Thieving business - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

schteve_d · 07-11-2009, 02:34 PM

Not too long ago I caught the company I worked for padding their profits by selling parts that don't even exist to customers on repairs. I work in the heavy truck repair business so on a large repair, a few parts here and there for a hundred bucks or so slip by unnoticed. In checking around about it, it turns out almost everyone who worked for the company for any length of time was aware of it and seemingly ok with it.

They did some other mildly shady things that I was aware of and wasn't necessarily happy about but could let slide, but not this.

The company I was working for is a multi-branch facility based in Western Canada so I did some digging and found that all branches were using this practice to make a little extra ( a lot extra once it was all added up!).

Once I had my facts straight I confronted my boss about it and was laid off for lack of work within the hour! I would have quit anyway so I wasn't too upset about it and I found a great job very shortly after.

I am not going to let this go, though. That is outright theft and it's BS. Who would I complain to about this? The better business bureau? The company is also ISO ceritified (I don't know how).

Coach · 07-11-2009, 02:36 PM

man sounds like you should sue them for wrongful dismissal.

Locke · 07-11-2009, 02:36 PM

Give the local news a call, their consumer watch specialist might be able to help you out.

What is that guy's name again? Bah, I forget.

taco.vidal · 07-11-2009, 02:41 PM

Write a few letters to some of the bigger clients and tell them what the company is doing and tell them what to look for in their past invoices. You could also call them and have a chat with them and let them know the details.

CrusaderPi · 07-11-2009, 02:41 PM

Look into whistle blower laws. I'd tell you all about them, except I have no idea.

Locke · 07-11-2009, 02:42 PM

Tony Tighe? Or does he sell breakfast cereal? Bah, I cant remember anymore.

Jayems · 07-11-2009, 02:45 PM

And this is why I will never trust any auto mechanic. I respect that you came forward and confronted them on this, but as a whole, the industry seems to be riddled with unsavory individuals who will steal from you at every opportunity. It's nothing new, I know. But just seems to reinforce my belief about the industry. I'm not naive enough to think this is the only industry that does this, but they seem to constantly get a bad rap across the board.

schteve_d · 07-11-2009, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayems

And this is why I will never trust any auto mechanic. I respect that you came forward and confronted them on this, but as a whole, the industry seems to be riddled with unsavory individuals who will steal from you at every opportunity. It's nothing new, I know. But just seems to reinforce my belief about the industry. I'm not naive enough to think this is the only industry that does this, but they seem to constantly get a bad rap across the board.

I've worked in enough different places in both the light- and heavy-duty industries to know that, like any other group, there are good and bad mechanics and good and bad shops. I know what you're saying, the automotive repair industry certainly gets a bad rap, and it's too bad for the honest ones.

Jayems · 07-11-2009, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schteve_d

I've worked in enough different places in both the light- and heavy-duty industries to know that, like any other group, there are good and bad mechanics and good and bad shops. I know what you're saying, the automotive repair industry certainly gets a bad rap, and it's too bad for the honest ones.

I liken it to crotch rocket riders. There are so many stupid, idiotic ones that they make ALL of them look bad, no matter how safe they ride.

Rerun · 07-11-2009, 02:50 PM

This kind of stuff happens a lot in any kind of repair business. I've experienced it myself.

jayswin · 07-11-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayems

And this is why I will never trust any auto mechanic. I respect that you came forward and confronted them on this, but as a whole, the industry seems to be riddled with unsavory individuals who will steal from you at every opportunity. It's nothing new, I know. But just seems to reinforce my belief about the industry. I'm not naive enough to think this is the only industry that does this, but they seem to constantly get a bad rap across the board.

Do you remember when the Herald (I think it was the herald) did that thing where they brought a van that only needed like one little cap thing replaced (I think they said it was about a $10 fix), to a bunch of repair shops around Calgary?

Basically, they went to all these shops and acted like they didn't know anything about cars, and therefore they fully trusted the repair shops to take care of their car, which of course to crooked mechanics, is a green light to make some money.

Anyways, it turned out almost every shop overtcharged the crap out of them, and most just outright lied about problems and charged them for the most ridiculous things. I remember the Sears mechanic shop at Chinook mall (I don't know of it's still there) charged them the most at $1200 or something like that, and I believe only one shop (I can't remember how many they took it to) was honest and said "hey, all you needed was this one little cap".

It was pretty telling, and opened a lot of people eyes, it let people know that you can't trust a shop just because it has a trustworthy nam eon it ie: Sears, Canadian tire etc.

jayswin · 07-11-2009, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayems

I liken it to crotch rocket riders. There are so many stupid, idiotic ones that they make ALL of them look bad, no matter how safe they ride.

Haha that reminds me of my buddy the other day. A guy on a crotch rocket was going under the speed limit behind an old granny, so he put on his signal light and performed a perfectly safe pass around the old lady, and continued off at the speed limit. then my buddy kind of went "pffft, stupid crotchrockets, they're all stupid, I wouldn't be surprised if we see that guy dead on the road further up". I just kind of looked at him like WTF are you talking about?

FlamesKickAss · 07-11-2009, 03:09 PM

are they amvic (?? forget if thats the name) licesensed, maybe report to them if they are.

EDBTZ12 · 07-11-2009, 03:10 PM

I've always suspected this was going on in the mechanic business. Thanks for sharing your story and you should contact Global News consumer report. Tried searching for the number but couldn't find it.

cSpooge · 07-11-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schteve_d

Not too long ago I caught the company I worked for padding their profits by selling parts that don't even exist to customers on repairs. I work in the heavy truck repair business so on a large repair, a few parts here and there for a hundred bucks or so slip by unnoticed. In checking around about it, it turns out almost everyone who worked for the company for any length of time was aware of it and seemingly ok with it.

They did some other mildly shady things that I was aware of and wasn't necessarily happy about but could let slide, but not this.

The company I was working for is a multi-branch facility based in Western Canada so I did some digging and found that all branches were using this practice to make a little extra ( a lot extra once it was all added up!).

Once I had my facts straight I confronted my boss about it and was laid off for lack of work within the hour! I would have quit anyway so I wasn't too upset about it and I found a great job very shortly after.

I am not going to let this go, though. That is outright theft and it's BS. Who would I complain to about this? The better business bureau? The company is also ISO ceritified (I don't know how).

if you want I can grab the confidential informant lead line for the CRA when I'm at work on monday (I work for the CRA) and you can give them a call about it. We can't do anything about the thievery part of it but I suspect that those "extra parts" aren't showing up anything on expense statements either.

Bownesian · 07-11-2009, 03:11 PM

I would be tempted to take the theft issue to the police if you have proof.

As far as your employment rights, you are entitled to a reasonable compensation in lieu of adequate notice (severance). Severance claims can work out to a maximum of a Month's salary for every year of service for a salaried employee. If you didn't receive this, you may need to hire a lawyer.

FlamesKickAss · 07-11-2009, 03:12 PM

http://www.amvic.org/

4X4 · 07-11-2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cSpooge

if you want I can grab the confidential informant lead line for the CRA when I'm at work on monday (I work for the CRA) and you can give them a call about it. We can't do anything about the thievery part of it but I suspect that those "extra parts" aren't showing up anything on expense statements either.

A hex on thee.

schteve_d · 07-11-2009, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cSpooge

if you want I can grab the confidential informant lead line for the CRA when I'm at work on monday (I work for the CRA) and you can give them a call about it. We can't do anything about the thievery part of it but I suspect that those "extra parts" aren't showing up anything on expense statements either.

No, I'm sure they are not. I found five part numbers, but I am sure there are others. All of the ones I found were costed at a penny.

I'd appreciate the info if you don't mind.

Thanks also to everyone else, I'm not sure which way I'll go yet, but I will be following it up!

Edit: Doh, the costing is irrelevant. I see what you were saying thanks to Locke.

Locke · 07-11-2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cSpooge

if you want I can grab the confidential informant lead line for the CRA when I'm at work on monday (I work for the CRA) and you can give them a call about it. We can't do anything about the thievery part of it but I suspect that those "extra parts" aren't showing up anything on expense statements either.

This is actually a good idea, but I doubt they'd be stupid enough to evade the taxes on their ill-gotten gains, some people you can rob, but the Government of Canada simply aint one of 'em!