This action comes after the 41 Action News I-Team reported Monday that dealership may have submitted hundreds of falsified applications to lenders.
She found out last fall the dealership inflated her monthly income from $3,103 to $4,403 on her car loan application.
The letter states, in part, «We want to assure you that this experience will be shared with the appropriate parties, and this will be addressed appropriately,»
«If my application would’ve been audited, it would’ve looked like I lied. It would’ve looked like I committed fraud,» she said.
An email from Wells Fargo representative Julie Fogerson states, in part, «Our investigation into this situation is ongoing, and we have suspended accepting applications from this dealership.»
Fogerson also wrote, It is important to us that the consumers whose auto loans we service have good experiences at the dealerships where they purchase their vehicles. Anytime we receive feedback from a consumer suggesting that’s not the case, we will investigate, and may suspend doing business with the dealership until our investigation is complete. If we determine the dealership is acting out of accordance with our dealer relationship agreement, we will work with the dealership to make things right for the consumer and, in some cases, no longer do business with that dealership.»
Longtime criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor James Spies said Jefferson’s complaint should’ve raised awareness to a potential problem for Wells Fargo months ago.
«If they recognize there is a problem and they are investigating, they are certainly taking the responsible step to stop accepting loans from this dealership,» Spies said.
But the dealer told his lender, Santander Consumer, it was $9,961, resulting in a nearly $1,000 monthly payment for his pickup truck.