee Discounts
Manufacturer programs like Chrysler’s employee discount offer reduced prices on cars for factory workers and certain relatives. The discount is covered by the manufacturer, not the dealership, providing an appealing price cut. Exploiting this, the salesman, known as Nemo, sourced discount codes from Facebook groups meant for factory employees.
The Handsome Rewards of Deception
Nemo soared in sales figures, bagging an impressive $700,000 in bonuses from Chrysler alone since 2014. His success was unprecedented, selling around 250 cars in January 2020—a feat that even entire dealership teams struggle to achieve in a month.
The tangled web unravels
Nemo’s ploy seemed foolproof as he assured buyers that Fiat Chrysler wouldn’t scrutinize in-law relationships tied to the discounts. However, the scheme faced its downfall when actual employees began receiving notifications of their codes being used without their knowledge.
Unveiling the Scope of Deception
The unraveling scam revealed a network of 268 fraudulent purchases traced back to complaints from affected employees. This number likely scratches the surface, indicating a broader impact than initially anticipated.
Implications and Lessons Learned
This elaborate deception serves as a testament to the ingenuity of scammers and their potential repercussions on buyers, sellers, and manufacturers. The dealership might face repercussions, likely needing to reimburse some bonuses due to the lack of proper due diligence on these sales.
