Landers Ford Lincoln Mercury Unethical Sales Tactics Benton Arkansas

RE: 2004 Suzuki Verona
VIN# KL5VM52L84B115282
STOCK# 4B115282

On 11-15-08 I inquired about a 2004 Suzuki Verona via internet & was contacted by salesman Derrick Lynn Mitchell (Salesman #2715), who told me that he could get me in the car for no money down and sales tax paid.

I went to the dealership on 11-17-08 and completed the basic paperwork and then printed out a bank statement from Mr. Mitchell's computer and printer & gave it to him. He then asked me for my debit card & when I inquired why he needed it, he said "I just want to see if it will "hold" $500. I asked what that meant and he said that he just wanted to see if it would hold $500 & no money would come from my acct.

I warned him that he had a bank statement that clearly showed only $230 in the accout & he said no problem. Another gentlemen then asked for my card & when I asked him why, he also stated that it was to see if it would "hold" $500. I was then taken to a back office and the gentleman swiped the card, I entered my pin# & he printed out 2 receipts & gave me one. I again asked Derrick Mitchell what was going on & he stated that everthing was okay and no money had come out of my accout.

I then went into the Finance Officer's office & completed more paperwork & afterwards he asked me for $500. I told him that I didn't have $500 because Derrick Mitchell said I didn't need a down payment. He then left the room & returned a few minutes later & said the down pmt was "taken care of". When I came out of the Finance Officer's office, I aksed Derrick Mitchell what the $500 on the invoice was for & he replied that it was just something to put on there so it would look like a down payment was made. I was also concerned whey I didn't get the car at the internet price of $9799, & was told by Derrick Mitchell that he couldn't get for me at that price.

I then drove the car home. When I attempted to make a purchase the following day, my debit card was declined & I immediately went to my computer at work to check my balance & it showed that my acct was indeed debited for $500, even though I was told no money was coming out of my acct.

I contacted Mr. Mitchell, who said he didn't know that it would debit my account & would have the manager reverse the debit. He then offered to "loan" me $200 which I refused. I was then contacted by manager Dave Cerutti, who, to my dismay, said that I was clearly told that the money was coming out of my acct. I replied that I would never have made a $500 debit with only $230 in my acct. He later refunded $200 and redid the paperwork but would not reverse the debit.

This unethical sales tactic cost me my whole paycheck, which was consumed in overdraft & insufficient fund fees & still left me $166.00 in unpaid fees. I have not been able to afford my medication, the sales tax for the vehicle, & my utilities were almost shut off. To my knowledge, no action has been taken against Derrick Lynn Mitchell, even after I spoke to the Owner, Mike McKee, who seemed to be a little amused about the situation.

This sales tactic was set up to make it look like I willingly debited my acct for $500 knowing full well that I had only $230 but I was actually lied to and tricked into making this debit. As a matter of fact, the only thing I did was put in my Pin# and they put in the amount of $500. I don't know what lie Derrick Mitchell is telling but my stand is that no car is worth the cost of knowingly entering a $500 debit with only $230 in my bank accout. I really believe that this was an unethical sales tactic and everybody at the dealership is sticking to the lie that Derrick Mitchell has thought up.

Mah
North Little Rock, Arkansas
U.S.A.