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A car purchase issue nearly cost a Louisiana man $41,000 in mid-June, prompting a Pierce County man to discover his business name was being used on a website he never created.
The website, which features the name “Harber Motors,” appears legitimate.
Mike Harber spoke to KIRO 7 and admitted that he does have a business in his name called “Harber Motors,” but he also told KIRO 7’s Ranji Sinha that he has not been active with that business in years, had not sold a car in maybe more than a decade, and does not keep any inventory of cars that are either bought or sold.
He said he maintains his dealer license for his legal work. Harber, a Pierce County resident, said he knew something was wrong after receiving a call from the potential buyer who was trying to purchase a vehicle from Harber Motors, which claimed to have a location in Ellensburg.
The Louisiana man planned to purchase a vehicle but decided to call the listed dealer first, Mike Harber. He was able to connect with Harber, who recorded the call for business purposes, but Harber quickly realized that the caller and the dealer were confused. Harber told the caller that while he is a dealer, he did not currently sell or trade cars and has not sold one for some time.
The caller did direct Harber to the website for ‘Harber Motors.’
Harber looked it over and said he knew it was not him because he had never set up a business in Ellensburg.
“My name and even me personally was being projected on this website as a legitimate website, which it is not,” Harber said. The website still appears to be active and displays an inventory of vehicles for sale.
The Louisiana man tried to wire $41,000, but after connecting with the real Mike Harber, Harber immediately advised him to call his bank and have the wired money recalled. Mike Harber told him that he never arranged for any such sale.
Harber expressed his frustration and concerns, telling the caller, “I do have a corporation called Harber Motors, but it’s basically been inactive. I haven’t had a vehicle in any kind of inventory bought or sold for 5 or 10 years!”
Harber’s legitimate business website now includes a disclaimer and warning on its front page. He also reported the fraudulent Harber Motors website and business to the Washington Department of Licensing.
Harber noted that he pays annual fees and takes courses to maintain his dealer license but could not find any official records with Washington state for a business bearing his name located in Ellensburg.
KIRO 7 did attempt to call Harber Motors at the number listed on the website, but a message said the call could not be completed as dialed.
Harber stated his concern over this issue, saying, “It makes me angry. For one thing, reputation is what business is all about.”
KIRO 7 reached out to the Washington Department of Licensing, which sent the following response:
“DOL has heard of situations where someone claims to be affiliated with a legitimate business or is using a fake name to try and sell vehicles to consumers. This is a difficult situation as the name of the “salesperson” is not legitimate or they are using someone else’s name or likeness without knowledge. We have no idea who the “actor” is as they are using aliases, and the consumer generally does not have sufficient information to help us identify the bad actor.
Individuals should always verify the company is a licensed car dealership either through the lookup feature on the Department of Revenue’s website or by contacting DOL’s Licensing & Customer Support Services team. We also encourage them to contact the company and ask if the “salesperson” they are working with is affiliated with the company and if the company is selling the car in question, especially if they are viewing, or taking possession of the car from someplace other than the licensed location. DOL does not issue individual licenses (like real estate, cosmetology) to individuals working for vehicle dealerships. Whether a consumer is purchasing from a private seller or licensed business, the consumer should request to see a copy of the title or appropriate paperwork from the vehicle dealer authorizing the dealer to sell the vehicle.
We receive many complaints about vehicle sales, and some of them are not within our jurisdiction because they are scammers using false names and claiming to work for a licensed vehicle dealer. DOL has administrative authority over licensed vehicle dealers and can issue cease and desist orders to individuals we can identify that are acting as a vehicle dealer. However, DOL does not have the authority to investigate criminal activity. Victims can also file a consumer complaint with the AGO at https://www.atg.wa.gov/file-complaint and contact local law enforcement."
Harber advises consumers to always contact a dealer directly before sending any money and to visit a dealership in person whenever possible to verify the car and the dealer’s legitimacy.
