Am I being crazy? (NWR)

julieanne912 · March 2015

plainjane0415 said:

julieanne912 said:

KatieinBkln said:
You should probably let your insurance know that they should start proceedings to get their payout back, given the repairs aren't done.
Yup I'm calling them later today. I also wanted to find out who all the check was written to... if it was just to the company, or to the company AND me, which means I would have to go sign it, which means I wouldn't sign it til they paid for things they said they'd pay for.

If it was made out to you and the company, they shouldn't be able to cash or deposit it without your signature.

That is very correct.... but I don't trust this company as far as I could throw their stupid advertising wrapped Hummer they drive around. Wouldn't surprise me if they forged my signature or something like that.

KatWAG · March 2015

OP, I would write a yelp review or a review on Angie's list to warn others about the scammers.

julieanne912 · March 2015

KatWAG said:
OP, I would write a yelp review or a review on Angie's list to warn others about the scammers.

Oh I very much plan on doing that. We're still on a mission to get my coworker's car back (which has been sitting, untouched, in their shop for 2 weeks), but after that, bad reviews are going all OVER the place, including a report to the BBB.

SmileDamnit · March 2015

KatWAG said:
OP, I would write a yelp review or a review on Angie's list to warn others about the scammers.

And just tell me, as a fellow Denverite the name of the joint so I can steer clear of said scammer...though Large Marge, in all of her old minivan glory, doesn't care about hail damage so it may be a moot point.

sarawifenow · March 2015

SmileDamnit said:

KatWAG said:
OP, I would write a yelp review or a review on Angie's list to warn others about the scammers.
And just tell me, as a fellow Denverite the name of the joint so I can steer clear of said scammer...though Large Marge, in all of her old minivan glory, doesn't care about hail damage so it may be a moot point.

Ditto @SmileDamnit I don't want to take my car here EVER! Care to tell in a PM?

thisismynickname2 · March 2015

Hey OP, I'd like to commend you on the idea of setting off your car alarm. I think that's pretty cool.

4forluck · March 2015

Do you have a copy of the authorization you signed when gave them the car? There is a good chance you gave them permission to take your car to someplace other than their shop and you may not even realize it. I work in a body shop and our authorization form that we have our customers sign states we have permission to drive the car to various off site locations for other work that may need to be performed (such as mechanical work or a specialty we don't do in house). You stated they were putting your hood back on your car, depending on what else was repaired on the vehicle, there is a possibility your windshield had to be removed and most shops don't do that themselves. It's possible your car is at a glass shop or something like that. Now of course, even if there is a legitimate reason for it to not be in the shop, that doesn't give them the right to ignore you for days.

Also, depending on whatever you signed at drop off, even if the insurance company has already paid them, they may not have a legal right to that money. At least here in my state, unless a customer signs something called a "direction to pay" an insurance company is not supposed to pay us directly, regardless if we do that work or not. And chances are they've been paid for the original estimate, but not for the final amount, which they will bill to the insurance company once you pick up your vehicle.

Lastly, regarding the "rebate." We have contracts with about 10 different insurance companies. Every single one of those contracts states that if we give a discount on a repair, the discount must go to the insurance company, not the car owner. My concern would be if the shop is not charging you the $500 it's not that they are overcharging the insurance company, but that they are cutting corners somewhere in the repair on your vehicle. Once you do get it back, I'd look it over really well and maybe even think about taking it to another shop to have them inspect it for you. The problem you may run into is that they can make it look good now, but if the shop didn't do the work correctly, it can start to look bad (paint peeling or chipping) in a few years.

julieanne912 · March 2015

thisismynickname said:
Hey OP, I'd like to commend you on the idea of setting off your car alarm. I think that's pretty cool.

Ha, thanks! My original intention with doing it was just to confirm my car was there since I couldn't see inside. I didn't think it would result in a random lady and her dog coming to the door and me getting my car back.

And, Denver folks, the name of the company is Auto Hail Repair Guys. They're not a local company so I'm sure they'll soon be gone.

theartistformerlyknownas · March 2015

julieanne912 said:
Hey OP, I'd like to commend you on the idea of setting off your car alarm. I think that's pretty cool.

Ha, thanks! My original intention with doing it was just to confirm my car was there since I couldn't see inside. I didn't think it would result in a random lady and her dog coming to the door and me getting my car back.

And, Denver folks, the name of the company is Auto Hail Repair Guys. They're not a local company so I'm sure they'll soon be gone.

Dude even the name doesn't sound legit.

ashley8918 · March 2015

etf oops wrong place. But still... That's the name?

julieanne912 · March 2015

Yeah. There's surprisingly a bunch of them running around with similarly goofy names. Trust me, lesson learned on this one.

theartistformerlyknownas · March 2015

julieanne912 said:
Yeah. There's surprisingly a bunch of them running around with similarly goofy names. Trust me, lesson learned on this one.

I started a new business today. It's called "Get Your Car Back From Those Guys Chick." For the low, low price of a one-time $1000 retainer fee, I'll totally get your friend's car back for her.

levioosa · March 2015

lolo883 said:

julieanne912 said:
Hey OP, I'd like to commend you on the idea of setting off your car alarm. I think that's pretty cool.

Ha, thanks! My original intention with doing it was just to confirm my car was there since I couldn't see inside. I didn't think it would result in a random lady and her dog coming to the door and me getting my car back.

And, Denver folks, the name of the company is Auto Hail Repair Guys. They're not a local company so I'm sure they'll soon be gone.

Dude even the name doesn't sound legit.

It's so....oddly specific to OP's situation.

bethsmiles · March 2015

OP if you are looking for a good, trustworthy mechanic in the Denver Metro area to finish your repairs I highly suggest Saul's Automotive in Denver. They have been really fantastic every time I've gone to them.

novella1186 · March 2015

I started a vodka bottle cleaning business called Gimme All the Vodka. You give me a full bottle, I shine it up pretty, and I swear I'll totally return it. Totally.

please read fine print before handing over vodka. Customer agrees to be returned an empty bottle. Also bring limes.

loveislouder · March 2015

julieanne912 said:
I GOT MY CAR BACK!!!!!

It's a rather odd story really. So I stopped by before work, and their logo'd truck was parked outside. The whole front was dark, but I had a feeling someone might be there. So, I started setting off the car alarm of my car, which was inside. I would set it off for 30 seconds, then turn it off, knock, then set it off again, then turn it off, then knock. After doing that a few times I heard a dog barking, and a little chihuahua appeared at the door. So I'm like, OK, somebody's in there.

Finally, someone came to the door. She is the owners mother. She told me the owner and his girlfriend (the sales rep I met with) got in an argument and he ended up getting arrested on Monday. WTF!! Anyway, I told her I just wanted my car. The windshield wiper sprayers are missing and the heat shield under the hood is currently in the backseat, but at least I have my car back. I also ended up having to pay $172 for the rental car that they were supposed to cover.

Today is a crazy day at work so once that settles down I'll decide my next steps, if I want to pursue them for anything, or just call it a day and be glad I got my car out of there.

Arrested for insurance fraud by chance?

lyndausvi · March 2015

plainjane0415 said:

shlasher said:
Holy Rudeness Batman!! If you don't' want to be helpful that's fine, but there's no need to pull the "I can't believe you were really that stupid" crap. Most scammers are successful because they talk a really good game. Targeting communities that have been hard-hit by natural disaster is common bc victims are feeling particularly vulnerable and are looking for anybody willing to help. You would be amazed how easy it is to fall for the right scam.

Thanks for that.
BTW no one called the OP stupid.

In this case the scammer was successful because the OP wanted to heard what she wanted to hear.

Insurance companies have deductibles. It's the way the industry works.

Auto body shops work for profit. That is how their industry works. At no time are they out of the goodness of their heart going to just rebate some of the insurance money. Giving away your profit is not a good business plan.

So logically speaking they only way they can rebate the OP is by overcharging the insurance company.

I'm off for shopping around to get a good deal. The OP did more then just find a good deal. She entered into a transaction to try to get out of paying a deductible that she agreed to her contract with the insurance company. Which is fraud.

I'm glad she got her car back, but I can't feel sorry for her. She put herself in that position by trying to get out of of paying the deductible.

mikenberger · March 2015

julieanne912 said:
I GOT MY CAR BACK!!!!!

It's a rather odd story really. So I stopped by before work, and their logo'd truck was parked outside. The whole front was dark, but I had a feeling someone might be there. So, I started setting off the car alarm of my car, which was inside. I would set it off for 30 seconds, then turn it off, knock, then set it off again, then turn it off, then knock. After doing that a few times I heard a dog barking, and a little chihuahua appeared at the door. So I'm like, OK, somebody's in there.

Finally, someone came to the door. She is the owners mother. She told me the owner and his girlfriend (the sales rep I met with) got in an argument and he ended up getting arrested on Monday. WTF!! Anyway, I told her I just wanted my car. The windshield wiper sprayers are missing and the heat shield under the hood is currently in the backseat, but at least I have my car back. I also ended up having to pay $172 for the rental car that they were supposed to cover.

Today is a crazy day at work so once that settles down I'll decide my next steps, if I want to pursue them for anything, or just call it a day and be glad I got my car out of there.

Just in case this isn't apparent to you...

Don't do that again. Ever.

julieanne912 · March 2015

bethsmiles said:
OP if you are looking for a good, trustworthy mechanic in the Denver Metro area to finish your repairs I highly suggest Saul's Automotive in Denver. They have been really fantastic every time I've gone to them.

Thanks! FI and I were able to finish them ourselves... they were really minor. My car still needs a good wash and it smells a bit like stripper inside (basically a combo of bad air freshener and cigarette smoke... guessing they were smoking in the shop), but I Febreezed the shit out of it and hopefully airing it out will help some too.

julieanne912 · March 2015

mikenberger said:

julieanne912 said:
I GOT MY CAR BACK!!!!!

It's a rather odd story really. So I stopped by before work, and their logo'd truck was parked outside. The whole front was dark, but I had a feeling someone might be there. So, I started setting off the car alarm of my car, which was inside. I would set it off for 30 seconds, then turn it off, knock, then set it off again, then turn it off, then knock. After doing that a few times I heard a dog barking, and a little chihuahua appeared at the door. So I'm like, OK, somebody's in there.

Finally, someone came to the door. She is the owners mother. She told me the owner and his girlfriend (the sales rep I met with) got in an argument and he ended up getting arrested on Monday. WTF!! Anyway, I told her I just wanted my car. The windshield wiper sprayers are missing and the heat shield under the hood is currently in the backseat, but at least I have my car back. I also ended up having to pay $172 for the rental car that they were supposed to cover.

Today is a crazy day at work so once that settles down I'll decide my next steps, if I want to pursue them for anything, or just call it a day and be glad I got my car out of there.
Just in case this isn't apparent to you...

Don't do that again. Ever.

mikenberger said:

mikenberger said:
Stupid boxes... and uhh yeah, no, never again.

julieanne912 · March 2015

lyndausvi said:

plainjane0415 said:

shlasher said:
Holy Rudeness Batman!! If you don't' want to be helpful that's fine, but there's no need to pull the "I can't believe you were really that stupid" crap. Most scammers are successful because they talk a really good game. Targeting communities that have been hard-hit by natural disaster is common bc victims are feeling particularly vulnerable and are looking for anybody willing to help. You would be amazed how easy it is to fall for the right scam.

Thanks for that.
BTW no one called the OP stupid.
In this case the scammer was successful because the OP wanted to heard what she wanted to hear.

Insurance companies have deductibles. It's the way the industry works.

Auto body shops work for profit. That is how their industry works. At no time are they out of the goodness of their heart going to just rebate some of the insurance money. Giving away your profit is not a good business plan.

So logically speaking they only way they can rebate the OP is by overcharging the insurance company.

I'm off for shopping around to get a good deal. The OP did more then just find a good deal. She entered into a transaction to try to get out of paying a deductible that she agreed to her contract with the insurance company. Which is fraud.

I'm glad she got her car back, but I can't feel sorry for her. She put herself in that position by trying to get out of of paying the deductible.

I wasn't "trying" to get out of paying it. I called a few companies and this seemed like the best deal. Obviously in hindsight I realize it wasn't, and I didn't know that them offering to rebate the deductible amount wasn't right, because there were multiple companies in my area (even local ones) offering the same deal, and I knew others that hired other companies that did that too.

The only other time I've ever had to file a claim was from when an unlicensed driver rear ended me and had no insurance (he ended up paying out of pocket for my repairs, so no deductible there). So, navigating the insurance world is new to me. But to say I was purposely trying to commit fraud or something is incorrect. Anyway, no need to continue to harp on a decision I made in the past and have already said was a bad idea, and that I learned from it.

julieanne912 · March 2015

loveislouder said:

julieanne912 said:
I GOT MY CAR BACK!!!!!

It's a rather odd story really. So I stopped by before work, and their logo'd truck was parked outside. The whole front was dark, but I had a feeling someone might be there. So, I started setting off the car alarm of my car, which was inside. I would set it off for 30 seconds, then turn it off, knock, then set it off again, then turn it off, then knock. After doing that a few times I heard a dog barking, and a little chihuahua appeared at the door. So I'm like, OK, somebody's in there.

Finally, someone came to the door. She is the owners mother. She told me the owner and his girlfriend (the sales rep I met with) got in an argument and he ended up getting arrested on Monday. WTF!! Anyway, I told her I just wanted my car. The windshield wiper sprayers are missing and the heat shield under the hood is currently in the backseat, but at least I have my car back. I also ended up having to pay $172 for the rental car that they were supposed to cover.

Today is a crazy day at work so once that settles down I'll decide my next steps, if I want to pursue them for anything, or just call it a day and be glad I got my car out of there.

Arrested for insurance fraud by chance?

I don't think so, but not really sure. According to his mother (the lady in the shop), he and his girlfriend "had an argument" that resulted in him being arrested. She didn't say for what, whether it's domestic violence or the police showed up and he had a warrant for something else. I'm hoping the public court records will show up soon so I can see what it was for.

loveislouder · March 2015

julieanne912 said:

loveislouder said:

julieanne912 said:
I GOT MY CAR BACK!!!!!

It's a rather odd story really. So I stopped by before work, and their logo'd truck was parked outside. The whole front was dark, but I had a feeling someone might be there. So, I started setting off the car alarm of my car, which was inside. I would set it off for 30 seconds, then turn it off, knock, then set it off again, then turn it off, then knock. After doing that a few times I heard a dog barking, and a little chihuahua appeared at the door. So I'm like, OK, somebody's in there.

Finally, someone came to the door. She is the owners mother. She told me the owner and his girlfriend (the sales rep I met with) got in an argument and he ended up getting arrested on Monday. WTF!! Anyway, I told her I just wanted my car. The windshield wiper sprayers are missing and the heat shield under the hood is currently in the backseat, but at least I have my car back. I also ended up having to pay $172 for the rental car that they were supposed to cover.

Today is a crazy day at work so once that settles down I'll decide my next steps, if I want to pursue them for anything, or just call it a day and be glad I got my car out of there.

Arrested for insurance fraud by chance?
I don't think so, but not really sure. According to his mother (the lady in the shop), he and his girlfriend "had an argument" that resulted in him being arrested. She didn't say for what, whether it's domestic violence or the police showed up and he had a warrant for something else. I'm hoping the public court records will show up soon so I can see what it was for.

Let me know if you find out

strawberry917 · March 2015

Keep us updated!

ccohen0819 · March 2015

Glad to see you got the car back! Good luck with the future of finishing the repairs and whether or not you go through with going after the auto shop further.

julieanne912 · March 2015

Please read the whole thread... I got my car back

Am I being crazy? (NWR)

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