The owner of an auto dealership defended his company Saturday amid a Craigslist fraud investigation and outcries of a potential scam.
On Friday, Almetta Treadway, whose transaction is being investigated by the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, explained her problems to Channel 2’s Carl Willis.
“Sometimes, if it’s too good to be true, It’s just that,” Treadway said.
She said she bought her 1997 Ford Explorer after what she described as a high-pressure sales tactic.
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Then, she said her SUV broke down as soon as she got it home.
She also said she found out that the seller may not have actually owned the vehicle and that there may be an issue getting a clear title.
Almost immediately, she said the person who sold her the SUV disconnected his phone.
“They’re getting clunkers and junkers and they’re selling them before they’re even fixed,” customer Cornell Battreal said.
A flood of emails and calls from other frustrated customers including Battreal came to Willis and the Channel 2 newsroom.
Saturday, the owner of NSD Autos traveled from Hokes Bluff, Alabama to try to clear up the concerns.
“Obviously there’s a lack of communication,” NSD Autos owner Shawn Gresham said.
Some customers said that was an understatement.
Battreal said his newly purchased 1997 Dodge Intrepid stopped working after 60 miles.
He said several repairs were guaranteed on his buyer’s guide, but said it’s been six weeks and they have not been completed.
Gresham said he crossed state lines to respond.
He said the problem lies with his now former sales representative and not his company.
Willis asked: “Have you been as accessible as you could be?”
“My sales rep. was supposed to be, but there was a lack of communication and that’s why he’s no longer working for me,” Gresham said.
The sales rep didn’t answer his door Saturday, but Gresham continued to explain.
“The problem is that the cars we sell are usually $500 to $1,500 cars,” he said. “They’re not perfect. Families call us and say we have $500 we need a car. Obviously, if you get a 500 car it’s not going to last forever.”
However, Battreal said the $1,750 he spent was all he had in savings, and he still doesn’t have a working car.
Gresham told Willis: “What you don’t see is all the single mothers we’ve donated cars to around Christmas time. Y’all see the bad things. The bad thing is there’s an employee who is no longer working for me and there was a big miscommunication.”
Gresham said he agreed to have a new motor installed in Treadway’s car. He also said his mechanic was already planning to call Battreal this week to update him on his needed repairs.
“We’re just tired of dealing with it,” Battreal said. “They should have been up front.”
Gresham said anyone with issues regarding recent purchases should call him at 678-549-1373.
